Birth name John Stephen Wiest Role Musical Artist Instruments Trombone Genres Jazz | Labels ArabesqueArtistShare Name Steve Wiest | |
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Occupation(s) Musician, composer, cartoonist, music educator, author Website www.artistshare.com/stevewiest Albums Out of the New, Love Romantic, Across The Sky, Deja Vu Memories of Paris Similar People | ||
The last theme song by steve wiest from lab 2011 by the one o clock lab band
Steve Wiest (né John Stephen Wiest; born 1957) is an American trombonist, composer, arranger, big band director, music educator at the collegiate level, jazz clinician, author, and illustrator/cartoonist. From 1981 to 1985, he was a featured trombonist and arranger with the Maynard Ferguson Band. Wiest is in his fourth year as Associate Professor of Jazz Studies and Commercial Music at the University of Denver Lamont School of Music. He is the Coordinator of the 21st Century Music Initiative at the school. Wiest has been a professor for twenty-nine of the thirty-seven years that he has been a professional trombonist, composer, and arranger. From 2007 to 2014, Wiest was Associate Professor of Music in Jazz Studies at the University of North Texas College of Music and, from March 2009 to August 2014, he was director of the One O'Clock Lab Band and coordinator of the Lab Band program. At North Texas, Wiest also taught conducting, trombone, and oversaw The U-Tubes — the College of Music's jazz trombone band. Wiest is a three-time Grammy nominee — individually in 2008 for Best instrumental Arrangement and in 2010 for Best Instrumental Composition, and collaboratively in 2010 for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album, which he directed. As of 2013, Wiest has in excess of 58 arrangements and compositions to his credit, which include 10 original compositions from his current project (see 2013–2014 project, below).
Contents
- The last theme song by steve wiest from lab 2011 by the one o clock lab band
- Ice nine by steve wiest from lab 2009 by the unt one o clock lab band
- 20132014 project
- Formal education
- Trombone manufacturer artist affiliations
- Professional affiliations
- Awards recognition
- Family
- Selected sessionography discography
- Selected compositions and arrangements
- Jazz festivals concerts master classes and workshops
- Selected videography and podcasts
- Other works
- References
Ice nine by steve wiest from lab 2009 by the unt one o clock lab band
Collaborators and mentors
Chief collaborators have included Maynard Ferguson, Slide Hampton, Doc Severinsen, Denis DiBlasio, Christopher G. Braymen, Jonathan B. Fairbank, Jimmy Pankow, and Bob Mintzer. Wiest said that key mentors have been Maynard Ferguson, Slide Hampton, Jimmy Pankow, and Denis J. DiBlasio.
2013–2014 project
In August 2013, Wiest, a sci-fi enthusiast, published a sci-fi novel, The Dover Stone: A Concerto for Folded Space. Wiest explains that it is built on inter-connected vignettes or movements that comprise an epic tale of life from other worlds and our place in the cosmos. The Term "folded space" is a theoretical speed of travel, faster than the speed of light, exceeding relativistic velocity by folding space, bringing far to near, reducing the long distances to a virtual zero. The tale is the impetus for ten compositions by Wiest, who describes the works as "programmatically informed" by the science fiction." The fictional vignettes culminate to answer real-life physicist Enrico Fermi's famous question, "Where is everybody?", a reference to the wonderment of life elsewhere in the universe. The stories occur in periods from 1182 to 2457.
The Steve Wiest Eclectic Electric Band will record the compositions as one album titled, Concerto for Folded Space. Wiest's compositional style ranges from straight ahead to jazz fusion, and sometimes pop-rock. With this project, Wiest is experimenting with serialism, not in a strict sense, but many elements are generated from rows.
The musical portion is an ArtistShare project and is scheduled for release early 2014. The band members are Wiest (composer and trombonist), Stockton Helbing (drums, producer), Braylon Lacy (bass), Ryan Davidson (guitar), Noel Johnston (guitar), and Daniel Pardo (flute). Guest artist are Bob Mintzer (tenor sax), Arlington Jones (né Arlington Julius Jones II) (piano), and James Pankow (trombone).
Essentially, ArtistShare is the record label and represents Wiest's foray into an alternative model for producing music. ArtistShare is a fan-funded platform where artists provide content for patrons who subscribe to access levels of their choosing. For example, on November 6, 2013, Wiest uploaded one in a series of "cool stuff", as he phrased it, to the Participant Zone of his ArtistShare Concerto for Folded Space site. The "cool stuff" included a "programmatic" analysis and complete score for "The Flutes of Glastonbury", one of the ten compositions.
Other sci-fi inspired compositions
Other sci-fi-related works composed by Wiest include "Ice-Nine", a 2009 composition scored for big band, drawn from Kurt Vonnegut's novel, Cat's Cradle. "New Cydoinia", a 2010 big-band arrangement, is a programmatic representation of all of the theories and stories surrounding the enigmatic area on Mars known as Cydonia. "A Night in Pidruid", a 2006 composition scored for big band, is a programmatic and thematic development of characters and events in Robert Silverberg's Lord Valentine's Castle. "Blues From Space", a 1984 composition scored for big band, is a novelty tune about an alien who brings a philosophy of "Sing the Blues" to Earth.
Formal education
Trombone manufacturer artist affiliations
Professional affiliations
Awards & recognition
Academic
Professional
Family
Steve and Carmen Jean Wiest (formerly Diagostine, née Watzka) have been married seventeen years. Carmen is a violinist, orchestra conductor, and music educator. Steve's father, John Thomas Wiest (1932–2006) was a trombonist and his mother, Wanda Jean Stegall, is a retired educator. Wiest has three siblings, Jeanne Stegall-Keene, Robert Wiest and Andrew Wiest, PhD. Andrew Wiest is professor of history at the University of Southern Mississippi. One of Steve's cousins, Nick Drozdoff, is a notable jazz trumpeter and music educator based in the Chicago area. Drozdoff played with Maynard Ferguson in 1981 when Steve joined the band. They are cousins by way of Steve's father and Nick's mother. Nick's mother was Mary Chase Lombard (formerly Drozdoff, née Wiest; 1921–2010), an influential puppeteer and early television pioneer known for her adaptations of Fearless Fosdick and Li'l Abner. Nick's father, Paul V. Drozdoff (1908–1958), was a notable third-generation concert pianist, born in Saint Petersburg, Russia and, as a child with his parents, immigrated to the United States. Steve Wiest's paternal grandfather, Waldo (Wally) Hayes Wiest (1888–1968), was a commercial artist who had worked with Sam Gold, Inc. (Chicago), Frederick Voges, Einson-Freeman Co., Inc. (Chicago), then his own company that he founded with Fred Voges — Advertising Ingenuities, Inc. (Chicago). Wally was known within brand management and advertising circles for his work with "premium" giveaways and product characters such as Kellogg's "Snap, Crackle and Pop."
Steve Wiest has a daughter, Amber, and two sons, Matthew and David.
Selected sessionography & discography
As leader
Excalibur
Recorded in Chicago, August 5, 6 & 19, 2005
Arabesque AJO180 (2006); OCLC 71803153
Out of the New
Arabesque AJ0189 (2008) (sample video)Wiest (trombone); Stefan Karlsson (piano), Lynn Seaton (bass), Ed Soph (drums), and Fred Hamilton (né Frederick E. Hamilton) (guitar)
Concerto for Folded Space
ArtistShare (scheduled release, early 2014)Stockton Helbing (drums, producer), Braylon Lacy (bass), Ryan Davidson (guitar), Noel Johnston (guitar), Daniel Pardo (flute)Featured guests: (i) Bob Mintzer (tenor sax), (ii) Arlington Jones (né Arlington Julius Jones II) (piano), (iii) James Pankow (trombone)
As director of the One O'Clock Lab Band
As director of the U-Tubes
As director of The Jazz Symposium, UW-Whitewater
As trombonist and arranger with Maynard Ferguson
Live, Studio, Hollywood, California, June 23 & 24, 1982
Palo Alto Records (1982); OCLC 10289106
Recorded at the Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, May 27, 1983
Palo Alto PA8077N (1983); OCLC 219922580, 12177630, 30868313
Recorded live for the Voice of America on July 3, 1982
Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga, New York; OCLC 50311711, 50539572
Recorded at Bennett Studios, Englewood, New Jersey, July 25–30, 2006
Maynard Ferguson Trust (2007); OCLC 173844972
- "Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone", arranged by Wiest (audio sample)
- "Besame Mucho", arranged by Wiest, Grammy nominee (audio sample)
As trombonist with the Frank Mantooth Jazz Orchestra
Recorded at Streeterville Studios, Chicago, October 5–7 & 29, 1989
Optimism Records (1987), released by Sea Breeze; OCLC 34834322, 724753681
Recorded at Streeterville Studios, Chicago, December 1991 to December 1992
Sea Breeze (1993); OCLC 28959540
Recorded January 23, April 24, December 13 & 14, 1994
Sea Breeze (1995); OCLC 36112415
As trombonist with other artists
Jazz In Good Taste, Janelle (1993)
Recorded in Kansas City, July 3 & 4, 1993
Swingin' The Blues
Recorded in Hollywood, February 4 & 5, 1999
Azica Records & Naxos Digital (1999); OCLC 566347755, 611389358
QuaDRUMvirate
Recorded in Powell, Wyoming, October 4, 1999
Progressive PCD-7123; OCLC 611389358
As student trombonist and arranger with the One O'Clock Lab Band
As composer and trombonist with other artists
Lab '89; OCLC 22865000
Recorded at the Dallas Sound Lab, Irving, Texas, April 30 & May 1, 1989
"With You", composed & arranged by Wiest (as an alumni)
Pulse, OA2 Records 22048 (2008); OCLC 299511258Recorded at Crystal Clear Sound Recording Studios, Dallas, Texas, March 2 & 3, 2008
For Nothing is Secret, Armored Records (2007); OCLC 606536674Recorded in Dallas, Texas, December 13–15, 2006
Selected compositions and arrangements
Kendor Music, Inc., distributor
A tribute to Art Blakey
Composed & arranged by Wiest
Cojarco Music, Inc. (1998); OCLC 612781983
Commissioned by the Illinois Music Educators Association
1999 All State Jazz Ensemble (1999)
Commissioned by the Jazz Division of the Illinois Music Educators Association
2009 Illinois All State Jazz Ensemble
Doug Beach Music (2009) (ASCAP)
UNC Jazz Press, Greeley, Colorado
From One O'Clock Lab Band albums- "The Miles Files"
(audio from Lab '86) (live in 1997) (1986) - "Upside Downside"
Composed by Mike Stern
Arranged by Wiest
(recorded on Lab '87) (1986); OCLC 498390714
- "Night Visions"
Composed & arranged by Wiest
(recorded on Lab '87) (1987); OCLC 498390620 - "On the Edge" (1988)
(audio from Lab '88), trombone solo by Wiest - "With You"
(recorded on Lab '89; OCLC 22865000) (1989)
- "Second Thought", composed & arranged by Wiest (1998); OCLC 498390445
- "Gotham City", commissioned by the University of Northern Colorado Lab Band I (1991)
- "Another Frame", arranged by Wiest (1998) (composed 1985); OCLC 222416215
Commissioned by Curt Hanrahan for the Milwaukee Youth Jazz Ensemble (2005)
Commissioned by Neil E. Hansen, Northwest College (1998)
Walrus Music Publishing – trade name for Daniel Franz Beher, Pismo Beach, California (audio samples)
Dedicated to the victims of the 2011 Tōhoku tsunami
Commissioned by Tim Ishii for the University of Texas at Arlington
Composed by Wiest 2012 (ASCAP)
- "Spirals" (from Lab 2008)
- "Ice-Nine" (video from Lab 2009); (live from Birdland, March 10, 2009)
- "New Cydonia" (video from Lab 2010)
- "The Last Theme Song" (video from Lab 2011)
- "Denton Standard Time" (from Lab 2013)
- "Puddin' Time"
Composed by Brad Leali (neé) Bradford C Leali
Arranged 2010 by Wiest for the Three O'Clock Lab Band, Brad Leali, director - "Wes' Side Story" (Wes Montgomery)
Composed 2010 by Wiest for the Two O'Clock, Jay Saunders, director
- "Excalibur", composed by Wiest 2006
- "The Silver Spin", composed by Wiest 2006
- "Cerulean 12", composed by Wiest 2006
- "The Once and Future Groove", composed by Wiest 2006
- "A Night In Pidruid", composed by Wiest 2006
Maynard Ferguson Publishing and library
Recorded and performed by the Maynard Ferguson Band- "Besame Mucho
Composed by Consuelo Velázquez & Sunny Skylar
Arranged by Wiest 2006
(recorded on The One and Only; OCLC 173844972) - "Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone"
Composed by Bill Withers
Arranged by Wiest 2004
(recorded on The One and Only; OCLC 173844972) - "I Love You"
Composed by Cole Porter
Arranged by Wiest
(recorded on Brass Attitude; OCLC 40582399) - "I'm Old Fashioned"
Music by Jerome Kern, lyrics by Johnny Mercer
Arranged by Wiest 2004
(recorded on MF Horn VI; OCLC 607863162)
Other publishers
Recorded and performed by the Maynard Ferguson BandComposed by Teena Marie Brockert
Arranged by Todd Cochran, adapted by Wiest 1982
(from the "Live" performance by Maynard Ferguson), Jobete Publishing (1982); OCLC 756979151
Arranged for Maynard Ferguson's band by Wiest
Adapted for full big band by Bob Lowden (né Robert W. Lowden; 1920–1998)
Barnhouse (1983); OCLC 26875255
"Bu" is short for "Buhaina", Art Blakey's Muslim surname
Composed by Michael W. Plog
Arranged by Wiest 2000
Unpublished
Composed as a possible theme song for the Charlotte Hornets basketball franchise
Jazz festivals, concerts, master classes, and workshops
In addition to Wiest's concert appearances at music festivals, clinics, and camps as director of the One O'Clock Lab Band, he has appeared as an artist and clinician with organizations and events that include:
Collegiate
Scholastic
Regional, national, professional
As director of The Jazz Symposium, UW-Whitewater
As director of the One O'Clock Lab Band
Selected videography and podcasts
Maynard Ferguson
RCA Columbia Pictures Home Video (1984); OCLC 11308429
- "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough", by Michael Jackson
Arranged by Denis DiBlasio (Wiest solo at 1:44)
- "Bebop Buffet, Part I," a tribute to Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, and Clifford Brown
Arranged by Denis DiBlasio - "Gonna Fly Now" (theme from Rocky) (at 14:15)
"Bebop Buffet, Part I" (Wiest solo at 8:44)
- "Maynard's Theme", "Body & Soul," "Shuffle Monk"
- "The Market Place" & "Jack Usage" (at 11:55)
One O'Clock Lab Band
- "A Good Time Was Had By All," composed by Thad Jones
Other works
Cartoons and illustrations
Articles
Liner notes
Digital media jazz advocacy