All arrangements © Ned Kantar

There are some great transcontinental collaborations happening in the Twin Cities Jazz scene! Technology has made it feasible for arrangers from all over the world to get their charts performed and recorded by a topflight big band without having to muster all the players individually. Adi Yeshaya, Ned Kantar and other arrangers in town have connected with the Budapest Scoring Big Band in Hungary to read down their charts and commit them to tape. Kantar connected with a 13-piece version of the band for a new rendition of the standard “Softly As In a Morning Sunrise”. In addition to the authoritative swinging of the big band, Kantar tapped the Twin Cities treasure Jennifer Grimm to provide the vocal. The grandness of the score combined with the intimacy of Grimm’s performance covers all the bases for a song that can reach epic heights of energy while still carrying the melancholy tone of the lyric. I tip my hat to Kantar, Grimm and the band for finding the right balance to let the song be the true star.


Hot New Local Singles highlights new, local songs. Minnesota has a lot of great jazz, funk, soul, and jazz- adjacent music, and Jazz88 is highlighting what is fresh.


HEAR THE TRACK HERE! https://youtu.be/wCx9NYp2EoE

Big Band

After You’ve GoneLayton/Kantar
Alexander’s Ragtime BandBerlin/Kantar
All by MyselfBerlin/Kantar
AlwaysBerlin/Kantar
Bill BaileyCannon/Kantar
By the Beautiful SeaCannon/Kantar
Do It AgainGershwin/Kantar
I’ll See You in My DreamsJones/Kantar
It Had to Be YouJones/Kantar
Limehouse BluesBraham/Kantar
Oh Lady Be GoodGershwin/Kantar
Softly as in a Morning Sunrise Romberg/Kantar
Swingin’ Down the LaneJones/Kantar
Three O’Clock in the MorningRobledo/Kantar
Tico TicoZequinha de Abreu/Kantar
Who’s Sorry Now?Snyder/Kantar

Brass Quintet Arrangements

Use the LISTEN links to hear clips from these songs. Visit Spotify to hear full versions.

After You’ve GoneLayton/Kantar
Alexander’s Ragtime BandBerlin/Kantar
Do It AgainGershwin/Kantar
Jewish Wedding MedleyTraditional/Kantar
Limehouse BluesBraham/Kantar 
Poor ButterflyHubbell/Kantar
Tico TicoZequinha de Abreu/Kantar
You’re a Grand Old FlagCohan/Kantar  

For questions or to inquire about custom arrangements, please contact us at ned@nedkantar.com or call 612-926-5655