Big City
(Dedicated to Nelson Hatt)

After years of working in big cities such as Los Angeles, London, Tokyo, Singapore, Bangkok, and Hyderabad (to name a few), it seemed inevitable that a musical metaphor would eventually present itself, and it did in a big way in “Big City.” Though all the cities I have experienced added to the ultimate personality and flavor of the piece, New York was certainly the main catalyst and inspiration. Since I had grown up near New York, and studied there in my teens and early 20’s, it served as an icon of a place where big things happened, a “dream machine” filled with energy and opportunity, where the highest forms of creativity, talent, and innovation could be experienced everywhere. It was also the place that helped turn on the “jazz gene” in me, which has since served as the underlying foundation of my musical personality as a concert composer, songwriter, and musician as well. Its aesthetic and attitude helped give me a very clear direction, not only in my musical life, but