Jim McNeely

IN MEMORIAM (1949–2025)

Jim McNeely’s reputation as a composer/arranger and conductor for large jazz ensembles earned him nine Grammy nominations. His work included projects with the Danish Radio Big Band (where he was chief conductor for five years), the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, the Metropole Orchestra (Netherlands), the Swiss Jazz Orchestra (Bern/Zürich), WDR Big Band (Cologne), and the Stockholm Jazz Orchestra. He was artist-in-residence with the HR Big Band (Frankfurt). In 1996, he rejoined the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra as pianist and composer in residence. His latest album with them is Up from the Skies, on the Planet Arts label. The New York Times has called his writing “exhilarating.” DownBeat has said that his music is “eloquent enough to be profound.”

Born in Chicago, Jim McNeely moved to New York City in 1975, having received a Bachelor of Music degree in composition from the University of Illinois. In 1978 he joined the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra. He spent six years as a featured soloist with that band and its successor, the Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra (now the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra). In 1981, Jim began his four-year tenure as pianist/composer with the Stan Getz Quartet. From 1990 until 1995 he held the piano chair in the Phil Woods Quintet.

Jim lead his own tentet and trio and appeared as guest soloist at concerts and festivals worldwide. Jim recorded a number of albums—trio and quartet—under his own name. He also appeared as a sideman on numerous recordings led by major artists such as Thad Jones, Mel Lewis, Stan Getz, Bob Brookmeyer, David Liebman, and Phil Woods. He is Musical Director of the BMI Jazz Composers’ Workshop.

In addition, he appeared at numerous college jazz festivals as performer and clinician and was involved regularly with summer workshops such as the Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Clinics, the Lake Placid Seminar in Jazz Improvisation, and the William Paterson University Summer Jazz Workshop. He  also conducted clinics and had major residencies at dozens of institutions in the U.S., Canada, Europe, China, and Australia. Jim McNeely was a member of MSM’s Jazz Arts faculty from 2008–2023.