New Beginnings: Part 2 - Remembrance
*Dedicated to Sweet Pea*

Composition/Arrangement: Jonathan Saraga
Saxophones/Flutes/Clarinets: Matt Chiasson
Trombones: Matt McDonald
Trumpets/Flugelhorns: Jonathan Saraga
Guitar: Alex Heffron
Piano: Martha Kato
Bass: Nick Jozwiak
Drums: Kenneth Salters
Mixing/Production: Jonathan Saraga

New Beginnings: Part 2 - Remembrance

BUY ALBUM: https://www.jonathansaraga.com/journeytoanewworld
BUY ALBUM ART: https://www.jonathansaraga.com/merch
BUY ALBUM SHEET MUSIC: https://www.jonathansaraga.com/sheetmusic

My second album as a leader, 'Journey to a New World' (Fresh Sound New Talent/2017), features a track that received the 2016 Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award (ASCAP Foundation), 4 tracks that received semi-finalist nominations in the 2016 International Songwriting Competition, and 1 track that received finalist/Honorable Mention in the 2017 competition. In addition to peaking at 65/200 in Jazz Week, 'Jazz Journal' (UK) calls it "intriguing", and that it "comes out of the speakers with a rare confidence and finish, but without the smuggery and sheen that a lot of contemporary jazz has in place of real content." Jerry Gordon of Evidence Records calls it "brilliant", and MacArthur-fellow, saxophonist and composer Miguel Zenon, hails it to be "impressive", "very focused(,) and well conceived."

This compilation features some of the strongest scored and improvised passages from the album. It provides a scope of the variety of sonic landscapes inherent to my small group writing, as well as a taste of the group's improvisational prowess.

Personnel: Jonathan Saraga (trumpet/compositions/arrangements), Remy Le Boeuf (alto sax), Aki Ishiguro (guitar), Chris Pattishall (piano), Rick Rosato (bass), Kenneth Salters (drums).

Recording Engineer: Peter Karl
Mastering by Dave Darlington at Bass Hit Recording

Produced by Jonathan Saraga
Executive Producer: Jordi Pujol

Cover photo by Tayla Nebesky

Journey to a New World (Album Preview)

"The Reiki Practitioner" was originally written for quintet and was featured on Jonathan's debut album, "First Vision", which was released at Smalls Jazz Club in New York City for the Blue Truffle Music record label.

What started as a small-group original work was soon adapted for for jazz orchestra and would be debuted at the 2009 Carmine Caruso Jazz Trumpet Competition presented by the International Trumpet Guild and premiered by the U.S. Army Blues.

It since has been performed by multi-award winning ensembles such as the Eco-Music Big Band, the Liberte Big Band, the Erica Seguine/Shannon Baker Jazz Orchestra, and most recently, the University of Colorado, Boulder Concert Jazz Ensemble. Venues it has been performed at include The Tea Lounge, Trumpets Jazz Club and The Iridium in New York, as well as Grusin Hall at CU Boulder.

The piece was recently recognized by the International Society of Jazz Arrangers and Composers, which awarded Jonathan a commission to complete a new composition by winter of 2020.

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Recorded in April 2019 at Mighty Fine Studios, Denver CO
Engineered by Colin Bricker

Saxophones
Lexi Nomikos
Rhiannon Dewey
Wyatt Wear
Michael Gutierrez
Jake Conway

Trumpets
Jonathan Saraga
Joey Blunk
Erik Ondrejko
Aaron MacGilvray
Sonya Walker

Trombones
Brian Woodbury
Matteo Bassani
Allison Orthel
Bryan Powell

Rhythm Section
Adam Hernandez, guitar
Annie Booth, piano
Leo Arguello, bass
Michael D'Angelo, drums
Rocco Williams, vibes

Cover art by Jonathan Saraga

The Reiki Practitioner

Rolf Løvland and Brendan Graham's song "You Raise Me Up", made popular by Josh Groban has been a source of strength and inspiration for many years. I decided to arrange the song in 2018 and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to record it with these wonderful musicians.

Personnel:  Jonathan Saraga (trumpet/arrangement), Lexi Nomikos (saxophone), Brian Woodbury (trombone), Adam Hernandez (guitar), 
Annie Booth (piano), Leo Arguello (bass), Michael D'Angelo (drums)

Recorded in December 2018 at Mighty Fine Studios, Denver CO
Engineered by Colin Bricker

You Raise Me Up

I first starting writing "Enchantment" in 2014, and it since has undergone several editings and has been arranged to suite many different ensemble-types. The one thing that has remained constant, however, is the mystical and magical fairy-tale like setting it is meant to portray.

Jonathan Saraga (flugelhorn/composition)
Darryl Gott (alto sax/flute)
Otto Lee (tenor sax)
David Smith (trombone)
Matt Michaud (guitar)
Walter Gorra (piano)
Mike Facey (bass)
Zach Ritchie (drums)

CU Boulder Thompson Jazz Studies Jazz Combo directed by Jeff Jenkins
Recorded in December of 2016  at Mighty Fine Productions, Denver CO

Enchantment

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pS9WCRQ_4lI

“Destinations”, which is part 1 of Saraga’s New Beginnings suite for jazz orchestra, was one of sixteen pieces commissioned by the International Society of Jazz Arrangers and Composers for winter of 2020. "The stated mission of ISJAC is: To unite and serve the international community of jazz arrangers and composers; To advance the understanding and appreciation of jazz composition; To stimulate the creation, performance, and dissemination of new works and research." It was an honor and privilege to have their support, both financially and artistically in the creation of this piece.

As the pandemic, lockdowns, protests, and financial crises continued to affect people everywhere, artists were faced with the continuous opportunity to respond in new ways. It was a chance to examine our humanity and humility, and to forge forward with optimism, love and courage in whatever ways we could. For Jonathan, it was by embracing a renewed sense of purpose and responsibility during a time when most traditional means of serving as a musician had disappeared. His desire to aid and inspire the navigation of this uncharted territory birthed the sounds of the New Beginnings suite and its first movement, “Destinations”. This is Saraga's first time leading a big band, and he has put together an incredibly diverse ensemble featuring some of New York City's most creative and brilliant players.

Composition: Jonathan Saraga
Preliminary Mixing: Jonathan Saraga
Mixing/Mastering: Dave Darlington
Video Editing: Adam DeAscentis
Soloists: Max Light - Guitar, Jonathan Saraga - trumpet
Alto 1, flute - Remy Le Boeuf
Alto 2, flute - Chris Coles
Tenor 1, flute - Sam Dillon
Tenor 2, flute - Maria Grand
Bari Sax, flute - Andy Gutauskas
Trombone 1 - Javier Nero
Trombone 2 - Seth Weaver
Trombone 3 - Beserat Tafesse
Bass Trombone - Jennifer Wharton
Trumpet 1 - John Lake
Trumpet 2 - Adam O'Farrill
Trumpet 3 - David Adewumi
Trumpet 4 - Stuart Mack
Piano - Caili O'Doherty
Guitar - Max Light
Bass - Walter Stinson
Drums - Jay Sayer
Gong - John Sevy

New Beginnings: Part 1 - Destinations

"One for Graham Hancock" is an original composition and arrangement I wrote in tribute to the egyptologist, author, journalist, historian, and researcher. For many years, and in some ways still to this day, he has been an important person in my discovering and understanding of various phenomena hidden or obscured by mainstream media and informational outlets.

Remy Le Boeuf (soloist) - alto saxophone 1, 2
Matt Chiasson - tenor saxophone 1, 2
Danny Rivera - baritone saxophone
Seth Weaver - trombone 1, 2, 3, 4
Jonathan Saraga (soloist) - trumpet 1, 2, 3, 4
Mike Bond - piano
Alex Heffron - guitar
Matt Aronoff - bass
Jay Sawyer - drums

Remotely recorded in March of 2021

One for Graham Hancock

Jonathan Saraga is a New York City-based trumpeter, flugelhornist, composer, arranger, producer, educator and Doctor of Musical Arts who’s been performing, recording and competing globally for over two decades. He’s engaged with audiences in over 500 cities, nearly 70 countries and just short of 100 different universities and his work has received over 30 international awards, including 4 trumpet competition placements, 8 composition competition placements, 8 grant/commission receipts, 6 residency invitations and 2 educational conference invitations from 25 different organizations. He appears in over 230 YouTube videos, can be heard on 30+ albums and has performed throughout Canada, the Caribbean, Central America, Europe, Asia and the U.S. via multiple national tours.

Jonathan Saraga

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