(Very loosely, the sixth movement from Olivier Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time, "Danse de la fureur, pour les sept trompettes", deconstructed, for big band. This was originally closer a transcription, but limited rehearsal time necessitated looser interpretation)

An _extremely_ indulgent arrangement by a brave 22-year-old that was thrown together in a couple of weeks for a recording date

(And in hindsight, something I'd love to re-visit from scratch, if this lifetime allows)

Performed by the Frost Concert Jazz Band

Dance of Fury (for Olivier Messiaen)

Once my Thad Kool-aid got spiked with Jim McNeely, the whole world changed. I don't even like Chicago, so I'm not sure how I landed not his tune apart from "hey, it has horns!"

Performed by the University of Southern Mississippi Jazz Lab Band I

Saturday in the Park

The first big band chart I ever wrote - an original composition that reflects my concurrent obsessions with Gil Evans and Thad Jones at the time (see more shameless homage to the two of these elsewhere on here)

Performed by the University of Southern Mississippi Jazz Lab Band I

Disquietude

Here's a setting of the lullaby from Suzanne Collins's _The Hunger Games_ that I wrote for my senior recital, but never got around to doing a proper recording of.

“Something old you never got around to recording” - Quarantine Day 4

What's a trivia host without proper walkout music?!?

"Write a theme song for your Zoom pub quiz" - Quarantine Day 3

If I ever wrote a mainstream pop album, this vibe would be a pretty good intersection of my influences.

“What if Ben Folds was from New Orleans?” - Quarantine Day 2

“Write a beautiful English faux-lk melody and then chorale it” - Quarantine Day 1

Apart from hearing a few covers by jazz musicians, I've intentionally never listened to Radiohead. Maybe the hype is too much. Maybe I want to properly experience "listening to something for the first time" the first time I listen to them. Either way, they're on my rainy day playlist. I'll probably go into a hole some weekend and consume the entire discography in one sitting.

“What does Radiohead sound like?” - Quarantine Day 6

"What if Alan Lomax showed up at your porch?" - Quarantine Day 5

Music director, pianist, composer, arranger. orchestrator, recording/mix engineer, etc. 

(if it involves your ears and you have a budget, I’m your hero)

Tyler Dennis