548 - Jared Schonig: Playing "Just In Time" and other Broadway Shows, Touring and Recording with the 8 Bit Big Band, Bringing Something True to Himself to Everything
Working DrummerShow Notes
Award winning drummer, composer & bandleader Jared Schonig has toured and/or recorded internationally with Nicholas Payton, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Chris Potter, John Patitucci, Donny McCaslin, Darcy James Argue & Secret Society, The 8-Bit Big Band, Miho Hazama & m_Unit, Dave Grusin, David Foster, Laurence Hobgood, Tim Hagans, Fred Hersch, Wycliffe Gordon, Tom Harrell, Joe Locke, and Ernie Watts among others. He has appeared on multiple Grammy-winning records, been in the orchestra on countless Tony-award musicals, and even performed on Emmy-award winning TV performances. A favorite among vocalists, Schonig has toured with Grammy Award-winners Kurt Elling, The New York Voices, Sara Gazarek, and many others. Schonig co-led The Wee Trio, which released five critically-acclaimed albums over the past 8 years. The group received praise from numerous publications and toured internationally. He recently released two solo albums of original music (one quintet and one big band) in the fall of 2021 to critical acclaim. His groups have performed at Dizzys (Jazz At Lincoln Center), the Jazz Gallery, the Rochester International Jazz Festival, Lake George Jazz Festival, and many others. When at home in New York City, Schonig is a fixture in both the jazz and Broadway scene.
In this episode, Jared talks about:
The 8 Bit Big Band’s approach to arranging and performing video game music
The evolution of “Just In Time” from a one-off concert to a full-fledged Broadway show
Being empowered to bring his drumming voice to a Broadway show
How “Just In Time” bucks Broadway trends of isolating the band and utilizing electronics and automation
Maintaining a balance of Broadway work and creative jazz projects
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