Shifty Paradigms [CD], Dave Slonaker, CD

It was Dave Slonaker's fascination with the sounds of big bands in his early teens that led him to Pittsburg's Carnegie Library to research the nuts & bolts of how it was created. An orchestrator, arranger, and composer for film & TV over decades now, it's with his 15-year-old Grammy nominated ensemble - comprised of LA's finest jazz and studio musicians where he explores the paradigm shifts within his own writing and aesthetic as time goes on. With this third album for Origin, his exploration of orchestration, harmony and rhythm is as expansive and vivid as ever, as band members including Peter Erskine, Bob Sheppard, Clay Jenkins and Bill Reichenbach lend world-renowned musicality to whatever twists and turns he conjures up - always celebrating the big band legacy while joining the other visionary composers in charting the path forward. "His charts are modern, invigorating, full of variety, and clearly an inspiration for his sidemen." Scott Yanow, LA Jazz Scene "Exemplifying the best of contemporary big-band jazz - fresh and sparkling, with more than enough dynamism and ingenuity to capture a listener's interest and hold it..." All About Jazz