Composition & Arranging

The Sound of New York Jazz Underground

Nine

by Andrew Rathbun | The Sound of New York Underground

Witch Hunt

by Andrew Rathbun | The Sound of New York Underground

“Nine” was recorded on the Fresh Sound New Talent CD, The Sound of New York Jazz Underground; it is dedicated to Jordi Pujol, the producer of all the amazing Fresh Sound recordings. 

Jordi wanted the composers to contribute an original recording, and a standard. For the standard, I did an arrangement of Wayne Shorter’s “Witch Hunt”, which was my attempt to construct a piece within his piece.  

It was so much fun to be a part of that wonderful project, and have such a tremendous band record the music.
– Andrew

Almost Blue

by Andrew Rathbun | Metropole Orchestra feat. Fay Claassen

An arrangement I wrote for the Metropole Orchestra, featuring Fay Claassen, an amazing European vocalist.
– Andrew

Chamber Work

Scores: Movement I / Movement II

Works List

Extended Works

Suite X (for flute and double string quartet)

  1. Poverty Jet Set
  2. Quit Recycling the Past
  3. Monsters Exist

Performed March 1998, Williams Hall, Boston, MA

Biels Hope (for soprano saxophone and woodwind quintet)
Movements I-III
Performed January 1997, Brown Hall, Boston, MA

Three Short Piano Pieces
Performed 1996 Keller Room, Boston MA

The Western Suite (for sextet)

  1. First Departure
  2. Drift
  3. There Will Come Soft Rains
  4. Facing West
  5. Altitudes

Performed July, 1995, Banff Center for the Arts with Kenny Wheeler, Pat Labarbera, featured soloists.
Recorded November 1995

Little Suite (for 12 musicians)
Parts 1 – 6

Wreck of the Iron Crown (for jazz orchestra)

  1. Undertow
  2. The Gale
  3. The Wreck
  4. Signal of Distress
  5. The Rescue

Performed 1998 Grant Hall, Ontario Canada. Assisted with a Grant from the American Music Center

Power Politics (for jazz orchestra), I-III
For Luciana Souza
On a text by Margaret Atwood

Two Islands (for jazz orchestra), I-III
Suite for Kenny Wheeler, text by Margaret Atwood
Assisted with a Grant from the American Music Center
Composed as a fellow at the Atlantic Center for the Arts

Orchestral Suite (for orchestra, soprano saxophone and vocalist)
for Sara Holtschue

  1. Her Anxiety
  2. Beneath
  3. Her Priorities

Suite for Jazz Orchestra, I-V
Composed at the MacDowell Colony, performed by the Manhattan School of Music Jazz Orchestra

For Clarinet, Piano and Violin, I-III
Commissioned by Utah Valley University for their 2010 European Tour

Suite for Tenor Saxpohone, String Quartet, Bass and Drums, 
I – VI
Premiered at the Manhattan School of Music, 2009

8 Pieces for Piano and Soprano Saxophone, with String Quartet, Parts I – VII

Jazz Orchestra Pieces

  • Nameless (Danish Radio Jazz Orchestra)
  • Again
  • Around (Brussles Jazz Orchestra)
  • Cast
  • Fractured
  • Song of Hope and Dreams (MacDowell Colony)
  • Life As Crystals
  • As Things Change
  • Blanqued
    Comissioned by the NY All-City Jazz Ensemble for their 2009 performance at Alice Tully Hall
  • Rondo
  • How Can This Be?
  • Modules
  • Duck

Jazz Arrangements (for jazz orchestra)

  • Speak No Evil (Wayne Shorter)
  • Go (Wayne Shorter)
  • Virgo (Wayne Shorter)
  • Prince of Darkness (Wayne Shorter)
  • Soul Eyes (Mal Waldron)
  • How High the Moon (Hamilton/Lewis)
  • Brite Piece (for Dave Liebman big band CD)

Works also written for Millenium Jazz Orchestra (the Netherlands) Metropole Orkest, and the Manhattan School of Music Jazz Philharmonic

Commercial Music

Stoned
CBC Documentary 1998 (Contributing Music)

The Barron Prize
Documentary 2007 (Score)

Passing Poston
Documentary 2008 (Score)

Question One
Documentary (Trailer)

Commercial Work & Industrials

  • Music Houses, New York, NY
    • Tom and Andy
    • Music for Picture
    • Fluid
    • Sacred Noise
    • Pull

Clients: Buick, Actonell, USCIB, Yashevia Univ., Pensicola State University, National Council for Learning Disabilities, ExxonMobil, Dixie, Protcer and Gamble, Price Waterhouse Coopers. Partnership for a Drug Free America, Brooklyn Children’s Museum, many others.