Jacob Garchik, multi-instrumentalist and composer, was born in San Francisco and has lived in New York since 1994. At home in a wide variety of styles and musical roles, he is a vital part of the Downtown and Brooklyn scene, playing trombone in groups ranging from jazz to contemporary classical to Balkan brass bands. He has released 6 albums as a leader including “The Heavens: the Atheist Gospel Trombone Album”. He co-leads Brooklyn’s premiere Mexican brass band, Banda de los Muertos.
Since 2006 Jacob has contributed over 115 arrangements and transcriptions for Kronos Quartet of music from all over the world. His arrangements were featured on “Floodplain” (2009), “Rainbow” (2010), “A Thousand Thoughts” (2014), “Folk Songs” (2017), “Ladilikan” (2017), “Landfall” (2018), “Placeless” (2019) and “Long Time Passing” (2020). He composed the score for Kronos for the documentary “The Campaign” (2013).
In 2017 he composed the score for “The Green Fog” , a found-footage remake of Vertigo, directed by Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, and Galen Johnson, which Kronos performed live at the SF Film Festival premiere. In 2019 he composed “Storyteller” using the talking, singing, playing and compositions of Pete Seeger. He has created arrangements for Anne Sofie von Otter, Angelique Kidjo, Laurie Anderson, Rhiannon Giddens, kd lang, Jolie Holland, Natalie Merchant, Tanya Tagaq, and Alim Qasimov. He teaches “Arranging Ensemble” at Mannes College in NYC.
Complete list of arrangements for Kronos
As a trombonist Jacob has worked with many luminaries of jazz and the avant-garde, including Henry Threadgill, Steve Swallow, Laurie Anderson, Anthony Braxton, Anthony Coleman, Joe Maneri, Frank London, John Hollenbeck, and George Lewis. He has also played in ensembles led by emerging artists Mary Halvorson, Dafnis Prieto, Anna Webber, Alan Ferber, Ethan Iverson, Darcy James Argue, Dan Weiss, Miguel Zenon, and Steve Lehman. In 2018 he won the “Rising Star – Trombone” category in the Downbeat Jazz Critic’s Poll.
Jacob also plays accordion, tenor horn, and tuba.
Discography
playing trombone unless noted
Jacob Garchik: Assembly : Yestereve Records 2022
Jacob Garchik: CLEAR LINE : Yestereve Records 2020 (composer, conductor)
Jacob Garchik: Ye Olde : Yestereve Records 2015 (trombone, tenor horn, alto horn)
Jacob Garchik : The Heavens: The Atheist Gospel Trombone Album : Yestereve Records 2012 (trombone, baritone horn, alto horn, slide trumpet, sousaphone)
Jacob Garchik : At Play : Yestereve Records 2010
Jacob Garchik : Romance : Yestereve Records 2008
Jacob Garchik : Abstracts : Yestereve Records 2005
Peter Lenz : Breathe : 2024
Miguel Zenon : Golden City : 2024
Miles Okazaki : Miniature America : Cygnus 2024
Kronos Quartet and Friends Meet Sun Ra : Outer Spaceways Incorporated : Red Hot 2024 (arranger)
Stephan Crump : Slow Water : 2024
Mary Halvorson : Cloudward : Nonesuch 2024
Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society : Dynamic Maximum Tension : Nonesuch 2023
Mary Halvorson : Amaryllis : Nonesuch 2022
Anna Webber : Idiom : Pi Recordings 2021
Kronos Quartet: Long Time Passing : Smithsonian Folkways 2020 (arranger/composer)
Kronos Quartet and Mahsa and Marjan Vahdat : Placeless : Kirkelig Kulturverksted 2019 (arranger)
Anna Webber : Clockwise : Pi Records 2019
Ingrid Laubrock : Contemporary Choas Practices : Intakt Records 2018
John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble : All Can Work : New Amsterdam 2018
Henry Threadgill 14 or 15 Kestra: Agg : Dirt… And More Dirt : Pi Recordings 2018
Dafnis Prieto Big Band : Dafnison Music 2018
Kronos Quartet and Laurie Anderson : Landfall: Nonesuch 2018 (arranger)
Alan Ferber Big Band : Jigsaw : Sunnyside 2017
Kronos Quartet & Trio Da Kali : Ladilikan : World Circuit Records 2017 (arranger)
The Four Bags : Waltz : NCM East 2017 (accordion, composer, arranger)
Kronos Quartet: Folk Songs : Nonesuch 2017 (arranger)
Mary Halvorson Octet : Away With You : Firehouse 12 Records 2016
Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society : Real Enemies New Amsterdam 2016
Dan Weiss : 16 : Drummers Suite : Pi Recordings 2016 (trombone, tuba)
Michael Formanek Ensemble Kolossus : The Distance : ECM 2016
Banda de los Muertos : Barbes Records 2015 (sousaphone, co-leader, arranger)
Atlantic Brass Quintet : Crossover : Summit Records 2014 (arranger)
Matt Pavolka: The Horns Band Fresh Sound 2014
Kronos Quartet: A Thousand Thoughts : Nonesuch 2014 (arranger)
Dan Weiss : 14 : Pi Recordings 2014 (trombone, tuba)
JC Sanford Orchestra : Views from the Inside : Whirlwind Recordings 2014 (accordion)
Angelique Kidjo with the Kronos Quartet : Eve : 429 Records 2014 (arranger)
Van-Anh Vanessa Vo with the Kronos Quartet : Three-Mountain Pass : Innova 2013 (arranger)
Joel Harrison 19 : Infinite Possibility : Sunnyside 2013
Anthony Braxton : Two Compositions (Orchestra) : New Braxton House 2013
Mary Halvorson Septet : Illusionary Sea : Firehouse 12 Records 2013
Jacob Varmus : Terminal Stillness : Crows’ Kin 2013 (accordion)
Asuka Kakatani Jazz Orchestra : Bloom : Nineteen-Eight Records 2013
Jon Irabagon : Unhinged : Irabbagast Records 2012 (slide trumpet)
40Twenty : Yeah Yeah records 2012 (trombone, composer)
Stew : Making It : TNP 2012 (tuba)
Elena Moon Park : Rabbit Days and Dumplings: 2012 (trombone, tuba, arranger)
George Lewis : Les Excersices Spirituels : Tzadik 2011
The Four Bags : Forth : NCM East 2011 (accordion)
Hazmat Modine : Cicada : Barbes Records 2011 (arranger)
Tilt Brass Band : To TILT: Volume One : Original Music for TILT Brass : Nonsite Records : 2011 (bass trombone)
Vinnie Sperrazza & Matt Blostein Group : Paraphrase : 2011
Wu Man with the Kronos Quartet : Immeasurable Light : Traditional Crossroads 2010 (arranger)
Kronos Quartet with Alim Qasimov : Rainbow – Music of Central Asia, Vol. 8 : Smithsonian Folkways 2010 (arranger)
Justin Mullens & The Delphian Jazz Orchestra : Tales of Pan and Eyes of Argus : Fresh Sounds New Talent 2009
Slavic Soul Party : Taketron : Barbes Records 2009 (trombone, tenor horn, arranger and composer)
John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble : Eternal Interlude : Sunnyside Records 2009 (trombone, tenor horn)
Jentsch Group Large : Cycles Suite : Fleur De Son 2009
Kronos Quartet :
Floodplain : Nonesuch Records, 2009 (arranger)
Anthony Coleman : Lapidation : New World Records 2007
Slavic Soul Party! : Teknochek Collision : Barbes Records 2007 (trombone and tenor horn)
Jentsch Group Large : Brooklyn Suite : Fleur De Son 2007
The Four Bags Live at Barbes : NCM East 2006 (accordion)
Dan Weiss Trio : Now Yes When : Toap Music 2006
Lee Konitz New Nonet : Omnitone 2006
Anthony Coleman : Pushy Blueness : Tzadik 2006
Billy Martin : Starlings : Tzadik 2006
4inObjects : 4inObjects : Yeah Yeah Records 2006
Frank London’s Klezmer Brass All Stars : Carnival Conspiracy : Piranha Records : 2005 (trombone and tenor horn)
Slavic Soul Party! : Bigger : Barbes Records 2005 (trombone and tenor horn)
Matt Glassmeyer Marching Band : web only, free download! : 2005
Jeff Silverbush : Grandma Mickey : 2005
John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble : A Blessing : Omnitone Records 2005
Steve Swallow/Ohad Talmor Sextet : L’Histoire du Clochard : The Bum’s Tale : Palmetto Records 2004
the Morpholinos : [For Background Use Only] : NCM East 2003
Justin Mullens & The Delphian Jazz Orchestra : Fresh Sounds New Talent 2003
Ohad Talmor featuring Lee Konitz: 8 Deja Vu : 1998
I betcha didn’t know I was on
En Este Camino : Pistolera : 2008 (Alto horn, trombone)
Taller Than Jesus : Jewmongous : Big Sean Music – Chow Fun Records 2008 (trumpet, trombone) – I sound thrilling on trumpet on “My Pact with Satan”
Gogol Bordello: Super Taranta! – tenor horn – SideOneDummy 2007
The Black Sea : Keep on Diggin’ KLM 004 2007
Amy Kohn : I’m In Crinoline Amymusic/NuNoise 2006
Paul Anka: Rock Swings – Live in Montréal : PBS special and DVD 2005
Andrew Thompson : Egad 2005 Lewis Recordings (trombone and tuba)
Andrew Thompson :There Must Be Some Kind of Misunderstanding (12 inch single!) 2005 Lewis Recordings (trombone and tuba)
What I Like About Jew : Unorthodox 2005 (trombone and trumpet)
Isle of Klezbos: Greetings from the Isle of Klezbos : Rhythm Media Records 2003
Movie soundtrack by Peter Herbert Was das Zeug haelt a documentary on visual artist Tone Fink, by Robert Polak : 1998
Carol Lipnik : My Life as a Singing Mermaid : 1999
Manhattan School Of Music Jazz Orchestra : Live at Montreux 1997 : Sea Breeze
San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra : Mahler Symphony No. 5 and 10th Anniversary Season Commemorative CDs 1995 and 1992 featuring me on principal trombone at age 15 playing Tchaikovsky’s 6th Symphony