Dave Slonaker Interview – Big Band Jazz, Film Scoring & Shifty Paradigms (2026)

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz Interview Series. On this episode, we talk with big band leader, orchestrator, arranger, and film & TV composer Dave Slonaker. Based in Los Angeles, Dave has built a dynamic career creating music for film, television, and the jazz world. We dive into his 2026 album Shifty Paradigms, a project that showcases his deep understanding of big band arranging and modern composition. Originally from Pittsburgh, Dave’s journey began with a fascination for big band sounds as a teenager—spending hours at the Carnegie Library studying how the music was constructed from the ground up. That curiosity evolved into a decades-long career scoring for film and television while continuing to push boundaries in jazz orchestration. In this conversation, we explore his musical roots, creative process, and the evolving world of composition across jazz and screen. Dig this insightful interview. 🎶 Get the album:https://originarts.com/recordings/recording.php?TitleID=82944 For More Neon Jazz: Shows via MixCloud: https://www.mixcloud.com/neonjazzkc/Subscribe via Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/user/neonjazzkcSubscribe via iTunes/Apple - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/famous-interviews-joe-dimino/id546432639?mt=2 The Home of Neon Jazz:http://theneonjazz.blogspot.com/ Contribute to Neon Jazz via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=ER Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices