Maria Schneider

The more progressive of the post-Swing era big bands such as those led by Gil Evans, Bob Brookmeyer, and Stan Kenton have a worthy successor in the orchestras led by pianist, composer, and arranger Maria Schneider. She began her career as an assistant to Evans himself and also contributed to the arrangements of the Mel Lewis Big Band. In 1992 Schneider began her own big bands wherein she melded the classy, thoughtful swing of the aforementioned leaders with aspects of contemporary classical music and touches of avant-garde jazz.