Sam Blakeslee Large Group 2-Album Fundraiser

My name is Sam Blakeslee, and I am a jazz trombonist and composer based out of NYC. While I compose music across many different mediums, none is more near and dear to my heart than the instrumentation of a big band. The lineage of the jazz orchestra is one of America's cultural treasures, and I have spent the better part of 15 years dedicating my musical endeavors to learning the repertoire of those that came before me while absorbing the works of today's contemporary composers.

Since 2013, I have been the bandleader and composer for the Sam Blakeslee Large Group, an 18-piece jazz orchestra, and this project in particular has become inextricably linked to my creative purpose and musical identity over the last ten years.

The Large Group has performed at numerous jazz festivals, and also held a monthly residency at Blu Jazz in Akron, OH from 2015-2017. This February, the Large Group will be performing at Birdland Jazz Club, one of NYC's most historic venues, with some of New York's finest musicians filling out the ensemble.

Since moving to NYC in 2017, I have been heavily involved in the vibrant contemporary big band scene, and have had the chance to play some incredible music by remarkable composers. After 5+ years of refining my writing in this creative environment, the moment has come to finally step out on my own as a bandleader and record 2 albums of music for jazz orchestra in May 2023 with some of NYC's most creative and in-demand musicians.

We will be documenting this music at Oktaven Audio, one of the NYC region's best rooms for acoustic recording on May 8-10, 2023.

Over the last 3 years, I have written 14 original compositions and two arrangements and will be taking the Large Group into the studio for 3 days of recording to document it all this Spring. These 16 songs would be split up into two separate releases, the first tentatively planned for late 2023/early 2024.

While I feel fortunate to have funded and released 4 other albums under my name as a bandleader, with the size and magnitude of such a project, to put it simply,

I need your help to make it happen.

With so many people involved, the costs expand extremely quickly. Donations would go to covering musician costs, studio time, recording engineers, mixing/mastering, and catering for the musicians. Raising the $30,000 would help offset all of these costs before I make a significant personal contribution to cover the release and distribution of the two records of music.

You can hear a few samples of the Large Group below:

Sam Blakeslee Large Group SPOTIFY

If you'd like to know a little bit more about me and my other bands, projects, and musical happenings, feel free to peruse my website below!

https://www.samblakesleemusic.com/

If you are interested in donating to the project, take a look through the several donation and incentive options. There are also several student incentive packages available either for yourself or someone that you know that is studying music and composition!

Incentive Packages

Pledge $15 or more

Supporter

INCLUDES:

• Digital Download

Pledge $30 or more

Supporter+

INCLUDES:

• Digital Download

• Physical CD

Pledge $50 or more

Bronze Patron

INCLUDES:

• Digital Download

• Signed Physical CD

Pledge $100 or more

Silver Patron

INCLUDES:

• Digital Download

• 2 Signed Physical CDs

• Thank You Card

Pledge $250 or more

Gold Patron

INCLUDES:

• Digital Download

• 2 Signed Physical CDs

• 1 PDF Score (of your choice)

• Thank You Card

• Credit as Backer/Supporter

Pledge $500 or more

Platinum Patron

INCLUDES:

• Digital Download

• 2 Signed Physical CDs

• All PDF scores of recorded compositions

• Thank You Card

• Credit as Backer/Supporter

Pledge $1,000 or more

Producer

INCLUDES:

• Digital Download

• 2 Signed Physical CDs

• All PDF scores of recorded compositions

• Thank You Card

• Producer Credit

• Unreleased Archival Recordings from the Large Group Blu Jazz Monthly Residency (2015-17)

Pledge $2,500 or more

Executive Producer

INCLUDES:

• Digital Download

• 2 Signed Physical CDs

• All PDF scores of recorded compositions

• Thank You Card

• Executive Producer Credit

• Unreleased Archival Recordings from the Large Group Blu Jazz Monthly Residency (2015-17)

• VIP Seating and Acknowledgement at CD Release Show(s)

Pledge $5,000 or more

Philanthropist

Commission a new composition to be premiered at the album release concert(s). You will receive a full score with dedication and the piece would be recorded for the next Sam Blakeslee Large Group recording project. Plus all previous rewards (2 tickets to a CD Release concert, VIP, Executive Producer, 2 CDs, Digital Download, PDF scores, Thank You Card)

INCLUDES:

• Digital Download

• 2 Signed Physical CDs

• All PDF scores of recorded compositions

• Thank You Card

• Executive Producer Credit

• Unreleased Archival Recordings from the Large Group Blu Jazz Monthly Residency (2015-17)

• VIP Seating and Acknowledgement at CD Release Show(s)

• Composition Commission to be premiered at CD Release Show(s)

Pledge $7,500 or more

Philanthropist+

Commission two new compositions to be premiered at the album release concert(s). You will receive the full scores with dedication and the piece would be recorded for the next Sam Blakeslee Large Group recording project. Plus all previous rewards (2 tickets to a CD Release concert, VIP, Executive Producer, 2 CDs, Digital Download, PDF scores, Thank You Card)

INCLUDES:

• Digital Download

• 2 Signed Physical CDs

• All PDF scores of recorded compositions

• Thank You Card

• Executive Producer Credit

• VIP Seating and Acknowledgement at CD Release Show(s)

• 2 Composition Commissions to be premiered at CD Release Show(s)

Student Incentive Packages

(Please contact Sam privately on social media if interested in the Student Packages to arrange lesson times)

Pledge $150 or more

Bronze Student Package

INCLUDES:

• Digital Download

• Signed Physical CD

• 1 composition lesson

• 1 PDF score of recorded compositions

Pledge $300 or more

Silver Student Package

INCLUDES:

• Digital Download

• 2 Signed Physical CDs

• 2 Composition Lessons

• Another Day In Which To Excel Score Study Companion

• 2 PDF scores of recorded compositions

• Thank You Card

Pledge $450 or more

Gold Student Package

INCLUDES:

• Digital Download

• 2 Signed Physical CDs

• 2 Composition Lessons

• 2 PDF scores of recorded compositions

• Another Day In Which To Excel Score Study Companion

• Handwritten compositional sketches/ideas of selections from the album

• Thank You Card

Pledge $600 or more

Platinum Student Package

INCLUDES:

• Digital Download

• 2 Signed Physical CDs

• 2 Composition Lessons

• Another Day In Which To Excel Score Study Companion

• Handwritten compositional sketches/ideas of selections from the album

• All PDF scores of recorded compositions

• Thank You Card

Pledge $750 or more

Platinum Student Package

INCLUDES:

• Digital Download

• 2 Signed Physical CDs

• 3 Composition Lessons

• Another Day In Which To Excel Score Study Companion

• Handwritten compositional sketches/ideas of selections from the album

• All PDF scores of recorded compositions

• Unreleased Archival Recordings from the Blu Jazz Monthly Residency (2015-17)

• Thank You Card

Thank you to all who plan on donating and making this decade-long dream a reality! Your support means the world to me, and I can't wait to share the end result with all of you!

Sincerely,

Sam Blakeslee