Description: This piece features a strong, yet simple melody. The harmony, as well as the melody of the song, is derived equally from the realms of pop and jazz. The melody is doubled by guitar and flugelhorn, while the ensemble writing is focused on reinforcing the strong melodic nature of the piece. The written intro performed by the rhythm section (piano, bass, drums) aims to outline the path of the song, harmonically.

Description: This was one of my more in-depth explorations of programmatic music. The image of the music is explained below: Moraine Lake is one of the most breathtakingly gorgeous places I've experienced, and it is just in my backyard in Calgary. The image I was going for was that of a camera traveling throughout the lake and surrounding scenery. For the introduction, I'm projecting the camera's frame of reference as only the surface of the lake at dawn, mirror-like, but shaded with the hue of the lake (D Lydian has a very turquoise hue for me). The continuo starts, and we plunge deep into the abyss of the lake, where we are at the mercy of the currents and turbulent waters (represented by the motion of the clarinets and the harmony, swirling, constantly unresolved, cadencing to places that are unrelated to the original key). We are pushed side to side by different forces (trumpets and bass clarinet), and weaving in and out of the detritus of the lake bed. The rise and fall of the counter-melody is representative of the he pulsation of the flora in the middle depths of the lake -- imagine seaweed at the mercy of currents. A few dramatic moments arise as we longingly see the light from the surface break through the darkness, but there is inherent sadness and conflict, as the camera is beneath the surface, at the mercy of the depths. We arrive at a shallow depth for the bass and piano solos, where the waters are no longer as dark and heavy, culminating in a frightening encounter with a northern pike, which immediately darts away, much to our relief. Finally, as the fauna of the lake begin to surround us, encouraging the camera ever skyward, we arrive at the surface to fly over the lake, and witness it in context for the first time -- the mountains appearing majestically, their sharp edges reflecting crisply off of the polished, reflective surface of the lake. The sun is blazing incandescently, and we end the piece by pointing the camera directly into the star, filling our entire field of view with light, blinding us and searing a vermilion hue onto our retinas.

Description: An extended form piece for big band, the majority of which is at a brisk swing tempo. The middle section of the piece is a haunting ballad featuring a tenor saxophone solo.

Description: Bubbly original calypso tune featuring tenor sax and guitar. Somewhat in the style of St. Thomas, but with more harmonic variation and longer (32 bar) AABA form. Features a challenging 'horns only' ensemble section, reminiscent of of the Boss Brass.

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 Dwyer/Jones/Whitaker – “Let Me Tell You” (Trio Version)

Description: A slow, haunting, jazz ballad, with the principle melody on guitar, as well as a solo section for guitar.

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Matt MacDougall – “Boy Goes to City”

Description: An aggressive 5/4 groove tune about giant robots. Fun and crushing!

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Stockton Helbing – “Crazy Aquarius”

Description: A chill Reggae Jazz ballad with a sweet melody which acts as a spring board for improvisation.

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Stockton Helbing – “Crazy Aquarius”

Description: "The Day After" is a medium Swing tune in the Post Bop style.

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Stockton Helbing – “Crazy Aquarius”

Description: A fun and easy funky/rock groove tune. Very approachable for beginner improvisers.

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Stockton Helbing – “Crazy Aquarius”

Description: A faster paced swing tune in the style of jazz trumpeter Woody Shaw. Fast fun with a funk interlude to break it up.

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Stockton Helbing – “Crazy Aquarius”

Description: A fun and funky swung eighth notes tune about a turtle named Aquarius.

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Stockton Helbing – “Crazy Aquarius”

Description: A "cool" medium swing song in the Miles Davis vein.

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Stockton Helbing – “Crazy Aquarius”

Description: Mellow, straight eighth note piece that allows the ensemble to focus on dynamic contracts and textures to create intensity.

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Stockton Helbing – “Crazy Aquarius”

Description: This chart was commissioned by the La Habra High School Jazz Ensemble, Phil Wightman director (La Habra, California) in 2011. Very Woody Herman-ish, sort of like "Tiny's Blues" that was arranged for the Herman Band. Features an open solo section.

Description: The Dark Moon waxes and wanes very similarly to an actual lunar cycle, with cyclic figures washing in and out over melodic material throughout the piece. Extended solo space for soprano sax and guitar serves the composition as much as it features the soloists. Layers of simple melodic lines over modern harmony and sounds make this a piece any ensemble can enjoy. Great feature for a sax section that can double (alternate non-doubling parts also included). Recorded by the West Point Band's Jazz Knights on "Turning Points."

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West Point Band’s Jazz Knights – “Turning Points”