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JC Sanford

trombonist/composer/conductor

About Me

JC Sanford is a musician of rare breadth, deeply rooted in the traditions of Jazz and Classical music, yet constantly pushing at their boundaries. A protégé of legendary composer Bob Brookmeyer, his works have been performed by John Abercrombie, Lew Soloff, Dave Liebman, the Swedish Wind Ensemble, and Grammy-nominated classical pianist Andrew Russo. His collaborative project Sound Assembly yielded Edge of the Mind, which JazzTimes' Bill Milkowski described as “heady, modernist fare ranging from the dissonant . . . to the majestic.” Sanford also conducts the twice-Grammy-nominated John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble, the Alan Ferber Nonet with Strings, Joel Harrison 19, and the Alice Coltrane Orchestra featuring Ravi Coltrane and Jack DeJohnette. A founding member of the composers' federation Pulse, along with fellow composer/bandleaders Joseph C. Phillips and Darcy James Argue, he has collaborated with a wide array of artists including singer-songwriter Joy Askew, Japanese koto player Yumi Kurosawa, and Take Dance Company. His unique 15-piece jazz/chamber ensemble, the JC Sanford Orchestra, released it's debut recording on Whirlwind Recordings on May 20, 2014.

”Sanford draws on a wealth of large-scale influences ranging from swing bands to contemporary classical music, though without creating a patchwork. Somehow his stylistic swerves flow effortlessly into one another, often melding into strange but beautiful hybrids. The ensemble not only brings strong musicianship but eclectic instrumentation, greatly expanding the leader's already imaginative palette.” 4 Stars, Downbeat Magazine

”Many young jazz composers today find that the old “big band” format has worn so threadbare that they can do nothing with it. As a result, we occasionally get something new like this – often perplexing, but exciting and quite unignorable. Sanford's orchestra, with its motley assemblage of instruments and electronics, can set your teeth on edge at one moment and draw you into a sweet harmonic wonderland the next. The soloists, notably trumpeter Matt Holman, percussionist Satoshi Takeishi and Sanford himself on trombone, are very impressive, but their excellent playing is much enhanced by the dazzling environment.” 4 Stars, The Observer