In 2016, the Uptown Jazz Tentet was founded. Willie Applewhite came up with the idea for the band. Applewhite explains that the goal was to hire friends to make the best music possible. I wanted to focus on the music and the whole group, and not individual ambition or politics. In that spirit, I asked my friends Brandon Lee III and James Burton III to co-lead the band. While there are many contributors to the UJT, the three main leaders form the UJT’s compositional backbone. “Between them, there is a commonality in shared influences and experiences.” It’s fascinating that this commonality can be filtered through three distinct lenses of interpretation. “We all have our own compositional sounds, but they all complement each other.” A co-led structure has its benefits but can also have its challenges. James Burton jokes that the “triumvirate really worked well for the Romans.” There can sometimes be dissonance between us but we always get it right with respect and love. We are jazz musicians, so there is some dissonance. Because it allows for both large ensemble orchestration as well as small group flexibility, the decision to use a 10 piece arrangement was unanimous. This instrumentation presents the unique challenge of writing for each individual voice. With 10 pieces, every part is very important. Great sidemen make a great band. Our closest friends are some of the most sought-after musicians in jazz. Brandon Lee said, “We all have bonded playing with the bands of Christian McBride and Ron Carter, The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra etc… and we love the gigs!” This is our chance to be ourselves. Our music is not prescriptive. The UJT’s style is rooted in the traditions of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, Gil Evans and Thad Jones, among others. We are open to all other jazz styles. We aim to make music that is inspiring, stimulating, fun, and satisfying. We are the Uptown Jazz Tentet and we are glad you are here. We invite you join us on this never-ending journey of artistic creation. from https://uptownjazztentet.com
