backstory
Jordan McLean is a New York City-based composer, arranger, bandleader, trumpeter, producer and educator. McLean has been active in the professional music world since 1992, having performed, recorded and collaborated with a multitude of musicians, ensembles, and performance organizations in studios, and at festivals, and concert halls around the world.
Jordan serves as Manager of Programming and Talent at Fotografiska New York, is a Charter member of the Grammy Nominated Antibalas, and co-founded System Dialing Records in 2010 with Amir Ziv.
He was raised in Hell's Kitchen in Manhattan and lives in Ridgewood, Queens.

photo by Leandro Justen
Jordan McLean
Curriculum Vitae
EDUCATION
M.A., Studio Composition, 2020 Outstanding Graduate Award for Music and Technology, SUNY Purchase, 2018-2020, Purchase, NY
B.A., Composition, summa cum laude, SUNY Purchase, 2003-2006, Purchase, NY
Orchestration Studies, Juilliard Evening Division, 1999, New York, NY
Jazz Trumpet Performance, Mannes College of Music, 1992-1995, New York, NY
Pre-College, Manhattan School of Music, 1991-1992, New York, NY
SCORING & PRODUCTION EXPERIENCE
2019-2020 Conductor: Nat Geo Television’s Brain Games, NY
2014 Film Score Composer: The Great Accountant, Nominated Best Score, Tampa Bay International Film Festival
2012 Soundtrack, Sleepwalk With Me, featured composition “Handbasket” by Fire Of Space
2010-present Co-founder, Producer: System Dialing Records, Kerhonkson, NY
2008-2015 Associate Music Director, Composer, Arranger, trumpeter: FELA! The Musical, NY, National/International, Nominated Best Musical, Best Score, 2011 Tony Awards
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE, OTHER
2020-present Founder, Host, Music Director: Continuous Gratitude, Brooklyn Bowl, NY
2019-present Consultant: Fotografiska New York, NY
2019 Music Director: Because Jewish High Holidays, NY
2019 Founder, Music Director: Jordan McLean’s Musical Resistance, NY
2018-present trumpeter: Michael Leonhart Orchestra, NY
2017-2018 trumpeter, arranger: Jovanotti, Italy
2016-present Co-founder, trumpeter: Armo, NY
2016-2017 Producer, host: Making Music, WBAI 99.5 FM, NY
2015-present Co-founder, singer, trumpeter: Directors, NY
2015-2017 Deputy Director: Make Music New York, NY
2014-present trumpeter: The Complete Last Waltz, San Francisco, New York
2011-2013 Music Director, bandleader: Altmarea Restaurant Group, NY
2010-present trumpeter: Hank-O-Rama, A Tribute To Hank Williams, NY
2006-2007 Adjunct Professor: SUNY Purchase, Purchase NY
2006 Teaching Scholar: Arts Bridge America, SUNY Purchase Purchase, NY
2004-present trumpeter, Sway Machinery, New York, National/International
2001-present trumpeter, composer, arranger, bandleader: Piano Music & Song Trio, NY
1999-2009 trumpeter, composer, arranger, bandleader: Fire Of Space, New York, NY
1998-2013 trumpeter, co-leader: DROID, New York, NY
1998-present trumpeter, composer: Antibalas, New York, National/International
1996- 2010 Visiting Artist, Project Coordinator: Learning Through an Expanded Arts Program (LEAP), New York, NY
1992-present freelance trumpet artist: New York, National/International
SELECTED INVITED PERFORMANCES
2020 Bandleader: Film Screening “Show Me The Picture” Fotografiska New York, NY February 15
2019 Bandleader: Opening Night Fotografiska New York, NY December 14
Performer: “Respect To Aretha” London, Paris September 10 & 12
2017 Performer: “Music of Billie Holiday” Apollo Theatre, NY, NY May 16.
Performer: “Music of Aretha Franklin” Carnegie Hall, NY, NY March 6.
2015 Performer: “Tribute to Bill Withers,” Carnegie Hall, NY, NY October 2.
Moderator: “Lincoln Center Archives, Red Hot and Riot” New York, NY, February, April
2014 Performer : “Charles Bradley” Australia, New Zealand, March-May
2013 Performer : “Music of Paul Simon” Carnegie Hall, NY, NY March 31
SELECTED FESTIVAL PERFORMANCES
2020 Global Arts Live Crashfest, House of Blues, February 22
Winter Jazz Fest, Brooklyn Bowl, Jan 12
2019 NuBlu Jazz Fest, New York November 9
Festival Au Grès du Jazz, La Petite Pierre, FR August 10
Festival Chausse Tes Tongs, Trévou-Tréguignec August 9
Rock on the L’Oule, La Motte-Chalançon, FR August 7
Tempo Latino, Vic-Fezensac, FR July 27
Festival Músicas do Mundo, Sines, Portugal July 26
Okarina Festival, Bled, Slovenia July 25
Pori Jazz Festival, Pori Finland July 19
2018 Newport Folk Festival, Newport RI July 27-29
2017 Central Park Summer Stage, NY, NY. August 27
Edmonton Folk Festival, Edmonton, Canada. August 12
2014 Montreux Festival, Montreux, Switzerland. July 14
North Sea Jazz Festival, Rotterdam, Netherlands.July 13
Umbria Jazz Festival, Perugia, Italy. July 11
Nice Jazz Festival, Nice, France. July 10
Jazz a Vienne, Vienne, France. July 5
Les Eurockeenes, Belfort, France. July 4
Rock Werchter, Werchter, Belgium. July 2
Jazz Fest Wien. Stadthuis, Vienna, Austria. July 1
La Defense Jazz Festival, Paris, France. June 29
Glastonbury Festival, Somerset, England. June 28
2013 Jewish Film Festival. Mexico City, Mexico. October 5
2012 Festival Abril Pro Rock, Recife, Brazil. April 22
Festival des Libertés. Brussels, Belgium. October 27
Austin City Limits Festival. Austin, TX. October 14
Montreal Jazz Festival. Montreal, Quebec. June 30
2011 JVC Jazz Festival “Questlove’s Afro-Picks.” Paris, France. September 11
Jewish Culture Festival. Krakow, Poland. June 29, July 2
TransAtlantic Festival. Miami, FL. April 27
2010 Festival Au Desert. Timbuktu, Mali, January 7
2009 Barbican Centre. London, England. July 25
Pachanga Latin Music Festival. Austin, TX. May 29
Tibet House Benefit. Carnegie Hall, New York, NY. February 6
2008 WOMAD Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands. Nov. 7
2007 WOMAD Festival, Reading, England. July 29
South by Southwest, Austin, TX. March 17-20
2006 TIM Festival, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Oct 27
TIM Festival, São Paulo, Brazil. Oct 28
MuseumsInselfestival: Heimatklange, Berlin, Germany. August 4-8
2005 Festival Jazz Onze+, Lausanne, Switzerland. October 28
Celebrate Brooklyn. Prospect Park Bandshell, Brooklyn, NY. June 24
2004 Banlieu Bleues Festival. Stains, France
2003 WOMEX World Music Expo, Sevilla, Spain. October 23
Bonnaroo Festival, Manchester, TN. June 13-15
2002 Bumbershoot Festival, Seattle, WA. September 1
Newport Jazz Festival, Newport, RI. August 11
Montreux Jazz Festival, Montreux, Switzerland. July 18
Istanbul Jazz Festival, Istanbul, Turkey. July 11-12
Quart Festival. Kristiansand, Norway. July 2
duMaurier International Jazz Festival. Vancouver, Canada. June 26
2001 Africa Roots and Shoots Festival. Barbican Centre. London, England
FILM AND TELEVISION PERFORMANCES
2018 “The Today Show.” (with Lady Antebellum). NBC. July 6
2017 “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” (with Zeshan B). CBS. August 11
“CBS This Morning”. (with Valerie June). CBS. February 4
2016 “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.” (with Steven Tyler). NBC. August 6
“The Today Show.” (with Steven Tyler). NBC. June 24
2014 “Global Citizen Concert.” (with the Roots). MSNBC. September 27
2013 “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.” (with Jim James, Brittney Howard, Merrill Garbus and the Roots). October 11
“Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.” (with Iron and Wine) NBC May 12
“Late Night with Conan O’ Brien” (with Iron and Wine) TBS May 8
“Jimmy Kimmel Live.” (with Antibalas) ABC. January 31
2012 “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.” (with Antibalas) NBC. August 23
“Jimmy Kimmel Live.” (with Alabama Shakes) ABC. August 14
2009 “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.” (with Paul Simon) NBC August 23
“Saturday Night Live.” (with TV on the Radio) NBC February 9
2007 “White Lies, Black Sheep.” (with Antibalas). Feature film by James Spooner
SELECTED DISCOGRAPHY
2020 Starstruck “Starstruck” System Dialing
Antibalas “Fu Chronicles” Daptone
2019 The Hold Steady “Thrashing Thru The Passion” Vagrant
Loopstock “Loopstock” System Dialing
2018 Directors “Action” System Dialing
2018 Armo “Armo” System Dialing
2017 Antibalas “Where the Gods Are In Peace” Daptone
The Atomic Bomb Band “Atomic Bomb!.” Luaka Bop
Craig Finn “We All Want The Same Things.” Partisan
2016 Jordan McLean “Uncomplete Works, Volume I.” System Dialing
Pop It! “Drum For Your Life.” System Dialing
2015 Jovanotti “2015cc” Universal (5x platinum-Italy)
Santigold “99 cents” Atlantic
Mark Ronson “Uptown Special” RCA
Craig Finn “Faith In The Future.” Partisan
The Sway Machinery “You Will Love No One But Me” 3rd Generation
The Sway Machinery “Purity And Danger.” 3rd Generation
The Last Days of Hustling (Cannes Short Film Corner Selection)
2014 Sharon Jones and the Dapkings “Give The People What They Want.” Daptone
New Vocabulary “New Vocabulary” System Dialing
The Great Accountant, composer (nominated best short film score, Tampa Bay Film Festival)
2012 Antibalas “Antibalas” Daptone
David Byrne and St. Vincent “Love This Giant” 4AD / Todo Mundo
FELA! “Original Broadway Cast Recording.” arranger, composer. Knitting Factory (Grammy- nominated)
Amadou and Miriam “Folila” Because Music
2011 Antibalas “Rat Race EP” Exactamundo
DROID “The Latest In Roman Fashion” System Dialing
The Sway Machinery “The House Of Friendly Ghosts, Volume I.” JDub
2010 Angelique Kidjo “Oyo” Razor and Tie (Grammy-nominated)
Jordan McLean “World Gone Mad” System Dialing
Butterfly Starpower “You’re Not Supposed To Do That” System Dialing
2009 The Sway Machinery “Hidden Melodies Revealed.” JDub
Daptone Gold (compilation) Daptone
2008 Sway Machinery “The Sway Machinery EP.” JDub
2007 Antibalas “Security” ANTI-
Jordan McLean “Piano Music & Song Trio” Agni
2006 DJ Logic “The Zen of Logic” Ropeadope
Fire of Space “Handbasket” 482 Music
2005 Antibalas “Government Magic” Afrosound
2004 Antibalas “ Who Is This America?“ Ropeadope
Cordero “Somos Cordero” Daemon
2003 No Surrender “White Power, Black Magic” Surrender Sound
2002 Antibalas “Tour EP” Afrosound
Antibalas with Taj Mahal, Baaba Maal “Red Hot + Riot“ MCA
2001 Whitefield Brothers “In the Raw” Desco/Soul Fire
2000 Antibalas “NESTA” EP Afrosound
Fire Of Space “Age Of Epoch” Agni
1999 Lee Fields “Let’s Get a Groove On” Desco
DROID “NYC DNB” Shadow
SELECTED COLLABORATORS & EMPLOYERS
Antibalas, Mark Ronson, Sharon Jones and The Dapkings, Charles Bradley, The Roots, Jamie Lidell, TV on the Radio, Ornette Coleman, Jovanotti, David Byrne, St-Vincent, Binky Griptite, Valery June, Angelique Kidjo, Amadou and Miriam, Jose James, Patti Labelle, Nona Hendryx, Billy Gibbons, Iron and Wine, Matisyahu, My Morning Jacket, The Alabama Shakes, Santigold, Azelia Banks, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Brian Chase, Tony Allen, David Murray, Atomic Bomb, Charles Llyod, Sinkane, The Complete Last Waltz, Greg Phillinganes, Craig Finn and The Hold Steady, Steven Tyler, The Lone Bellow, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Lady Antebellum, Strand Of Oaks, Thievery Corporation, Lux Prima, Amy Helm, Michael Dorf Presents, and the Because Jewish High Holiday Series
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
1998-present American Society of Composers and Publishers