Dave Morgan

Here are some recent recordings and performances:

RECORDINGS (2014-2021)

Nine Lives, Chris Coles (2021). A suite by YSU alum Coles (B.M. 2009) produced by  Sean Jones. This important multimedia work explores issues of race and pathology      through the prism of the Charleston church massacre. I have participated in several   performances of this work over the last four years as well, including for the Jazz Education Network National Conference. 

After The Rain, Beth Ullman, Aardvark Records (2021). I composed several songs   for this album, arranged several others, and played bass on a few tracks. Recorded in Austin, TX by vocalist Ullman, guitarist Mitch Watkins (Lyle Lovett, Leonard Cohen), and drummer Tom Brechlein (Chick Corea, Wayne Shorter).

From The Great Lakes, Stacie Mickens, MSR Classics (2020). This recording by University of North Texas horn professor Mickens includes a chamber music version of   my piece “When Penguins Fly”. I also play bass on the recording.

Central Avenue Swing, The Magic Continues, and Our Delight; Madd for Tadd; Tighten Up Records (2018-2023). A regional all-star jazz band featuring the music of Tadd Dameron. 

Blue Is More Than A Color, Dave Morgan, Being Time (2019). This recording documents some of my recent compositions for jazz orchestra, including several commissioned works. Twenty-five first-call musicians participated in the recording sessions, funded by a generous Knight Challenge Grant (2016). This grant also  enabled me to present a performance of this music at EJ Thomas Hall in Akron. 

Made in Youngstown, Youngstown State University Wind Ensemble, Stephen Gage, director (2019). This recording includes my compositions When Penguins Fly,    Reflections and Meditations, and Reactions. I composed these works for this ensemble and faculty soloists Stacie Mickens, Alice Wang and Glenn Schaft. 

Beyond Boundaries, Amanda Powell, Being Time Records (2014). Voice and double bass    duets of World folk music, with guest appearances by Howie Smith, Cicilia Yudha,    Alice Wang, Alton Merrell and Glenn Schaft. 

SELECTED COMPOSITIONS AND ARRANGEMENTS (2014-2023) 

Coisa Nova and The Secret of the Golden Flower. My orchestrations of these original compositions will be premiered by The Cleveland Pop Orchestra at Severance Hall on 02/10/23. 

Music of Joe Lovano. The saxophonist Joe Lovano has performed a set of arrangements I created for him around the world, including with the BBC Big Band, as documented on this 8//20/22 podcast. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/big-band-serenade-music-of-joe-lovano/id107142034?i=1000576664200 

Echoes From The Valley. Arrangements of World folk music for Franklin Cohen, principle clarinet emeritus of The Cleveland Orchestra.  His group has performed this music in numerous concert venues under the auspices of ChamberFest Cleveland. This is part of a large-scale project of World folk songs I’m arranging for ensemble and voice for a future recording. These arrangements were featured on WCLV’s Ovations on 1/25/23. 

Three Vignettes for Saxophone and Strings for full orchestra. This new orchestration for Symphony West, Victoria Marra Musical Director, was to have been premiered 05/15/20 at Baldwin-Wallace College, but has been postponed due to the pandemic. 

Several arrangements for the vocalist Helen Welch for the Columbus Jazz Orchestra, the Akron Symphony Orchestra, and the Big Wow orchestra, some of which are included on her 2017 recordings Spellbound and Home for Christmas. 

The Universal Dance. Commissioned by the 2015-2016 Slippery Rock University Jazz Ensemble, directed by Jason Kush. Recorded on the 2016 release Identity. 

The Space Between. Commissioned by the 2015-2016 University of Akron Jazz Ensemble directed by Jack Schantz. 

Colors of Your Dreams. Commissioned in 2014 by the American Wind Symphony Orchestra; Robert Boudreau, Musical Director. 

SELECTED PERFORMANCES (2014-2023)

Several concerts with The Cleveland Orchestra, Franz Welser-Most, Music Director, including Broadway Legends, Richard Kaufman, conductor (07/31/22); The Great American Songbook. Lucas Walden, conductor, Capathia Jenkins, vocalist (07/18/21); Batman, conducted by Ludwig Wicki (08/23-25/19); The Little Mermaid, conducted by Sarah Hicks (08/04/18); A Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald with vocalists Capathia Jenkins,  
Harolyn Blackwell, and Aisha de Haas (08/27/17); Hollywood Superheroes - Richard Kaufman, conductor (08/13/17); Fire and Rain - Rob Fisher, conductor (07/23/17); Michael Feinstein’s Broadway - Jack Everly, conductor, Michael Feinstein, vocalist (07/31/16); Magic of the Movies - Michael Krajewski, conductor (07/24/16); Broadway Divas, Jack Everly, conductor (08/02/15); Broadway Standing Ovations - Jack Everly, conductor (07/27/14); A Beatles Tribute: Celebrating 50 Years in the USA - Michael Krajewski, conductor (08/24/14).  

Several concerts and tours with Apollo’s Fire Baroque Orchestra, Jeannette Sorrell, Artistic Director. I also contributed several transcriptions and arrangements for the Mediterranean Roots and Tarantella programs

Concert and club performance with international jazz artists including Jim Snidero, Jiggs  Whigham. Kate Reid, Ken Peplowski, Joe Lovano, Peter Bernstein, Sean Jones, Benny Golson, Gary Smulyan, and Harry Allen. Countless performances with local and regional  artists.   

A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening, The Dana Ensemble featuring Evelyn Wright and James Suggs, Ford Theater, YSU (02/09/22). A concert of my arrangements of popular songs, standards and originals for the 13-piece YSU faculty ensemble and guest artists. I conceived the concept for this program and wrote all of the arrangements. 

Sounds of Spring, The Dana Ensemble featuring Helen Welch, Powers Auditorium, Youngstown, OH (03/28/21). A concert of popular songs, standards and originals for the 13-piece YSU faculty ensemble an guest artist. I conceived the concept for this program and wrote all of the arrangements. 

Performed in YSU master classes with guest artists Pasquale Grasso, Jamey Abersold, Eric Susoeff, Chad Lefkowitz-Brown, Dan Wilson, Dave Stryker, Mimi Fox, Peter Bernstein, Ben Monder, Tim Miller, Bruce Saunders, and Brad Shepik.

Forms of Things Unknown, composed by Dave Morgan and performed by the Youngstown Percussion Collective, is available from Amazon, I-tunes, and CD Baby. It is also available directly from the YPC website.

 

 

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Here is a partial list of the many wonderful musicians I have had the opportunity to perform and record with throughout the years:

Howard Alden

Sandy Allen

Mose Allison

Chris Anderson

Kenny Anderson

Apollo's Fire

Joe Augustine

Erich Avenger

Martin Banks

Allan Baker

Chas Baker

Chris Baker

Zoot Baker

Greg Bandy

Rex Benincasa

Shelly Berg

Wayne Bergeron

Tina Bergmann

Peter Bernstein

Gene Bertoncini

Seamus Blake

Bob Brookmeyer

Dan Bruce

Ron Busch

Ann Hampton Calloway

Tony Campise

Keith Carnekie

Carmen Castaldi

Dave Catney

The Cleveland Orchestra

The Cleveland Jazz Orchestra

Bob Chadwick

Alex Coke

Larry Coryell

Creative Oportunity Orchestra

Tammi Dahl

Harold Danko

Kenny Davis

Mark DeWalt

Dennis Dotson

Nate Douds

Kent Engelhardt

Kurt Ellenberger

Shannon Eller

Steve Enos

Lorraine Feather

Michael Feinstein

Bobby Ferrazza

Paul Ferguson

Mary Kay Ferguson

Clare Fischer

Bob Florence

Ricardo Flores

Bob Fraser

Hugh Fraser

Casey Genemans

Dizzy Gillespie

Ron Godale

Benny Golson

Mark Gonder

Benny Green

Mike Greensill

Marshall Griffith

Cliff Habian

Jamey Haddad

Doug Hall

Slide Hampton

Rich Harney

Steve Hawk

Jeff Hellmer

Bob Henshon

Peter Hess

John Hicks

Holly Hoffman

John Hollenbeck

Joe Howard

Joe Hunter

Jamad

Sean Jones

Clifford Jordon

David Kana

Chris Karlic

Val Kent

Mark Kimbrell

Roy King

Ernie Krivda

Jason Kush

Patti LaPone

Rick Lawn

LeeAnn Ledgerwood

Chad Leftkowitz-Brown

Mike Lee

Joe LoCasio

Mark Lopeman

Mundell Lowe

A.D. Mannion

Tina Marsh

Bob McKee

Paul McKee

Jim McNeely

Idina Menzel

Alton Merrell

Bob Meyer

Dillon Michaels

Ed Michaels

Stacie Mickens

John Mills

Pete Mills

Ben Monder

James Moody

Daphne Mor

Dan Murphy

Mike Murray

New Images

Bebe Neuwirth

Adam Nussbaum

John Oddo

George Oldziey

Caroline Oltmanns

Mandy Patinkin

Ken Peplowski

Matt Perko

John Perrine

Susanna Perry Gilmore

Bernadette Peters

James Polk

Amanda Powell

Jim Powell

Bill Ransom

Tom Reed

Vernon Reid

David Renter

John Reese Project

Jason Rigby

Humberto Ramirez

Bobby Rodriguez

Jim Rupp

Ally Ryerson

Paul Samuels

Bruce Saunders

Jack Schantz

Diane Schurr

Russell Schmidt

Maria Schneider

Bobby Selvagio

Glenn Schaft

Scott Sherwood

Matt Shulman

Judi Silvano

Howie Smith

Gary Smulyan

Jeannette Sorrell

Tony Spicer

Chip Stephens

Suzi Stern

Dave Sterner

Dave Stryker

Rick Stone

Helen Sung

Emi Tanabe

Mike Tomaro

Arthur Topilow

Carl Topilow

Zvonimir Tot

Beth Ullman

James Umble

Brad Wagner

Dan Wall

Cedar Walton

Jackie Warren

Mitch Watkins

Bobby Watson

Ernie Watts

Rock Wehrman

Helen Welch

Paul Wertico

James Wideman

Mike Wolford

Kenny Wheeler

Jiggs Whigham

Wesla Whitfield

Dan Wilson

John Wojciechowski

Mark Wood

Randy Zimmerman