McGuinness doesn’t stick to just one bag—he’s got a whole closet full and MIXED BAG is a joyful, moving, and at times an intimate reflection of that.
Summit Records
Pete McGuinness – Leader, Composer, Arranger, Vocalist; Saxophones/Woodwinds: Dave Pietro, Mark Phaneuf, Tom Christensen, Rob Middleton, Dave Riekenberg; Trumpets/Flugelhorns: Jon Owens and Tony Kadleck (split leads), Hollis “Bud” Burridge, Chris Rogers; Trombones: Bruce Eidem, Mark Patterson, Matt Haviland, Jeff Nelson; Rhythm Section: Pete McCann – guitar (tracks 5 and 7), Mike Holober and Bill Charlap – piano, Mark Wade – bass, Scott Neumann – drums; Strings and Additional Instruments: Violin: Hiroko Taguchi (concert mistress), Whitney LaGrange, Annaliesa Place, Caleb Burhans; Viola: Todd Low, Angela Pickett; Cello: Melissa Westgate, Alon Bisk; Flute: Steve Kenyon; French Horn: Chris Kome
Pete McGuinness isn’t the kind of bandleader who sticks to a single groove. On MIXED BAG, the fourth release from his long-standing jazz orchestra, he doesn’t just change lanes—he navigates across styles, moods, and eras with the kind of confidence and grace that comes from knowing the jazz tradition inside and out.
MIXED BAG celebrates nearly 20 years of McGuinness at the helm of one of New York’s most consistently top-tier big bands. If that sounds like a bold claim, just look at the roster: these are musicians whose credits span from Maria Schneider to Buddy Rich, Broadway pits to top-tier studios. Many have been with the group since day one, bonded not just by chops, but by decades of camaraderie and shared time in the trenches of the NYC jazz scene.
But MIXED BAG isn’t just looking back. It’s a deeply personal and adventurous record that captures McGuinness stepping into new territory—partly by choice, partly by necessity. After developing embouchure dystonia, a neurological condition that forced him to put down his trombone, McGuinness turned fully toward composing, arranging, and singing. “I miss playing,” he says simply. “I focused more on my writing, which led to this being the strongest record I’ve done yet with the big band. I also put a lot into my singing because I still want to express myself as a soloist.”
The album lives up to its name. There’s a little something from nearly every corner of McGuinness’s musical world: swinging vocal tracks, complex modern arrangements, Brazilian rhythms, elegant ballads, and lush orchestration. He sings on three tracks, opening with a crisp, hard-swinging take on Cole Porter’s ‘From This Moment On,’ complete with some nimble scatting. He later returns to Porter with a gentle bossa nova version of ‘So In Love,’ dedicated to his wife Joan, and closes the album with a poignant reading of Johnny Mandel’s ‘Where Do You Start?’ His voice sits somewhere between Chet Baker’s cool and Kurt Elling’s polish—relaxed, musical, and always in the pocket. On that final track, guest pianist Bill Charlap—a master of understatement and one of jazz’s great ballad players—adds a graceful, perfectly weighted touch.
Elsewhere, the band swings hard. ‘Lilac Blues’ leans into big-band sophistication without ever sounding stiff, and Mike Holober’s piano adds a touch of sparkle, floating just above the horns like it’s enjoying the ride. ‘The Dark Hours’ moves into more unsettled territory—edgy, a little restless, with some taut drumming that keeps things in motion. ‘Down the Rabbit Hole’ heads further out, playing with 12-tone ideas but never losing its footing—there’s still a groove and a clear sense of shape. It’s smart, but not in a way that keeps you at arm’s length—think Thad Jones meets George Russell, with a bit of mischief tucked in.
‘The Sly Fox,’ a tribute to the late Bill Holman, is full of Holman-esque touches—tricky rhythms, witty countermelodies, and that unmistakable sense of humor tucked between the notes. “If I had to name the composers I admire most—the ones who made me want to write—Bill Holman would be right near the top,” McGuinness says. “I’ve loved his writing since I was a teenager. He’s one of the cleverest, funniest composer/arrangers in jazz history.”
In the jazz world, a “bag” is more than just a sound—it’s a sensibility, a vibe, a way of being. McGuinness doesn’t stick to just one bag—he’s got a whole closet full and MIXED BAG is a joyful, moving, and at times an intimate reflection of that. It’s also a quiet reminder that growth doesn’t always follow a straight line. Sometimes you lose something, shift gears, and stumble onto a new voice altogether. Pete McGuinness has done just that—and lucky for us, he brought the whole band along for the ride.
