Gordon Goodwin Masterclass: Jazz Arranging, Part 2

“Whenever I hear your music, I get the sudden urge to retire!” That’s what legendary Jazz arranger Sammy Nestico once said to our featured guest: Gordon Goodwin, GRAMMY-winning arranger, composer, musician and last but definitely not least, founder of Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band.

Gordon takes you on an exhilarating journey through the world of arranging for Big Band. Specifically, he recounts and analyzes the arrangements for his Big Phat Band around the re-recordings of existing tracks by Art Tatum and Oscar Peterson. Discover how Gordon placed the instruments around the piano as to not intrude upon the Jazz giants’ work, how his live performance once brightened the day of Tatum’s widow who had been suffering from dementia, and which of his instruments he would save from a fire (and which other instruments are not so lucky). Hear him play tenor sax as well as piano and share the most important lessons he learned in his long and colorful career—lessons that, he acknowledges, have had a lasting effect on him as an arranger, a business owner and a human being.

Goodwin’s ability to combine jazz excellence with any musical style makes his writing appealing to fans across the spectrum. That’s why both beboppers and headbangers dig Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band. The keyboardist and woodwind player has built a larger-than-life reputation throughout the music industry for his composing, arranging and playing skills. Ray Charles, Christina Aguilera, Johnny Mathis, Toni Braxton, John Williams, Natalie Cole, David Foster, Sarah Vaughan, Mel Tormé, Brian McKnight and Quincy Jones are just a few of the artists who sought out his multi-hyphenate skills. The GRAMMY winner has also conducted world-renowned symphony orchestras in Atlanta, Dallas, Utah, Seattle, Toronto and London. His cinematic scoring and orchestration craft can be heard on such films as The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Escape to Witch Mountain, Get Smart, Glory Road, National Treasure, The Incredibles, Remember the Titans, Armageddon, The Majestic, Con Air, Gone In 60 Seconds, Enemy of the State, Star Trek Nemesis and even the cult classic Attack of the Killer Tomatoes. Goodwin’s soundtrack to Bah HumDuck! – a wacky Looney Tunes riff on the classic A Christmas Carol – also features the Big Phat Band’s patented sound.

Watch part 1 here.