New Album for Jazz Orchestra

I’m thrilled to finally share this news: my debut large-ensemble album, Along the Way, will be released worldwide this October 2026, on Origin Records. This is a big band album at heart, one built on melody, reflection, and discovery. The eight tracks range from groove-driven tunes and swinging numbers to lyrical ballads and harmonically adventurous charts. It’s contemporary big band music that still remembers where it came from.

The Musicians

One of the things I’m proudest of is the roster of musicians who brought this music to life. Lead trumpet duties fall to Bijon Watson, with Jared Schonig anchoring the rhythm section on drums, and the great Clay Jenkins joining as a special guest soloist alongside Todd DelGiudice, Doug Stone, Joshua Bowlus, and Lenard Simpson. The album was mixed and mastered by David Darlington at Bass Hit Studios in New York City.

Woodwinds

Todd DelGiudice lead alto saxophone · soprano saxophone · flute

Michael Emmert alto saxophone · flute

Lenard Simpson alto saxophone (track 4)

Doug Stone tenor saxophone · clarinet

Fernando Cruz tenor saxophone · clarinet

Karli Bunn baritone saxophone · bass clarinet

Trumpets/Flugelhorns

Bijon Watson lead

Clay Jenkins (tracks 3, 5 & 6)

Mark Filsinger

Dave Hart

Ray Callender

Trombones

Clarence Hines lead

Bernie Greenlee

B. Walden Shaw

Gina Benalcazar bass trombone

Rhythm

Joshua Bowlus piano

Emiliano Lasansky bass

Jared Schonig drums

What’s Next

Between now and October, I’ll be sharing more: stories behind individual tracks, glimpses of the recording process, and details on where you can hear this music live.

JEN Conference Program

Thank you for attending the Clarence Hines Jazz Orchestra’s performance at JEN in New Orleans. Your presence and support mean so much. Click the link below to learn more about the concert program and the musicians.

Performing at JEN-New Orleans

I am pleased to announce that my band, Clarence Hines Jazz Orchestra, will be performing at the Jazz Education Network (JEN) Conference in New Orleans on Saturday, January 10th. The performance will feature original music and a couple of my arrangements. More details will be posted as the event approaches.

2025 LMEA All-State Jazz Ensemble in New Orleans

I recently had the incredible opportunity to direct the 2025 LMEA All-State Jazz Ensemble in New Orleans, and I couldn’t be more proud of the talented students who participated. Over the course of two and a half days, these young musicians dedicated themselves to learning and rehearsing a challenging and exciting program, culminating in a fantastic 50-minute concert that showcased their hard work and musical growth.

The concert program featured a diverse selection of jazz standards and contemporary pieces, including:

• The Eternal Triangle – Sonny Stitt/arr. John Clayton

• Boogaloo – Clarence Hines

• Footprints – Wayne Shorter/arr. Mike Tomaro

• Trav’lin’ Light – Young, Mundy, Mercer/arr. Nelson Riddle

• Cheek to Cheek – Irving Berlin/arr. Mark Taylor

• The Star-Crossed Lovers – Strayhorn, Ellington/trans. David Berger

• Cute – Neal Hefti/arr. Bob Mintzer

• What Is This Thing Called Love – Cole Porter/arr. Alan Baylock

The ability of the students to come together as an ensemble in such a short time and perform at an excellent level is truly commendable. Congratulations to all the students for their outstanding performance, and a big thank you to LMEA for organizing such a wonderful event. It was an honor to work with such a talented group of young musicians.

Peña Amaya - Upcoming Performance

Exciting news! The Western University Wind Ensemble will perform my composition Peña Amaya in their upcoming “Echoes and Reverberations” concert. The concert takes place on December 1st and the program includes March in F by Ludwig van Beethoven; Geschwindmarsch by Beethoven by Paul Hindemith; Pena Amaya by Clarence Hines; Variations on America by Charles Ives; and Symphonic Dances from “West Side Story” by Leonard Bernstein.