DARMON MEADER
ARRANGER
Recognized in both the jazz vocal and instrumental worlds, Darmon Meader is a highly respected vocalist, arranger and saxophonist. Darmon has achieved international recognition as the founder, musical director, chief arranger, composer, producer, saxophonist, and vocalist with New York Voices. As a member of New York Voices, he has released numerous recordings on the GRP, RCA/Victor, Concord and MCGJazz labels. In the fall of 2007, New York Voices released their long-awaited MCGJazz release "A Day Like This". Two projects they collaborated on received a Grammy award and Latin Grammy award (one with the Count Basie Orchestra, the other with Paquito D’Rivera).
Darmon’s two most recent projects with NYV are “New York Voices, Live with the WDR Big Band” (2013, Palmetto Records), and “Let it Snow” (2013 Five Cent Records). In addition to Darmon’s vocal sax performances, both recordings feature his exemplary vocal arrangements, and the Christmas project also features Darmon’s Extensive orchestration skills.
With New York Voices, Darmon has collaborated with a variety of artists including Ray Brown, Bernadette Peters, George Benson, Maureen McGovern, Don Sebesky, Nancy Wilson, Ann Hampton Callaway, Jim Hall, Paquito D'Rivera and the Count Basie Orchestra. He has toured internationally, performing at such renowned venues as Carnegie Hall, Montreux Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival and Blue Note Jazz Clubs (New York and Japan). In addition to Darmon's New York Voices touring and recording commitments, he is increasingly busy as a soloist, sideman and studio musician.
In January of 2008, Darmon released his much anticipated debut solo CD, And So Am I. Darmon's solo project is a collection of jazz standards and original works, which reflects his varied interests and skills as a singer, saxophonist, writer and arranger. Although the entire project is steeped in the jazz tradition, the CD includes a wide variety of styles, orchestration approaches and concepts.
In addition, Darmon is actively involved in music education, working as a clinician and guest artist at both the high school and university levels. Darmon has been the guest conductor for All-State Jazz Ensembles in New York, Arizona, Wisconsin, Illinois and New Jersey, and has made artist-in-residence appearances at numerous schools, including Northwestern University, University of Louisville, American River College, Humber College and University of Georgia. Darmon has also taught at numerous domestic and international music workshops including the Inzigkoven Vocal Jazz Workshop in Germany, various IAJE Teacher's Training Intitutes, the Western Michigan University Vocal Jazz Camp and the Vocal Pop and Jazz Days workshop in the Netherlands.
Many of Darmon's choral, vocal jazz, and instrumental arrangements are available through the following publishers: Carl Fischer Music, Shawnee Press, Alfred Music, Belwin Mills and UNC JazzPress.