You'll Never Walk Alone

I've got some great opportunities this month to play some jazz, perform my compositions and arrangements, and just be out in the music scene!

Here's a quick run down:

October 11th at 8pm with the Diane Moser Composer's Big Band. (Featured composer and trombonist)

October 14th at 12:30pm Jazz for Kids Concert at Paul Robeson Galleries Express Newark: 54 Halsey Street. FREE featuring the Caleb Rumley/Allison McKenzie Quintet

October 17th at 9pm Allymac Project at Pianos, NYC.

First off, October 11th at 8pm I will be at Trumpets Jazz Club in Montclair with the Diane Moser Composer's Big Band.  This band has a special place in my heart because they gave me my first chance to perform an original composition live with their 18-piece jazz band. I can't believe that was already 3 years ago. 

I'm delighted to be back with them, and I'm going to be sharing something intensely personal with them as I debut my arrangement of You'll Never Walk Alone. Soccer fans know it from the Liverpool Football Club, which uses this song as their anthem. 

Around this time last year, our family was shocked when we lost our 27-year old brother in law, Aaron Thomas, to complications of lupus and pneumonia. Aaron was a joy to everyone who knew him, and had served for the Army in Savannah, Georgia. He was honorably discharged on medical leave when he was diagnosed with lupus. He worked at a Nike store in Georgia and loved to care for his infant daughter, Autumn McKenzie. He is survived by his wife, Sasha McKenzie (my sister-in-law). 

Aaron loved Liverpool F.C. and would sing this song constantly when watching their games. I always wanted to show him my favorite version of the song by James Williams from the album "We've Got What You Need".  Sadly I never got that chance when we hung out since I didn't have the CD on me at the time. It's not available for streaming, so you have to buy the CD! 

I've written an arrangement that's written just for Aaron. My wonderfully talented wife, Allison McKenzie will be singing at Trumpets. I've taken some ideas from James Williams and some of my own ideas to make it my own and to honor Aaron. I even added a "heartbeat" motif in the band that comes back again and again, reminding us of what it felt like when Aaron was hanging on in his final days in a coma. 

I'm so excited for this concert with Diane Moser, I hope you all can make it! I also have great shows coming up in Newark, where I'll be leading a Jazz for Kids concert with Allison that will be a lot of fun and great for families. The following week I'm in NYC with Allison's band.