June 2, 2010 - The Spring always brings me the opportunity to work with talented middle school and high school music students. They seem to get better and better each year! From Salt Lake City to Alexandria, VA, I've heard and got to work with some incredible students. It's always an honor.

The ABJO has been playing great as well, including a feature set last week at Thomas Jefferson HS here in Virginia. I have ideas for 3 or 4 new cds, just need to make the financial commitment again. (It's a labor of love.)

The Beatles arrangements I did for the band in Croatia sound fantastic! More info coming soon on how to purchase that cd. Other writing projects on the horizon include music for Wheeling High School (IL), Prospect High School (IL), Central College (IA), George Mason University (VA), Rebel Alliance Jazz Ensemble (TX), Jazz Orkestar (Croatia), and Alfred Publications. (Plus a bunch more for the Airmen of Note!)

Peace to each of you, and please keep in touch. -Alan

January 6, 2010 - I'm back, thanks for checking in! There are some exciting things on the horizon for the band and I, including performances at the Chantilly Jazz Festival, Howard University, and Kettle Run High School. I'll also be a guest artist with the South Carolina All-State Jazz Ensemble and the Thomas Jefferson High School Jazz Ensemble, and will be adjudicating again at the Peaks Jazz Festival in Salt Lake City. Please check the "Schedule" page for all the details.

I recently wrote new music for Joey DeFrancesco, Gary Smulyan, the New York Voices, Howard University, Central College (Iowa), Alfred Publications and of course, the Airmen of Note. More projects ahead include commissions for the Walter Johnson High School Jazz Ensemble, the SC All-State Jazz Ensemble, the Dave Liebman Big Band, Nnenna Freelon, Bobby Shew (for sure this time!) and the Jazz Orkestar in Croatia.

Thanks for stopping by, and best wishes for a happy, healthy new year! -Alan

June 30, 2009 - Some exciting things have been happening! I spent most of February in Seattle and Salt Lake City as a clinician and adjudicator for the BCC and Peaks Jazz Festival. It's always a joy to hear young students performing at such a high level. Congrats to Hal Sherman and Caleb Chapman, the directors of those festivals.

March and April were spent here at home and highlights included ABJO performances at the Chantilly Jazz Festival, Shenandoah University, and Blues Alley. I also had the good fortune of making several guest conducting appearances here in the D.C. area. I was also a part of a panel discussions entitled "The Future of the American Songbook" and "How to Think Like a Jazz Arranger" at the American Indian Museum and at an MENC event.

I've also recently finished writing new music for the Airmen of Note, Shemekia Copeland, Keiko Matsui, Howard University, Walt Whitman and Walter Johnson high schools, and several charts for Alfred Publications. I'm also getting close to finishing an entire cd's worth of music for a wonderful band in Zagreb, Croatia.

Later this summer I'll be on faculty at the National Jazz Workshop and in the Fall will begin teaching at George Mason University.

Thanks for checking in and please keep in touch! All the best, -Alan

December 3, 2008 - Thanks to everyone who has purchased a copy of "Eastern Standard Time." The cd's been doing very well and spent 16 weeks on the JazzWeek charts this summer, including several weeks in the top 10! If you're waiting to get one, now's your chance - they make a great holiday gift!

I got back from the Univ. of North Texas 2 weeks ago where I had the honor of conducting the 1990's alumni band at a concert honoring Neil Slater and Jim Riggs. A beautiful event and a great hang. I also had the opportunity to teach a couple of arranging classes and hear the One O'Clock play through 4 recent charts of mine. What an amazing band! The band's latest cd is out - Lab 2008. Buy a copy, and make sure you read the liner notes! (Another honor.)

There's more writing ahead for me, including charts for Alfred, Walt Whiman HS, Walter Johnson HS, Howard University, George Mason University, Bobby Shew, Nnenna Freelon, Dave Leibman, Gabriel Espinosa, Don Junker, and of course the Airmen of Note.

Thanks for checking in, and feel free to drop me a note here or on my new Facebook page! With much appreciation, -Alan

March 17, 2008 - It's here! Eastern Standard Time, the new release from the Alan Baylock Jazz Orchestra is now available!! Please click on the Order CD link for more information. Also, if you're in the area, the band will be playing March 29th at the Chantilly Jazz Festival in Chantilly, Va., and in D.C. at the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage on Friday, April 25. Thanks for stopping by, and thanks for all your support! Warm wishes, -Alan Baylock

May 25, 2007 - The past several months have been very exciting! Since the last update, I've written several new charts for Phil Woods, Walt Whitman HS, Walter Johnson HS, West Linn HS, Great Bridge HS, Randy Runyon, and others. I've also worked as guest artist/clinician/adjudicator with the Georgia All-State Jazz Band, the Harford County All-County Jazz Band, at the Chantilly Jazz Festival, the Montgomery County Jazz Festival, the College of Southern Maryland Jazz Festival (I got to share the stage with Randy Brecker on this one!), Eubie Blake HS Jazz Band, Westfield HS Jazz Band, and the Bel Air HS Jazz Band.

In addition, the band (ABJO) and I have been very active. We played at the Chantilly Jazz Festival, we did a tribute to Maynard Ferguson at Blues Alley, and we were featured at the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage. But the biggest news of all is that we finished recording the music for our second CD! We invited Jerry Bergonzi down for the last session, and he totally tore it up! We're very excited about the CD, and we're hoping for an early Fall release. I'll keep you posted! In case you're curious, we recorded Stella By Starlight (w/ Bergonzi), Caravan (w/ Bergonzi), Warm Valley (w/ Bergonzi), Body & Soul, Oleo, All the Things You Are, Afro Blue, Cherokee, Green Dolphin Street, and Love For Sale. All recent charts of mine, and the band played incredibly!

Thanks for checking in, and drop me a note if you get the chance. All the best, -Alan

October 9, 2006 - Again, I'm definitely overdue for an update! The Alan Baylock Jazz Orchestra appeared at Blues Alley in late July. The band played incredibly, and we enjoyed strong crowds at both sets. We also recently played at the Chantilly Jazz Festival, and again enjoyed an enthusiastic crowd. Plans are set to record a new CD in late February, tentatively entitled, "Setting the Standard."

I've also just finished new charts for Slide Hampton, Junior Mance, the Young Sounds of Arizona, and two more things for Alfred Publications. Current writing projects include commissions for Bobby Shew, Howard University, West Linn HS in Oregon, Walter Johnson HS, Walt Whitman HS, guitarist Randy Runyon (you gotta check this guy out!). Thanks for checking in, and please stay in touch! -Alan

January 24, 2006 - Sorry it's been too long! 2005 closed out with new music written for Phil Woods & the Capitol Quartet, Pat Martino, Tierney Sutton, Rachael Price, Ultraphonic Jazz Orchestra, US Army Jazz Knights, Howard University, and Central College in Iowa (It was a busy couple of months!).

In New York earlier this month I heard one of the most stunning performances of my life. John Hollenbeck and Big Band Graz. Absolutely beautiful music. I just finished a new piece for the great Walt Whitman H.S. Jazz Ensemble, and I think a little bit of the freedom and elasticity of that music rubbed off on me!

Lots of exciting things ahead in the near future including more commissions, and guest artist/meet the composer appearances in Kansas and Arizona. Look for a new ABJO project soon also!

Best wishes to all, and please keep in touch! -Alan

March 30, 2005 - I just returned from a trip to the University of North Texas, where I spoke to the jazz arranging students and took some new music into the "One O' Clock Lab Band." I was also able to hear all 9 Lab Bands in concert! That program continues to amaze me. The family and I also vacationed near Dallas and visited Dinosaur Valley State Park and Fossil Rim Wildlife Park.

Earlier in the month I was at Bias Studios recording original music for a real estate website. Mid-month, the band and I were invited back to the Chantilly Jazz Festival. I served as adjudicator at this festival, the West Virginia Eastern Regional Jazz Festival, and the Montgomery County (Md.) Jazz Festival. (And there's a couple more coming up!)

March began with a trip to the University of Miami where I was Guest Artist with the "Concert Jazz Band." Working with that band, and speaking to the arranging students of Gary Lindsay was a great thrill. There are some serious musicians at that school!

More exciting things are on the horizon, including a new Airmen of Note CD, three more commissions (all due very soon!), a trip to Kansas for a Guest Spot with a Collegiate All-State Band, and there have been rumors about the Alan Baylock Jazz Orchestra returning to the studio this Fall.

I cannot tell you how happy I am to be able to make a living as a musician. It's truly a dream come true.

Please don't forget about the CD, and thanks for all your support! - Alan

August 10, 2004 - Well, after a rough start to my summer, (strep and lyme disease) I think I'm finally feeling better. I'm looking forward to lots of writing projects; including new music for Nicholas Payton, Ron Carter, the Capitol Quartet, the Steffen Kuehn Nonet, Howard University, and Central College. I'll also be writing 3 new charts for the 2005 Warner Bros. Catalog. Sounds like I'd better go write! If you haven't purchased our CD yet, this is the best place to do it! Thanks for your support.

Peace, -Alan

P.S. Anna Baylock turns 2 tomorrow!

March 23, 2004 - I finally have a chance to breathe for a minute, after going about 3 months, non-stop. The CD continues to garner high praise from critics, and the band enjoyed two very successful performances at Shenandoah University and the Chantilly Invitational Jazz Festival earlier this month. In addition to writing and playing, I've had the good fortune over the past several weeks to work with over 750 young music students (age 10 -18) in five different states. I'm always inspired to see the joy in their eyes as the play and sing, and I'm reminded of my childhood. Being the youngest of six musical kids, there was always music in our house. These earliest experiences shaped who I was to become as a musician, and a person, in many ways, and I feel very lucky to have grown up in such an nourishing environment. I hope all is well, and thanks for your continuing support!

Best wishes, - Alan

December 8, 2003 - I just got back from Dallas where the Dallas Symphony premiered some of my new arrangements and orchestrations over the weekend. What a huge thrill that was! The music was commissioned by the Living Christmas Card, a great Dallas-based vocal quartet that were the featured performers with the DSO. The group, Sheri Marshall, Rosana Eckert, Craig Marshall, and Gary Eckert, are friends I'd met while at the University of North Texas. If you ever get a chance to check them out, you won't be disappointed. And I can't say enough about the Dallas Symphony - what an inspiring bunch of musicians. I was also able to hook up with a few other good friends and sat in on a recording session were the UNT Two O' Clock Lab Band (directed by Jim Riggs) was recording my chart on "Song for Bilbao."

If you've already bought my new CD, thank you, and I hope you're enjoying it! If you haven't, please visit my "recordings" page for sound bites and ordering info. I've gotten a lot of great feedback, and the CD's selling very well. Check it out and spread the word!

I hope the holiday season is pleasant for all of you, and please check back again frequently for updates.

Peace on earth. Sincerely -Alan

October 20, 2003 Hi, and welcome to my new website! The big news this month is the release of "Two Seconds to Midnight," the debut recording of the Alan Baylock Jazz Orchestra. Click the Order CD button for more information. If you're interested in ordering music from this CD, or other music that I've written recently, scroll down to the Order Music section of the Order CD page. Check back frequently for updates. Thanks again for coming by and drop me a note if you have the chance! All my best, - Alan Baylock