There are plenty of arrangers out there in the world today, but here are some of the arrangers that I personally really enjoy playing their music (and hearing).
Bradley Knight
Bradley Knight-Bradley begin his 'official' music career in Nashville the same way that I did. Bradley starting working with Lari Goss. Most people are familiar with him now as he is on staff at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Texas as the 'Minister of Funk.' You are probably familiar with his choral projects as he is a great choir/orchestra arranger. But Bradley produces/arranges custom projects that he puts horns on as well. Steve Patrick (lead trumpet for all my records, ex lead trumpet for Maynard Ferguson, and first call trumpet player in Nashville) has told me that Bradley is one of his favorites when it comes to session work. Bradley always writes create and very cool sounding horn charts. If it says Bradley Knight, you can trust that it will be well written.
J. Daniel Smith
J. Daniel Smith creates some creative horn arrangements. He really favors the Chicago style of horn section writing. The Chicago horn section is the trombone written up an octave and playing in unison with the trumpets. If the lead line for trumpet is F, G, A (first space-treble clef), then the lead trombone is playing the exact same notes. You'll see this style of writing all throughout this horn record. I have played tons of his charts in church and I always enjoy them.
Chris McDonald
Chris is a session trombonist in Nashvile and a very gifted orchestrator/arranger. Back in the 1980s and 1990s when there were tons of horns on records, Chris was 'that' guy that you heard all over the radio. His writing is so creative and so hip, I just love to hear what he's going to come up with. You may hear some of his full orchestra arrangements with the Brooklyn Tab. He has produced a TON of Big Band records and is phenomenal in that style. Chris is a versatile arranger (from film score to orchestra to smoking big band). The last session I was producing he was telling me he had just finished some string arrangements for Carrie Underwood. He is one of the 'boys' in town. If his name is on it, it is going to be good!
Lloyd Barry
You may not see his name on print projects, but chances are that you have heard his arrangements. Steve Patrick introduced me to Lloyd's arranging (Steve called and says "Dude, I just played this session and had 5 Double Ds and some screaming R & B stuff"). That is Lloyd. R & B and Black Gospel is Lloyd's forte. He is amazing! If you hear some funky stuff out there, it is very possible it is Lloyd.
David Shipps
David is one of my good friends here in town and is an extremely versatile arranger/orchestrator. He has TONS of arrangements on PraiseCharts and his anthem arrangement of Keith Getty's 'Behold the Lamb' was the number one selling Easter Anthem for Word (it is GREAT!). David does a great job with full orchestra, a full swinging big band and even a marching band. You will see his name in the Christian publishing world for years to come. Trust me on that!
Me
My mom and dad, my wife and my little girls like my music. My daughters think I'm cool. That's good enough for me. :)
