Pete McGuinness

Jazz trombonist, vocalist, band leader, jazz educator

GRAMMY-nominated jazz composer-arranger

-Bio-

Originally from West Hartford, Connecticut, Pete has been an active professional New York City jazz trombonist/composer-arranger since 1987. He has performed as trombonist with such groups as The Woody Herman Orchestra, Lionel Hampton, Jimmy Heath, and The Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra, and appears on numerous jazz CDs. Pete has led or co-led several of his own jazz groups, including The New York Trombone Conspiracy, and the Pete McGuinness Jazz Orchestra, his 16-piece big band which performs regularly in the NYC area, including appearances at such NYC clubs as The Blue Note and The Jazz Gallery. The orchestra's debut CD “First Flight” was released nation-wide in June of 2007 on the Summit Records label to much critical acclaim (“4-stars…stunning” Downbeat Magazine) and international radio airplay, and includes Pete's GRAMMY-nominated arrangement of the Charlie Chaplin classic song “Smile”. The band's 2 nd CD “Strength In Numbers” came out on Summit in 2014, with a 4 and ½ star review from DownBeat magazine in July 2014. Pete also released a vocal CD “Voice Like A Horn” (Summit) in 1013. He has been awarded numerous commission grant, including awards from the NEA, and has had his music performed by Dave Liebman, Marvin Stamm, the Lionel Hampton Orchestra, The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, and The Westchester Jazz Orchestra. As a vocalist, Pete is a past semi-finalist of the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition for vocalists and in 2010, won 1 st prize in (the late) Dr. Billy Taylor's Jazzmobile Vocal Competition in held New York City. Pete has been a college-level jazz educator since 1994, and in 2011, was appointed professor of jazz arranging at William Paterson University. His published compositions/arrangements are available through Otter Music Distributors and Kendor Music, Pete's educational degrees include Bachelor of Music (University of Miami, 1986), and Master of Music (Manhattan School of Music, 1987).

Contact: petemcg@earthlink.net

Website: www.petemcguinness.com