Sara Fraker, Oboe

About the Symphonic Wind Ensemble

Daniel Asia (b. 1953, Seattle, WA) is one of a small number of composers who have traversed both the realms of professional performance and academia with equal skill. As testament to this he is a 2010 recipient of a major American Academy of Arts and Letters award. Elliott Hurwitt writes in a Schwann Opus review of the composer’s music, “Daniel Asia is a genuine creative spirit, an excellent composer… He is a welcome addition to the roster of our strongest group of living composers.” Asia is recognized as one of THE composers of this new classical music era.

The Eastman Wind Ensemble is America’s leading wind ensemble. Frederick Fennell first formulated the general concept of the wind ensemble at Eastman nearly 65 years ago. Under his leadership the group became known as the pioneering force in the wind ensemble movement in the United States and abroad. A. Clyde Roller served as conductor between 1962 and 1964, continuing the tradition established by Fennell. Donald Hunsberger became conductor in 1965 and led the ensemble for 37 years to international prominence. The ensemble’s current director, Mark Davis Scatterday, was introduced as the fourth conductor of this prestigious group during the EWE’s 50th anniversary celebration on February 8, 2002.

Over the decades, David Sampson (b. 1951, Charlottesville, Virginia) has emerged as a leading composer uniquely acclaimed for the integrity of his music. His works have been described as intensely honest and human, taking his audiences through rich experiences filled with depth and emotion.

Chesapeake began with David Sampson’s desire to write for the members of the American Brass Quintet as individuals, and to create a recording that would stand on its own as a full recital. As a composer, this meant that the series of works had to have a flow of distinctiveness yet be connected by an innate style, and thus the music is conceived as one extended composition. Sampson (b. 1951 Charlottesville, Virginia) belongs to a small group of contemporary composers who have followed an autonomous path to success, recognition and, most importantly, the admiration and respect of the musicians performing and championing their work. Eschewing prescribed late 20th-century paths to success has led Sampson on an uncommon, richly rewarding avenue refreshingly individual in many aspects.

Grammy finalist for an arrangement (“Smile”) from his last Summit release, critically acclaimed arranger, composer, trombonist, and for this project, vocalist, Pete McGuinness presents a dynamic extremely well-arranged program of some classics – a strong indicator of why his accolades have been impressive!

John Stevens (b. 1951) is Professor of Tuba and Euphonium at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In addition to being a member of the Wisconsin Brass Quintet, a UW-Madison faculty ensemble-inresidence, he is also a member of the acclaimed tuba/euphonium ensemble Symphonia. The works on this recording include everything from pieces Stevens first performed 35 years ago to some that are quite new to him. Composers from nine countries are represented! The only work on this recording originally written for the tuba is Stevens’s own Elegy, composed in 2004. Everything else has been arranged, transcribed or simply adapted for tuba and piano, tuba, euphonium and piano, or solo tuba.

Three Romances was a 2005 Grammy finalist in the categroy of Best Instrumental Composition.

Winner of the ITEA’s “Roger Bobo Award for Excellence in Recording”

“CHERYL BENTYNE/Let’s Misbehave-The Cole Porter Songbook: This is a no brainer. Bentyne brings her well seasoned jazz vocal chops, the jazzbos show up to play and Porter wrote all the songs. With the special sauce that separates this from all the well meaning thrushes that try to till this well trod ground, Bentyne knows how to bring it for something that might not be essential but certainly is required. A well staged, well mounted set of entertainment, jaded adult ears will welcome one more dip in the Porter well when it comes out sounding like this. Well done throughout. On top of all that, this set is Bentyne’s gift to herself for kicking the crap out of cancer last year. Talk about having what it takes!” – MIDWEST RECORD

Phil Norman leads his critically acclaimed Tentet (the cream of the crop of LA-based session men; Carl Saunders, Andy Martin, Ron Stout, Roger Neumann, Larry Koonse, Rusty Higgins, Scott Whitfield, Tom Rizzo, Christian Jacob, Kevin Axt, Dick Weller, and Brad Dutz) through ten incredibly well-written charts including the Alan Broadbent original, Mendocino Nights† and the Carl Saunder’s penned tribute, Dear Mr. Florence. Since 1995 the group’s ongoing mission remains transforming the sounds of cool modern west coast jazz for the new millennium. Their previous MAMA release stayed, which was ‘live’, stayed on jazz radio’s Top 50 chart for 24 straight weeks.