- Department:
- Jazz Studies
- Campus:
- IU Bloomington
Biography
Darmon Meader is adjunct lecturer in jazz studies at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.
Recognized in both the jazz vocal and instrumental worlds, he is a highly respected vocalist, arranger, and saxophonist. He has achieved international recognition as the founder, musical director, chief arranger, composer, producer, saxophonist, and vocalist with New York Voices.
As a member of New York Voices, Meader has released numerous recordings on the GRP, RCA/Victor, Concord, and MCGJazz labels. In the fall of 2007, New York Voices released their long-awaited MCGJazz release, A Day Like This.
In January 2008, Meader released his much anticipated debut solo CD, And So Am I. His solo project is a collection of jazz standards and original works, which reflects his varied interests and skills as a singer, saxophonist, writer, and arranger. Although the entire project is steeped in the jazz tradition, the CD includes a wide variety of styles, orchestration approaches and concepts.
With New York Voices, Meader has collaborated with a variety of artists, including Ray Brown, Bernadette Peters, George Benson, Maureen McGovern, Don Sebesky, Nancy Wilson, Ann Hampton Callaway, Jim Hall, Paquito D'Rivera, and the Count Basie Orchestra.
He has toured internationally, performing at such renowned venues as Carnegie Hall, Montreux Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, and Blue Note jazz clubs (New York and Japan).
In addition to Meader's New York Voices touring and recording commitments, he is increasingly busy as a soloist, sideman, studio musician, and composer. He is actively involved in music education, working as a clinician and guest artist at both the high school and university levels.
He has been the guest conductor for All-State Jazz Ensembles in New York, Arizona, Wisconsin, Illinois, and New Jersey, and has made artist-in-residence appearances at numerous schools, including Northwestern University, University of Louisville, American River College, Humber College, and University of Georgia.
Meader has taught at numerous domestic and international music workshops, including the Inzigkoven Vocal Jazz Workshop in Germany, various International Association for Jazz Education Teacher Training Institutes, the Steve Zegree Vocal Jazz Camp, and the Vocal Pop and Jazz Days workshop in the Netherlands.
Many of his choral, vocal jazz, and instrumental arrangements are available through the following publishers: Carl Fischer Music, Shawnee Press, Alfred Music, Belwin Mills, and UNC JazzPress.