Jazz arranging · Contemporary & Hybrid Jazz
DavidWeiss
b. 1964 arranger · composer · orchestrator
Weiss's arranging style balances bebop foundations with contemporary approaches, featuring sophisticated harmonies with strong swing feeling.
- Predominant era
- Contemporary & Hybrid Jazz
- Lifespan
- b. 1964
- Signature
- expansive register
Bio · 24 words
David Weiss is a trumpeter and composer who leads the New Jazz Composers Octet. He studied music formally before establishing himself in New York.
01
Musical style
Sound DNA
Five shared dimensions make the arranger’s musical priorities visible at a glance.
Varied
Contrasting families shape the sound.
Balanced
Space and activity stay in balance.
Expansive
Wide spans define the orchestral frame.
Transparent
Individual lines stay easy to follow.
Elastic
The rhythmic feel expands and contracts.
02
Orchestration
Technique deck
Select a card to spotlight a device drawn from this arranger’s orchestral language.
03
Music first
Scores & orchestras
Switch recordings to compare how this arranger’s musical priorities shape each orchestral profile.
various recordings
various recordings
Weiss's arrangements for his octet demonstrate his gifts for medium ensemble writing.
Listen forNotice how register shapes the orchestral profile.
Find listening example on YouTubeProfile derived from the arranger’s documented style and recording notes; exact instrumentation is not asserted.
Bebop Tradition Continuation
Bebop Tradition Continuation
Weiss's work maintaining bebop-rooted approaches demonstrates the tradition's continued vitality.
Listen forNotice how register shapes the orchestral profile.
Find listening example on YouTubeProfile derived from the arranger’s documented style and recording notes; exact instrumentation is not asserted.
Medium Ensemble Vitality
Medium Ensemble Vitality
Weiss's dedication to octet format demonstrates continued viability of medium-sized ensembles.
Listen forNotice how register shapes the orchestral profile.
Find listening example on YouTubeProfile derived from the arranger’s documented style and recording notes; exact instrumentation is not asserted.
04
Start here
Three essential albums
One line each—enough context to choose the next listen.
- 01 — various recordingsThe New Jazz Composers Octet Weiss's arrangements for his octet demonstrate his gifts for medium ensemble writing.
- 02 — Bebop Tradition ContinuationDavid Weiss Weiss's work maintaining bebop-rooted approaches demonstrates the tradition's continued vitality.
- 03 — Medium Ensemble VitalityDavid Weiss Weiss's dedication to octet format demonstrates continued viability of medium-sized ensembles.