Darcy James Argue's Secret Society

Composer-bandleader Darcy James Argue and his 18-piece bigband Secret Society celebrate the release of their Nonesuch Records debut, Dynamic Maximum Tension, by making their Baltimore debut at Keystone Korner on Friday, October 13th!

Darcy James Argue, “one of the top big band composers of our time”(Stereophile), is best known for Secret Society, an 18-piece group “renowned in the jazz world” (New York Times). Argue brings an outwardly anachronistic ensemble into the 21st century through his “ability to combine his love of jazz’s past with more contemporary sonics” and is celebrated as “a syncretic creator who avoids obvious imitation” (Pitchfork). Argue has been named Composer of the Year and Secret Society named Big Band of the Year by the DownBeatInternational Critics Poll. 

Acclaimed as an “innovative composer, arranger, and big band leader” by The New Yorker, Argue’s accolades include multiple GRAMMY nominations and a Latin GRAMMY Award, a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Doris Duke Artist Award, and countless commissions and fellowships. His prescient 2016 Real Enemies, an album-length exploration of the politics of paranoia, was named one of the 20 best jazz albums of the decade by Stereogum.

FULL BAND:
WINDS
Dave Pietro
Alejandro Aviles
Chet Doxas
Kenny Pexton
Carl Maraghi

TRUMPETS
Seneca Black
Sam Hoyt
David Adewumi
Nadje Noordhuis
Sean Jones

TROMBONES
Mike Fahie
Ryan Keberle
Nick Grinder
Jennifer Wharton

RHYTHM
Sebastian Noelle, guitar
Carmen Staaf, piano
Yasushi Nakamura, bass
Jon Wikan, drums