Manhattan Projections
Andy Jaffe composer, piano
Branford Marsalis saxophone
Wallace Roney trumpet
John Clark french horn
Marvin “Smitty” Smith drums
Tom McClung piano
Big Round Records is proud to announce its reissue of Andy Jaffe’s MANHATTAN PROJECTIONS, an album of the jazz composer/pianist’s works for small band repertoire. This rerelease of the jazz classic includes the original seven works from the 1984 debut, the McDaniels session tracks from the 2001 Playscape reissue, plus three bonus tracks from the Tom McClung-Andy Jaffe piano trio exclusive to this release.
Jaffe has been praised for his bold harmonic leaps and deft understanding of the intricacies of writing for both big and small band. The composer’s skill with written music is fully backed by the performers on this disc, including John Clark, Tom McClung, and Branford Marsalis, Wallace Roney, and Marvin “Smitty” Smith at the early stages of their career.
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Artist Information
Andy Jaffe
Andy Jaffe is the Lyell B. Clay Artist in Residence and Director of Jazz Activities at Williams College, as well as Artistic Director of the Williamstown Jazz Festival. An active jazz composer, performer, and recording artist, Jaffe has been a leader in jazz pedagogy for over twenty-five years, having taught at the Berklee College of Music (1977-81), The University of Massachusetts Amherst graduate program in Afro-American Music and Jazz (1994-98), the Institut Musical deformation Professionelle in Nimes, France (1984), Amherst College (1987-99), Tufts University(1992-93), Smith College(1997-99), and Williams (since 1989). He runs the jazz ensembles and teaches courses in jazz theory and improvisation, jazz arranging and composition, and on the music of Duke Ellington and John Coltrane.