How a Big Band Leader and Composer Wrangles All the Moving Parts

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to composer and bandleader Darcy James Argue, who fronts the 18-piece big band jazz group Secret Society. In the interview, Darcy talks about the thought processes that go into his compositions, like how his interest in mathematician Alan Turning inspired a track on the group’s most recent album Dynamic Maximum Tension. In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Darcy explains how he decides how to assign solos in his big band music. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Working.