Such Sweet Thunder

05/07/2020

The Ellington Effect

Matching funds donor up to $10k for next 3 days only! Thanks for your support.

A 5-volume set of books analyzing Ellington’s compositions in detail spanning his 50-year career.

04/30/2020

DBJO rocks Ellington's classic Rockin' In Rhythm

Check this great recording out! Happy birthday Duke (yesterday)!

03/19/2020

The Ellington Effect

The Kickstarter campaign for my new book series is off to a good start! I'd like to give a giant Thank You to the folks listed below who have already pledged to the campaign so far. If you haven't checked it out yet, please have a look!
Big thanks to:
Louis Tavecchio
Dan Aldag
Quentin Bryar
Dave Lalama
John
John Lake
Chris Tackett
Brandon W. Bitner
James and Jo Ann Newton
Ben Hoehn
David Sandler
David Palmquist
Nicholas Croft

A 5-volume set of books analyzing Ellington’s compositions in detail spanning his 50-year career.

02/27/2020

Video Post: Remember This?

SST Blog - Video Post: Remember This?

David Berger and the Sultans of Swing performing David Berger's original composition Remember This?, at Swing 46 in New York City on October 13, 2019. Personnel performing: Jay Brandford Kurt Bacher Jay Rattman Mark Hynes Carl Maraghi Bob Millikan Colin Brigstocke Irv Grossman Kerry MacKillop Wayne....

02/20/2020

Video Post: June Night

SST Blog - Video Post: June Night

David Berger and the Sultans of Swing performing David Berger's arrangement of June Night, at Swing 46 in New York City on October 13, 2019. Personnel performing: Jay Brandford Kurt Bacher Jay Rattman Mark Hynes Carl Maraghi Bob Millikan Colin Brigstocke Irv Grossman Kerry MacKillop Wayne Goodman Wi...

02/13/2020

Video Post: When My Sugar Walks Down The Street

SST Blog - Video Post: When My Sugar Walks Down The Street

David Berger and the Sultans of Swing performing David Berger's arrangement of When My Sugar Walks Down The Street at Swing 46 in New York City on October 13, 2019. Personnel performing: Yaala Balin Jay Brandford Kurt Bacher Jay Rattman Mark Hynes Carl Maraghi Bob Millikan Colin Brigstocke Irv Gross...

01/09/2020

Ambiguity in Art

SST Blog - Ambiguity in Art

1/8/20 This morning I read an obit of the artist and teacher John Baldessari in the New York Times. The final sentence quotes him as saying, “Great art is clear thinking about mixed feelings.” Since I’m always trying to define what makes some art great, I have to give this some thought. When I...

01/06/2020

Video Post: The Man I Love

SST Blog Video Post - The Man I Love

David Berger and the Sultans of Swing performing David Berger's arrangement of The Man I Love by George and Ira Gershwin at Swing 46 in New York City on October 13, 2019. Personnel performing: Jay Brandford Kurt Bacher Jay Rattman Mark Hynes Carl Maraghi Bob Millikan Colin Brigstocke Irv Grossman Ke...

01/02/2020

Memories

SST Blog - Memories

Memories 12/17/19 The strangest thing happened to me last night at dinner. I'm in Oakland, California, spending a few days with my childhood friend Maggie. On Monday I had lunch with two of my musician buddies, Chris Siebert and Marcus Shelby. Chris brought a couple of his pianist pals. Lunch was th...

12/16/2019

Authenticity

SST Blog - Authenticity

They Always Know That You’re Pandering 12/11/19 David Berger I got the following email a few days ago (as is): Hi everyone, What would be your suggestions for a crowd pleaser ? My band will play as an opener for 15' before a major act at a local festival. I have 15' to make my boys ( and girls ) s...

12/12/2019

Video Post: One Too Many

SST Blog - Video post: One Too Many

David Berger and the Sultans of Swing performing David Berger's original composition One Too Many at Swing 46 in New York City on October 13, 2019. Personnel performing: Jay Brandford Kurt Bacher Jay Rattman Mark Hynes Carl Maraghi Bob Millikan Colin Brigstocke Irv Grossman Kerry MacKillop Wayne Goo...

12/10/2019

Video Post: On The Alamo

SST Blog Video Post - On The Alamo

David Berger and the Sultans of Swing performing David Berger's original arrangement of On The Alamo at Swing 46 in New York City on October 13, 2019. Personnel performing: Jay Brandford Kurt Bacher Jay Rattman Mark Hynes Carl Maraghi Bob Millikan Colin Brigstocke Irv Grossman Kerry MacKillop Wayne....

11/30/2019

Video Post: Oh! You Beautiful Doll

SST Blog - Oh! You Beautiful Doll

David Berger and the Sultans of Swing performing David Berger's original arrangement of Oh! You Beautiful Doll at Swing 46 in New York City on October 13, 2019. Personnel performing: Jay Brandford Kurt Bacher Jay Rattman Mark Hynes Carl Maraghi Bob Millikan Colin Brigstocke Irv Grossman Kerry MacKil...

11/25/2019

Opposites Attract

SST Blog - Opposites Attract

The American Experiment 11/25/19 Last week I was horrified to read that the Senate approved a judgeship for a man who wrote a paper denouncing the American melting pot ideal. He forcefully asserted that any country with a heterogeneous population is destined to failure, and that only countries with....

11/11/2019

Income Inequality

SST Blog - Income Inequality

11/10/19 We read about it in the papers every day: income inequality in the U.S. is at a level not seen in a century. In this morning’s Times there is an article that breaks it down by occupation. It seems that doctors are the highest tier in the top 1% of earners, and specifically dentists. That....

11/07/2019

Video Post: Who's Sorry Now

SST Blog Video Post - Who's Sorry Now

David Berger and the Sultans of Swing performing David Berger's original arrangement of Who's Sorry Now at Swing 46 in New York City on October 13, 2019. Dig our vocalist Yaala Balin singing this new version. Personnel performing: Yaala Balin Jay Brandford Kurt Bacher Jay Rattman Mark Hynes Carl Mar...

11/04/2019

Video Post: Mighty Lak' A Rose

SST Blog - Video Post: Mighty Lak' A Rose

David Berger and the Sultans of Swing performing David Berger's original arrangement of Mighty Lak' A Rose at Swing 46 in New York City on October 13, 2019. Personnel performing: Jay Brandford Kurt Bacher Jay Rattman Mark Hynes Carl Maraghi Bob Millikan Colin Brigstocke Irv Grossman Kerry MacKillop....

10/31/2019

Video Post: Someday Sweetheart

SST Blog - Video post: Someday Sweetheart

David Berger and the Sultans of Swing performing David Berger's original arrangement of Someday Sweetheart at Swing 46 in New York City on October 13, 2019. Personnel performing: Jay Brandford Kurt Bacher Jay Rattman Mark Hynes Carl Maraghi Bob Millikan Colin Brigstocke Irv Grossman Kerry MacKillop....

10/29/2019

Video Post: You Made Me Love You

SST Blog - You Made Me Love You

David Berger and the Sultans of Swing performing David Berger's original arrangement of You Made Me Love You at Swing 46 in New York City on October 13, 2019. Personnel performing: Jay Brandford Kurt Bacher Jay Rattman Mark Hynes Carl Maraghi Bob Millikan Colin Brigstocke Irv Grossman Kerry MacKillo...

10/22/2019

Dance with the One That Brought You

SST Blog - Dance with the One That Brought You

10/20/19 I only wanted to do two things in this life: play for the Brooklyn Dodgers and be a jazz musician. Obviously, I only got to do the latter, but that hasn’t stopped me from being a rabid baseball fan. With the Yankees’ crushing defeat last night at the hands (and bat) of 5’6” José Al...

10/18/2019

Video Post: By the Light of the Silvery Moon

A tune from last week's show at Swing 46.

David Berger and the Sultans of Swing performing David Berger's original arrangement of By the Light of the Silvery Moon at Swing 46 in New York City on October 13, 2019. Personnel performing: Jay Brandford Kurt Bacher Jay Rattman Mark Hynes Carl Maraghi Bob Millikan Colin Brigstocke Irv Grossman Ke...

10/17/2019

3-day CD sale

Pick up some big band jazz albums this weekend from David Berger to add to your collection. Great prices.

Today it begins: CD sale — for 3 days only! All the albums we offer in physical CD format are on sale now. That's 7 great albums. And the price is right. The sale you've been waiting for has started! Act now to buy individual CDs for $7.99 each (must select "physical CD" on product page drop-down ...

10/14/2019

The Strange Case of IN THE MOOD

SST Blog - The Strange Case of IN THE MOOD

Rescoring an Iconic Chart 10/14/19 A few weeks ago I read a post online from my old buddy Kenny (not my brother—although he is heavy, musically) Berger. Kenny was the original baritone sax player in my first band in 1971. After about a year of rehearsing with us every Monday afternoon, he asked me...

10/10/2019

Developing Your Own Language

SST Blog - Developing your own language

9/30/19 I was going to spend this morning working on my upcoming book: Creative Jazz Composing and Arranging, Volume III: Writing for Small Groups, but while I was reading through my email and Facebook posts, a member of the Jazz Arrangers group asked a question about Triad Pairs. I’d never heard ...

10/07/2019

Lullaby of the Leaves - David Berger Jazz Orchestra

To whet your appetite until next Sunday, here's a swinging classic we played last month. Come hang with us next week, we will play Sunday October 13 at Swing 46 from 8:30 to 11:30 PM.

David Berger's arrangement of the 1932 Tin Pan Alley classic, performed live at Birdland in New York City on August 18, 2019.

10/03/2019

Frenesi - The David Berger Jazz Orchestra live at Birdland 8/18/19

From the Birdland gig a while back.

I based this arrangement on the Gerry Mulligan recording with Chet Baker. I apologize for the sonic imbalance in the reeds. They were balanced acoustically, ...

10/03/2019

In Celebration of Our True Selves

SST Blog - In Celebration of Our True Selves

9/29/19 I just watched an interview with Hilary Rodham Clinton on TV. I never actually met her, but when I was at a White House dinner nearly 25 years ago, I was immediately impressed by how smart she was. When her husband was in the room, it was the Bill Clinton show. This is kinda off-topic, but i...

09/30/2019

Bernie's Tune - The David Berger Jazz Orchestra

Another video from a recent show we did at Birdland. Great solos by Andrew Hadro and Nana Sakamoto!

The David Berger Jazz Orchestra live at Birdland 8/18/19 Arranged by David Berger Soloists: Andrew Hadro, baritone saxophone and Nana Sakamoto, trombone

09/26/2019

Chicago by The David Berger Jazz Orchestra

Hear us play my arrangement of Chicago (composed by Fred Fisher in 1922) at Birdland. "Chicago, Chicago, that todd'ling town..." I learned this tune as a little kid and never considered it as a jazz vehicle until I heard Mike Abene's chart that he did for Maynard Ferguson in the 1960s. This chart carries on that bebop tradition. And now you can play it in your band too, as the chart is available for sale on www.suchsweetthundermusic.com.

Chicago by Fred Fisher, arranged by David Berger Performed by The David Berger Jazz Orchestra at Birdland NYC on August 18, 2019

09/25/2019

Revisionist Jazz History

SST Blog - Revisionist Jazz History

Shoptalk about making the old chestnuts relevant 8/23/19 Over the past few days I decided that I’d like to perform a couple of classic charts from the Big Band Era. When I was 12 or 13 I bought a recent Les Brown recording from the mid-’50s where the band re-recorded a dozen of their hits from t...

09/19/2019

The Return of Harlem Nutcracker

SST Blog - The Return of Harlem Nutcracker

9/17/19 It all started in 1975. A friend of mine was in a record store where he saw a reissue of Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite and bought two copies—one for him, and one for me. When he gave me my present, I asked him if it was any good, whereupon he told me that it was fantastic. I listened and ...

09/04/2019

The Interconnectedness of It All

SST Blog - The Interconnectedness of It All

8/25/19 I was giving a lesson the other day. Toward the end of the lesson, my student informed me that he would like to make a career orchestrating shows. I asked him if he would like to hear the demo recording of a show that I composed. After listening to a few of the songs, he wondered if audience...

08/21/2019

Is Jazz Dead? A Jazz Dialogue, Part V

SST Blog - Is Jazz Dead? Part 5

[10 or 15 years ago, my buddy, bassist and composer Chuck Israels was in New York for a few days visiting. We discussed writing a book about jazz. We sat around my coffee table in my living room one afternoon and turned on a cassette recorder. I’ve divided the conversation into 6 parts to make it ...

08/12/2019

SST Blog - Is Jazz Dead? A Jazz Dialogue continues with part 4 https://www.suchsweetthundermusic.com/blogs/news/is-jazz-dead-a-jazz-dialogue-part-iv

08/05/2019

Is Jazz Dead? A Jazz Dialogue, Part III

SST Blog - Is Jazz Dead? A Jazz Dialogue, Part III

[10 or 15 years ago, my buddy, bassist and composer Chuck Israels was in New York for a few days visiting. We discussed writing a book about jazz. We sat around my coffee table in my living room one afternoon and turned on a cassette recorder. I’ve divided the conversation into 6 parts to make it ...