The Making of What Next?

Following up on our acclaimed 2025 release, “What is?” I’m proud to present “What Next?” - with more of my arrangements for The Hippie Big Band.

Smaller than a traditional big band, but bigger than a combo, we are a jazz band that plays rock music. We also play straight-ahead jazz, funk, pretty ballads and some free improvisation. Sometimes within the same arrangement.

The Hippie Big Band has given me the opportunity to combine craft and art (or arts and crafts.) I start with the different types of music that I love, and apply my masters degree in jazz composition from Manhattan School of Music where I was a student of Manny Albam and Rich Derosa. I add to that over 30 years as a music copyist for Broadway Shows where I learned orchestration for small and medium sized ensembles, and how to get more from less. All of these arrangements are written for these specific players who have all been with me now collectively since we all emerged from the pandemic.

The Hippie Big Band got named partially by my son, Roark. When he was 4 years-old he accused me of “listening to too much hippie music. ” Now he’s a young adult towering over me and with really long hair. He owns more tie dye shirts than his old man. At an early rehearsal we had a substitute drummer that said the music was fun and “like hippie music for a big band.” Hence the name. I’ve selected 9 music adventures here on What Next? that represent our breadth and depth of styles, and feature our great soloists. I’m also fortunate to have two very special guest artists along for the ride.

I met Danny Louis years ago playing softball in Central Park. We were on a really bad team of musicians in a performing arts league. Since then, Danny has become the keyboardist/mutli-instrumentalist for Gov’t Mule. I have to admit that Gov’t Mule’s repertoire has influenced my song selections to arrange for the band, and I’m so thrilled to have Danny on the album guest soloing on Organ here on Freddie’s Dead.

The Amazing Erica von Kleist guest solos here on Birdsong byThe Grateful Dead. Erica is an all-world Alto Sax and woodwind player specializing in Piccolo. Fresh off recording her jazz Piccolo album, Picc Pocket, Erica takes us on a trippy journey while taking care of business on Piccolo throughout Birdsong.Erica is also an educator and comedy writer. She’s very funny.

My goals here include presenting familiar material in new ways. Usually with a sense of humor, but always from the perspective of a jazz band.

Starting off the fun is I Saw Her Standing There by the Beatles. It features our Guitarist, Michael Aarons along with a Vibes solo by Bill Hayes. When my daughter, Izabella, first heard this, she said I watched too much TV Batman in the 1960s. She’s absolutely correct.

The funky Freddie’s Dead by Curtis Mayfield is from the movie Superfly. Freddie’s Dead features our Baritone Sax player, Frank Vacin, and our guest soloist, Danny Louis, on Organ. This was one of the very first arrangements I wrote for the band. Danny fit right in with the band like a groove.

We take it to the swamp for Dr. John’s I Walk on Guilded Splinters. There are so many influential versions of this song that I’ve enjoyed. The Allman Brothers Band, Gov’t Mule, Humble Pie, Johnny Jenkins and Papa Mali to name several. Our version features the Trombone of Dan Levine. Back in high school in the 1970’s I remember hearing Jeff Beck’s Blow by Blow

on KSAN (FM) radio in San Francisco. I loved every song on that album. Here we do Freeway Jam with a Guitar solo by Michael Aarons. The arrangement has elements of Beck’s guitar playing orchestrated throughout for the band.

We’ve reached the Grateful Dead portion of our program. Shakedown Street was a disco-ish number from the Dead’s album of the same name. I’ve tried to give it a jazz fusion vibe. It features Matt Hong on Alto Sax, Matt Owens on Electrified Trumpet, and Stan Harrison on Tenor Sax. Dig the Bass of Steve

Count and the Drums of Scott Neumann. Birdsong is a beautiful song by Robert Hunter and Jerry Garcia. I’ve tried to stay true to the original content of the song while trying to make it our own. Piccolo solos by Erica von Kleist, Tenor Sax solos by Stan Harrison, and Guitar Solos by Michael Aarons.I said before we can do some pretty ballads. Check our performance of my arrangement of A Remark You Made by Joe Zawinul of Weather Report.

Beautiful solos by Dan Levine on Trombone and Matt Hong on Alto Sax. Another favorite I first heardwhen I was in high school was Compared to What from the Swiss Movement recording by Les McCann and Eddie Harris. I’ve always loved the groove and melody of this one, and its lyrics are just as relevant today as when they were written. This arrangement gives most of our soloists a chance to blow on something fun.

I did an arrangement of Led Zeppelin's No Quarter years ago for The New York Fusion Ensemble. Listening to old gig recordings of that arrangement I was feeling an electric Miles vibe. I love the electric Miles stuff so I decided to re-arrange it for the HBB. Thus the Bitches Brew tag. Featuring Bill Hayes on Vibes, Matt Owens on Trumpet, and Frank Vacin on Soprano Sax.

Thanks for checking out What Next? I am so grateful for the love and support of this band, and I can’t thank them enough. Thanks to everyone that contributed to making What is? a reality. Allison Mackey and Erica von Kleist for the artwork and graphics. Special thanks to Dan Levine, John Kilgore, and EvK for their guidance through this. Alex Conroy for pinch hit engineering the session while John got hit with Covid the morning of causing John to supervise the session remotely. Extra special thanks to Danny and Erica for being our guest soloists.