Seasons of Growth 

Fast forward to now.

Life, across the board, has been moving in a good direction.

On a personal note, I have been working out consistently and focusing on my health. I am down some weight and feeling better physically than I have in a while. Shoutout to my friend Dakota Crespo, who has been on his own focused journey lately. It helps to have people around you who are disciplined and serious about growth. Also, major props to him for how well his Twitch and painting ventures are taking off. (@GildedBrushStudios on Twitch and Instagram).

Professionally, I was recently promoted to Senior Manager after two and a half years as a manager. That was a milestone I worked hard for. At the same time, I have quietly been exploring  other opportunities, some even in the musical world. Nothing to announce yet, but I am considering next steps...

Performance-wise, this year has not slowed down. I have had the honor of performing at the MPTF Black History Month Celebration, multiple nights at Emmit’s Place, The Ensemble Theatre, the BLK Music Celebration at Wheeler Church, and more. And all in the first two months of the year! Houston has been generous.

And I also got a new alto sax this year! She's a lovely Mark VI who I accidentally fell in love with at Fleming Musical Instruments & Repair when I was there supporting a friend. But I couldn't help it! And thus ended a 13 year run I had with my Yamaha Custom Z alto.

I want to be honest about something. A few weeks ago, I played a combo gig for an awards ceremony. Good musicians, nice crowd, solid pay. And I found myself frustrated. For years, I have played combo gigs where we call standards on the fly, decide on an intro, maybe tag an ending, and just go. It works, is functional. But I realized I felt bored. There was no deeper preparation, no architecture, no artistic risk. No challenge. That bothered me.

If I am serious about growing as a composer and bandleader, then my small group work cannot stay on autopilot. So I considered my options. I started digging into Horace Silver’s quintet writing. What a great ensemble, but also what great writing. Theres interludes and hits, transitions, actual arranging for small group. So as for my next project, I have begun writing out Horace Silver Quintet arrangements with the intention of performing them in upcoming combo settings! It will give me an opportunity to study this style fully while creating a pretty cool presentation we can bring to venues. We had hoped to present that set at MPTF’s Jazz Fest in April, but I will be performing with the Galveston Symphony Orchestra that weekend on soprano saxophone for Philip Glass’ The Photographer. Not a bad conflict to have, I suppose. Always nice to sneak in to play with a symphony as a saxophonist.

And speaking of symphonies, this weekend I will perform with the Symphony of Southeast Texas on their Pops series featuring the music of Aretha Franklin, this time on baritone saxophone. Growing up in Beaumont, SOST was one of those institutions that felt prestigious. To now be invited into that space is something I do not take lightly. It checks off a long-standing goal. Between soprano with Galveston and bari with SOST, I am getting to stretch the full range of what I do as a saxophonist!

And yet, there is more.

Doc’s in Houston has quickly become one of the most talked-about jazz venues in the city. I have wanted to get in that room, and soon I will. I was invited to perform with Rickey Davis’ 10-piece group for his Sinatra Tribute concert at the end of the month. Very cool stuff! Before that, I will be in the audience catching Chad Lefkowitz-Brown there on the 18th (always a student first).

And on another note, I have a conversation brewing with a vocalist based in Los Angeles. It is very early to share any details, so I will leave it there for now. But some seeds are being planted!

On the Golden Triangle Big Band front, I am finally mapping out the rest of our season, and I am energized about where we are headed.

Here is what is taking shape:

1. The Feminine Voice – A concert dedicated to modern women composers and arrangers in jazz. This is a great theme I have wanted to explore, especially given how many awesome arrangements are on Brava Jazz Publishing. I chatted with Annie Booth at JEN this year and she signed my copy of her composition "Cactus Blossom"!

2. Sounds of Home – A celebration of local composers from Southeast Texas. I am hoping to premiere my own big band arrangement of Cherokee on that program if I can get it finished in time. But if not, we have some great people who arrange in the area to showcase!

3. The Big Phat Concert – A tribute to Gordon Goodwin and the unapologetic fire of contemporary big band writing! This is a great chance to play some really fun charts while also recognizing a great writer who passed last year.

4. And to close the year, Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite! Full circle from watching it in New York to bringing our own version to Southeast Texas.

It is all a process, and I am slowly working it out!

I do not say this lightly, but things are going well. Not always easy, but on the right track.

Health is improving. Career is advancing. The phone is ringing for gigs. The writing is getting more intentional. The vision for the big band is clearing up. Mentorship is pushing me forward. Doors are opening. And I am incredibly grateful.

Thank you for following along! Let’s keep moving forward.

Andre H