Lenny Pickett with the NYU Steinhardt Jazz Orchestra in Abu Dhabi

[akjacobteague]

2:54 - 2:56 this is what lenny is famous for

[deucecadoo]

What's the name of this arrangement?

[slider908]

kathy (named after his wife) by lenny pickett

[markvilover]

The director in this band also writes most, if not all of the arrangements that they play...so I would imagine that it makes sense to have him directing the band.

[sclews]

Where in Abu Dhabi was this? I saw him at the American school but this isn't that concert I dont think??

[anonymousabe]

what's the name of this song?

[jdogzyo]

This is awesome!!!! But I've been wondering, why do some jazz bands have a conductor if there is a drummer?

[Amrith1976]

From what I understand, The conductor brings in coordination between the musicians. Like between the different Brass Sections, the rhythm section the piano, guitar...

He also indicates how strong or how soft the different sections play.

[jdogzyo]

That makes sense. This conductor is much more involved than the conductor I saw for the jazz orchestra at Chabot College in Hayward, CA. The guy there would literally leave and have a cigarette in the middle of a tune and then come back for the ending.

[murrayjamesm]

@Amrith1976 Lenny's tune is tricky. There are meter changes, so it really should be conducted. Rich did a great job with the band. (I'm the lead alto player in the video, by the way).

[gjbsaxman94]

@jdogzyo its simply that the conductor doesnt fully trust them to keep time, or that they suck enough to need someone visually giving them time