Composer in Residence Darcy James Argue (English)
The Canadian composer and big band leader Darcy James Argue began his musical career in the Montreal jazz scene before making his way to New York, where he has been attracting a great deal of attention for years with his ensemble "Darcy James Argue's Secret Society". Today he arranges and composes for the biggest names in the genre and is active all over the world. Now also as the new composer in residence for the Frankfurt Radio Big Band!
Darcy James Argue is no stranger to the Frankfurt Radio Big Band: With his own music he was our guest in 2009, 2015 and in November 2023. He is considered one of the best big band leaders of his generation and a visionary arranger. His compositions have not only earned him several Grammy nominations, they are also highly praised by the music press. His great strength is his immense knowledge of the historical styles of jazz, its traditions and habits, which he uses to formulate a new musical future. In doing so, he does not shy away from thinking outside of established categories and treading new paths in close collaboration with other art forms.
His teachers include big names such as Bob Brookmeyer, Maria Schneider and John Hollenbeck. In addition to his own band, the Secret Society, he has gained experience with numerous other major orchestras and has - among others - written music for the Danish Radio Big Band, the Canadian National Jazz Orchestra, the NYO Jazz, the Hard Rubber Orchestra, the West Point Jazz Knights and the Orquestra Jazz de Matosinhos. In 2013, DownBeat magazine named him best arranger and best composer. In 2024, the Jazz Journalists Association named him Arranger of the Year. We are excited to see where our journey together will take us!