I’m thrilled to announce that my next composing commission comes from the exceptional trumpeter, flugelhorn player, and educator John Cord, based in Iowa. John is not only a remarkable musician, but also a kind and thoughtful human being. Like me, he believes in music’s ability to heal, offer clarity, and accompany us through life’s most challenging moments.
Together we’ve conceived an ambitious new project, Still, Moving Light: a collection of original works for solo flugelhorn accompanied by an eclectic ensemble featuring fretless electric bass, Fender Rhodes, vibraphone, cello, bass clarinet, and voice.
The suite explores the fragility and resilience of our inner lives, and the restorative, spiritually regenerative power of music. It draws inspiration from the quiet intensity of artists such as Jaco Pastorius, Pat Metheny, and Dave Douglas, while incorporating the gradual, evolving processes associated with minimalist composers like Philip Glass and Steve Reich. Stylistically, the music will blur the boundaries between ambient jazz, contemporary chamber music, and minimalism.
The title, Still, Moving Light, comes from a phrase used in neuroscience to describe how awareness can remain steady even as thoughts, emotions, and sensations continually shift.
That idea resonates deeply with experiences of mental health and healing. Stability does not require stillness. Calm can exist alongside movement. Recovery is rarely linear, yet a sense of continuity can endure. Rather than attempting to depict depression or healing directly, these pieces aim to create a sonic space where steadiness and change can coexist.
I’m excited to begin composing the five movements of the suite this month. Alongside them, I’ll also be creating new arrangements of two Jaco Pastorius classics—Portrait of Tracy and Continuum. Together, these seven pieces will form an album that John plans to record next year.
This is unlike any project I’ve undertaken before, and I’m eager to discover where it leads. Stay tuned through my e-newsletter, blog, and social media as I share updates on this project and everything else currently on the horizon.
