Frank Ticheli is Associate Professor of Music at the University of Southern California and composer-in-residence of the Pacific Symphony Orchestra. He has composed numerous works for bands, orchestra, chamber and wind ensembles and theater and has won numerous prestigious awards. Blue Shades reflects his love for the traditional jazz that he grew up with near New Orleans. He says, "The work alludes to the blues, and a jazz feeling is prevalent – however it is not literally a Blues piece. . . yet heavily influenced by the Blues. Blues harmonies, rhythms and melodic idioms pervade the work, depicting many 'shades of blue,' from bright blue to dark, to dirty, to hot blue." --James Huff 21:50, March 25, 2007 (EDT) (from the program notes of The Claremont Winds, submitted with permission)