The arrangement and collaboration processes on Ari’s Funhouse are closely intertwined. Markley immediately recognized the unique compositional voice that Hoenig possesses, and sought to keep Hoenig’s voice as the defining authorial style throughout the arrangements. In order to pull this off, however, Markley needed to become intimately familiar with Hoenig’s vocabulary, both as a composer and performer. A few months after their shared performance at that festival, Hoenig received a call from Markley asking if he could arrange some of his music, to which Hoenig happily agreed. As Markley began learning Hoenig’s music as preparation for this performance, he began to notice a depth of melodicism and harmonic genius that accompanied the evident rhythmic brilliance that is rightly associated with Hoenig’s music. In 2019, Markley and Hoenig found themselves slated to perform together at the Tarleton Jazz Festival in Tarleton, TX. This project’s inception began prior to the start of the arranging process. Fresh off the heels of Clockwise: The Music of Cedar Walton, Markley tackles his most ambitious project yet: Ari’s Funhouse, a big band album featuring the music of drummer Ari Hoenig, with Hoenig himself in the drum chair. Ben Markley is a pianist, arranger, and leader of the Ben Markley Big Band, a daring ensemble known for their creative takes on beloved modern and contemporary jazz classics.
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