The New Jazz Composers Octet is an all-acoustic jazz ensemble founded by trumpeter/arranger David Weiss

David Weiss (musician)

Davis Weiss is a jazz trumpeter and the founder of The New Jazz Composers Octet, a group dedicated to innovation in jazz. He studied music at North Texas State University, graduating in 1986. Returning to New York, he performed with Jaki Byard, Frank Foster, and Jimmy Heath...

 in 1996. NPR

NPR

NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...

's Josh Jackson described them as "part New York hustle and part writer's workshop, all of it redolent with the aroma of newness." The title track of The Turning Gate won the group a Chamber Music Association grant.

History

After meeting some of the musicians in 1996—pianist Xavier Davis

Xavier Davis

Xavier Davis is a jazz pianist who leads the "Xavier Davis Trio." He currently teaches at the Juilliard School in New York City....

, bassist Dwayne Burno, and drummer Nasheet Waits

Nasheet Waits

Nasheet Waits is an American jazz musician who plays drum set.Son of legendary percussionist Freddie Waits; Nasheet is a New York native who has been active on the jazz scene since early in his life. Before pursuing a music career, he studied psychology and history at Morehouse College in Atlanta....

--David Weiss, who was working on arrangements for Freddie Hubbard

Freddie Hubbard

Frederick Dewayne "Freddie" Hubbard was an American jazz trumpeter. He was known primarily for playing in the bebop, hard bop and post bop styles from the early 1960s and on...

, decided to form a self-determining cooperative ensemble, eventually deciding on an octet

Octet

-Music:* Octet , ensemble consisting of eight instruments or voices, or composition written for such an ensemble* Octet , 1793 composition by Ludwig van Beethoven* Octet , 1825 composition by Felix Mendelssohn...

, leading to a search for wind players. The first musicians added to the group were Gregory Tardy

Gregory Tardy

Greg Tardy is an American jazz saxophonist, who has released albums for the record labels SteepleChase Records, GRP Records, and Impulse! Records.-References:...

, Myron Walden

Myron Walden

Myron Walden is a jazz saxophonist and bass clarinetist.-Biography:Walden moved to The Bronx, New York at age 12, and there he began playing saxophone in school; his interest in jazz came when a neighbor gave him a Charlie Parker record. He went on to attend LaGuardia High School, and in 1993, he...

, and James Farnsworth. Farnsworth died after the release of their first recording, and the chair of baritone saxophone has been revolving—three others have filled the position since. Jimmy Greene who was a guest artist on the first album was a full member by the second, as were Steve Davis and Chris Karlic. The second album featured guest appearances by Craig Handy

Craig Handy

Craig Mitchell Handy is an American post-bop tenor saxophonist.Born in Oakland, California, Handy attended North Texas State University from 1981 to 1984, and following this played with Art Blakey, Wynton Marsalis, Roy Haynes, Abdullah Ibrahim, Elvin Jones, Joe Henderson, Betty Carter, George...

 and Joe Chambers

Joe Chambers

Joe Chambers is an American jazz drummer, pianist, vibraphonist and composer. He attended the Philadelphia Conservatory for one year. In the 1960s and 70s Chambers gigged with many high-profile artists such as Eric Dolphy, Charles Mingus, Lou Donaldson, Chick Corea, Freddie Hubbard, Jimmy Giuffre...

. Their third and most recent album, The Turning Gate added Norbert Nachtell on baritone sax.

Members

David Weiss

David Weiss (musician)

Davis Weiss is a jazz trumpeter and the founder of The New Jazz Composers Octet, a group dedicated to innovation in jazz. He studied music at North Texas State University, graduating in 1986. Returning to New York, he performed with Jaki Byard, Frank Foster, and Jimmy Heath...

 (trumpet

Trumpet

The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...

 and flueglehorn)

Myron Walden

Myron Walden

Myron Walden is a jazz saxophonist and bass clarinetist.-Biography:Walden moved to The Bronx, New York at age 12, and there he began playing saxophone in school; his interest in jazz came when a neighbor gave him a Charlie Parker record. He went on to attend LaGuardia High School, and in 1993, he...

 (alto sax, flute

Flute

The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...

)

Jimmy Greene (tenor sax, soprano sax, flute

Flute

The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...

)

Steve Davis

Steve Davis (trombonist)

Steve Davis is an American jazz trombonist who plays hard bop, post-bop, and standards. His primary influences are J. J. Johnson, Curtis Fuller, Slide Hampton, Jackie McLean, Freddie Hubbard, Dexter Gordon, Miles Davis, Hank Jones, Cedar Walton, McCoy Tyner and John Coltrane.Davis was raised in...

 (trombone

Trombone

The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...

)

Norbert Natchel (baritone sax, bass clarinet

Bass clarinet

The bass clarinet is a musical instrument of the clarinet family. Like the more common soprano B clarinet, it is usually pitched in B , but it plays notes an octave below the soprano B clarinet...

)

Xavier Davis

Xavier Davis

Xavier Davis is a jazz pianist who leads the "Xavier Davis Trio." He currently teaches at the Juilliard School in New York City....

 (piano

Piano

The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...

)

Dwayne Burno (bass

Double bass

The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...

)

Nasheet Waits

Nasheet Waits

Nasheet Waits is an American jazz musician who plays drum set.Son of legendary percussionist Freddie Waits; Nasheet is a New York native who has been active on the jazz scene since early in his life. Before pursuing a music career, he studied psychology and history at Morehouse College in Atlanta....

 (drums)

Past members

Andrew Williams (trombone)

Danny Grissett (piano)

Gregory Tardy

Gregory Tardy

Greg Tardy is an American jazz saxophonist, who has released albums for the record labels SteepleChase Records, GRP Records, and Impulse! Records.-References:...

 (tenor saxophone)

James Farnsworth (baritone sax)

Dave Rickenberg (baritone sax)

Chris Karlic (baritone sax)

Discography

• First Steps into Realty (Fresh Sound/New Talent, 1998)
• Walkin' the Line (Fresh Sound/New Talent, 2003)
• The Turning Gate (Motéma Music
  Motéma Music
  Motéma Music is an American record label focused on jazz and world music, as well as other creative projects by virtuosic musicians who also compose. It was founded by Jana Herzen in 2003, and is now based in Harlem, New York City...
  
  , 2008)

External links

• Official site
• The New Jazz Composers Octet at Motéma Music
  Motéma Music
  Motéma Music is an American record label focused on jazz and world music, as well as other creative projects by virtuosic musicians who also compose. It was founded by Jana Herzen in 2003, and is now based in Harlem, New York City...