Jazz Trombonist • Composer-Arranger • Vocalist • Educator
Photo: Pete and his wife Joan
He went on for his formal musical training at the New England Conservatory, the University of Miami (Bachelor of Music in jazz 1986), and finally onto New York City, attending the Manhattan School of Music (Master of Music in jazz, 1987). From that point on, Pete became busy in the NYC jazz scene as a trombonist, an arranger-composer, and later a jazz vocalist and jazz educator as well.
As a trombonist, he has performed with such well-known jazz artists/groups as The Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra, the Woody Herman big band (dir. By Frank Tibieri), Lionel Hampton, Dave Pietro, Mike Holober, Anita Brown, Scott Whitfield, the nonets of both Jim Cifelli and Mike Kaplan, and appears on over 20 jazz CDs. He also became very busy in the New York Broadway show scene, having performed with the orchestras of over 17 shows since 1991.
From 1988-1990, Pete studied with Bob Brookmeyer and Manny Albam as part of the BMI Jazz Composers Workshop, and has since established himself as a respected composer-arranger. He has received numerous commissions over the years for original compositions and arrangements, including those from from the National Endowment for the Arts, Dave Liebman, The Gotham Winds Symphony, and the University of Miami Concert Jazz Band. Pete is a regular contributing arranger for the Westchester Jazz Orchestra, as well as the composer/arranger for his own ensemble - The Pete McGuinness Jazz Orchestra (click on the Jazz Orchestra page for more on the group).
In the early 1990's, Pete formed the first of several groups he would lead/co-lead, with The Pete McGuinness Quintet. The group's debut CD "Sliding In" was released nation-wide in 1998 on Kokopelli Records, receiving much radio airplay and acclaim. It was in these years that Pete also developed his jazz vocal talents, landing him in the semi-finals of the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Vocal Competition (1994).
Two years later, jazz legend Jimmy Heath hiring him as the the featured singer with his big band for the bands engagement on the S.S. Norway's "Jazz Cruise". Pete has been a co-leader of groups including The New York Trombone Conspiracy (CD "A Matter Of Time" released in 1998, Conspiracy Music Records), and The NewYorkestra big band (CD "Urban Soundscapes" released 2004, Seabreeze Jazz records).
His most recent project is the formation of his own big band - The Pete McGuinness Jazz Orchestra, which began performing in the NYC area in 2006. The group's debut CD "First Flight" was released nation-wide in June of 2007 on the Summit record label (see the Jazz Orchestra page for more on the band/info on ordering the CD).
As a jazz educator, Pete has been on the music faculty of New Jersey City University (Jersey City, NJ) since 1994, where he teaches jazz trombone, arranging, improvisation, and coaches various ensembles. He has also been invited to give clinics on a variety of jazz subjects at both high schools and college jazz programs throughout the country, including the University of Miami, and City College, NYC (CUNY), Temple University, and Hall High School (West Hartford, CT). Pete is available for concerts/clinics year-round. He currently lives in Brooklyn, NY with his wife Joan and their dog Daisy.
For information on booking Pete and/or the Pete McGuinness Jazz Orchestra for a performance, his jazz educational clinic work, to purchase his new big band CD "First Flight" and/or any of the printed big band arrangements off the CD, click on the "contact/ordering" page of this website. Just to say "hello" would be cool too!
The Pete McGuinness Jazz Orchestra
After years of performing with and writing for numerous jazz big bands, Pete finally decided to realize his life-long dream and front a large jazz ensemble of his own. The Pete McGuinness Jazz Orchestra was formed in 2006 and immediately began performing in NYC area jazz clubs. It features all of the various aspects of Pete’s musicianship - as a trombonist, composer/arranger, and jazz vocalist.
Pete’s music for the band is a reflection of all the many great jazz writers Pete has loved and been influenced by throughout his life, including composer/arrangers Bill Holman, Bob Brookmeyer (a former teacher of Pete’s), and the late Thad Jones, as well as more recently established voices, such as John Fedchock and Maria Schneider, creating a sound that is uniquely his own.
With a line-up of some of NYC’s very best big band players and jazz soloists, there is a variety of exciting and interesting personalities in the group which help spur Pete’s various arrangements on (see “galley” page to view photos of all of the musicians in the band). Like Pete, most of the players have spent time with many other well-known jazz big bands, including the Woody Herman Orchestra, the Lionel Hampton and Buddy Rich big bands, the Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra, John Fedchock’s “New York Big Band”, The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, and others. Some of the musicians, such as trumpeter Bill Mobley and pianist Mike Holober lead full jazz orchestras of there own.
In September of 2006, the band went into New York’s famous Nola recording studios to record it’s debut CD, “First Flight”. Pete was ably assisted by legendary trombonist-arranger bandleader John Fedchock, who acted as session producer, and later provided the linear notes for the finished CD. In January 2007, the band and the CD project caught the attention of the A + R people at Summit records, and the CD was set for release.
In June of 2007, “First Flight” was put out nation-wide. See below to hear audio samples of various tracks. The printed arrangements for each cut are also available for purchase. See the Contact page for ordering information for either the CD and/or any of the charts from the recording. You can find out when the band will be appearing next by clicking the “Events” page on this site.
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