Introducing HGJO: Led by composer & drummer Henry Godfrey, a hard-hitting big band smashing together cutting-edge writing of the modern jazz scene with eclectic grooves drawn from music across the globe. This exciting band is comprised of the best of the best in the New England jazz scene, frequently collaborating with jazz greats such as Jerry Bergonzi, Aaron Parks, Mike Tomaro, and Godwin Louis. Every performance is brought to life by all star musicians, each having graduated from prestigious institutions such as the Berklee College of Music, New England Conservatory, Mannes School of Music, and Longy School of Music.

Award winning drummer and composer Henry Godfrey’s musical world stretches to the wide boundaries of his eclectic tastes. His writing for large ensemble draws equally from the legendary composers of the jazz idiom to the go-go street bands he heard outside DC metro stations in his youth, while his drumming synthesizes an intricate post-bop language with back-beat driven rock and funk. His music has been performed across North America and Southeast Asia with members of esteemed big bands such as the US Army Blues.

His debut album with the Henry Godfrey Jazz Orchestra, Love Finds Everyone showcased “light and dark shadows [abounding] in the music that makes dramatic twists and turns,” (Raul Da Gama). Soon after, Godfrey was awarded ASCAP’s 2021 Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer’s Award (honorable mention) for his anthem “We’ll Get There,” showcased on sophomore release Attitude & Gratitude, which released to critical acclaim and several radio chart placements.

After receiving his bachelor’s degree in Jazz Composition from the Berklee College of Music (2018), Godfrey obtained a master’s degree from the New England Conservatory of Music (2020). Godfrey has also studied the Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization, with a certification to teach the concept.