Fred Stride
Well here we are. It is now October 2007 and I've finally got this website up and running. It seemed there was always something that got in the way, usually writing new music. The site does not contain a lot of stuff at this point, but we hope to add more content in the very near future, including some form of blog and a way to deal with requests for scores and parts.
So far 2007 has been a great year. The beginning of the year started with the release of my new big band CD - "The Fred Stride Jazz Orchestra: Forward Motion" (Cellar Live). This is my first jazz release in many years and I feel it is one of the best recordings I have ever been involved with. The reception to the CD has been great, especially from fellow big band composers. In late February the Pacific Symphonic Wind Ensemble released the CD - " Trajectories: Pacific Symphonic Wind Ensemble Plays the Music of Fred Stride" which is available many places. I had spent the previous concert season as their composer in residence, which resulted in a couple of large scale commissions, including "Caverns" and "Trajectories." I hope to write a few words about these recordings later in the fall.
2007 has also been very nice in terms of recognition. I won the first International Jazz Arranging Competition. The competition required contestants to write and submit an arrangement of a Michael Brecker tune. I chose Peep. Actually I started writing 2 charts, but the one for Peep just took off. I felt very good about my submission and was very pleased to be awarded first prize. The chart was then performed and recorded by Chuck Owen's great Florida big band The Jazz Surge with Randy Brecker as soloist. For more on the award you can check out the All About Jazz Review.
More recently I received the IAJE/SOCAN Phil Nimmons Jazz Composer Award. This award will be given out at the IAJE Conference in Toronto in January 2008. The award also includes a commission to be premiered at the conference. I've just completed the new work - the 13 minute By All Accounts.
Once again welcome to my new site. While you are here check out Steve Mynett's great photos from the FSJO recording session.
- Fred Stride