The Arnie Sainz-Michael Dudley Jazz Orchestra

A new ensemble led by two formidable young musicians who have made strides across the globe as both performers and composers. Pianist-composer Arnie Sainz and trumpeter/composer Michael R. Dudley Jr. have programmed a set of music taking influences from Eastern Europe and the Pacific Islands and remediating them through the uniquely-American art form of big band jazz. The orchestra itself is a diverse community of musicians from a variety or musical and cultural backgrounds, creating a sound and interpretation of large-ensemble improvised music in a way that only this group could do. This project has been partially funded by a generous grant from NewMusicUSA's Creator Fund.

About

Michael Dudley

Trumpeter, Composer and Co-Bandleader

Michael R. Dudley Jr. is a trumpet player, composer, producer, educator, and photographer based in the historic neighborhood of Bedford Stuyvesant in Brooklyn, New York.

With more than a decade of professional experience as a musician, Michael has played at venues around the world in addition to iconic New York City locations such as Carnegie Hall, Birdland Jazz Club, and Dizzy's Club. They have made recent musical appearances with the Maria Schneider Orchestra, Christian McBride Big Band, Derrick Hodge's Color of Noize Orchestra, Ryan Truesdell's Gil Evans Project, and Darcy James Argue's Secret Society. Michael's performances as a fellow with the Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra allowed them to share the stage with John Williams and Quincy Jones, among other amazing artists. More recent performances have included the 2024 Big Ears and North Sea Jazz Festivals with Secret Society, Maria Schneider Orchestra's 30th Anniversary Tour, the 2023 Breaking Barriers Festival @ Ravinia, and the 2022 Newport Jazz Festival with the Maria Schneider Orchestra as well as with their own group (featuring Eliza Salem and Robert Papacica).

Michael can be heard as a lead trumpet player on multiple GRAMMY®-winning recordings by the John Daversa Big Band and Brian Lynch Big Band in addition to their self-produced single ("Another Star") featuring vocalist Makayla Forgione and saxophonist Melvin Butler, having recorded with numerous groups while completing their graduate studies at the University of Miami's Frost School of Music.

As a composer and arranger, Michael has studied with Maria Schneider, Miho Hazama, Gary Lindsay, Noam Wiesenberg, and Stephen Guerra, having recently earned ISJAC and ASCAP Foundation awards for their piece "Overture to The Before And After Times." In 2024 Michael participated in the Orchestra of St. Luke's DeGaetano Composition Institute, being mentored by acclaimed composer Augusta Read Thomas with a culminating premiere by the GRAMMY®-winning chamber orchestra at New York's own DiMenna Center for Classical Music. They also have collaborated with artists such as Donny McCaslin, and Michael's compositions and orchestrations have been performed by the Sphinx Virtuosi, Chicago Sinfonietta, Charlotte Symphony, Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra, Next Festival of Emerging Artists, New Canon Chamber Collective, and Cincinnati Contemporary Jazz Orchestra, with more premieres scheduled soon.

Michael also values work as an educator, having served as the Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies at SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music from 2021-2024, in addition to giving masterclasses across the country. Michael was also recently brought on staff as an instructor and recording engineer at the JAS Academy in Aspen, Colorado alongside Christian McBride, Etienne Charles, Shelly Berg, Brian Lynch, and Chuck Bergeron after first participating as a student in 2019. 

Arnie Sainz

Pianist, Composer, and Co-Bandleader

“Arnie has got the touch. He plays the piano with sensitivity and swing. What more can you ask?” – Michael Wolff

Arnie Sainz is a pianist, composer, and educator based in New York City. Drawing inspiration from his firm roots in the San Francisco Bay Area, Arnie’s voice spans ensembles and genres, finding his footing in both large-scale new music compositions and intimate improvised settings. Arnie Sainz stays active as a performer all around NYC, as well as a composer/arranger for numerous groups worldwide. His debut trio album Darts was released by Adhyarôpa Records in June 2023 featuring bassist Marshal Herridge, drummer Tony Moreno. Arnie’s septet album Driftwood Children is set to release in 2025, featuring saxophonist Billy Drewes and trombonist Alan Ferber. Also set to debut live in 2025 is the Arnie Sainz-Michael Dudley Jazz Orchestra, awardee of the 2024 New Music USA Creator Fund.

As a composer/arranger, Arnie has worked extensively with vocalists, jazz orchestras, and chamber ensembles. Most notably, his arrangements were performed for millions by the TPO Big Band in Taipei for the 2023 Taiwan National Day ceremonies, and were featured on their 2023 album Twisting Roots. His arrangement of Matthew Fullen’s composition “Elegant” was nominated for Best Instrumental Composition for the 2024 Taiwan Golden Melody Awards.

Arnie’s playing can be heard on numerous recordings alongside acclaimed artists including Mike Rodriguez, Ron McClure, Alan Ferber, and Drew Gress. He has also worked on the productions of Alan Ferber’s 2023 record Up High, Down Low and an upcoming untitled Helen Sung Big Band album. Apart from his work in the live music world, Arnie has also scored for numerous award-winning animated and live action short films including First Born (2020), Za Litnega Mroka (2021), Present Tense (2023), The Longest Memory (2024) and Even in Darkness (2025). His playing was also featured in the soundtrack for the videogame My Friendly Neighborhood.

Arnie holds a M.M. in Jazz Piano Performance at New York University, where he currently works as an adjunct professor. Arnie was under the tutelage of Alan Ferber and Ed Neumeister, Michael Wolff and Lenny White. While completing his B.M. in Music Education at San Jose State University, Arnie studied under pianist Dahveed Behroozi, and composition under Dr. Aaron Lington.