ArcoIris Sandoval
“Her award-winning writing has a melodic sensibility that’s all her own, often challenging and using rhythms that don’t interlock so much as overlap.”
ArcoIris Sandoval is a jazz pianist and composer residing in New York City originally from Tucson, Arizona. She leads her own trio and quintet called Sonic Asylum; is the co-director with bassist Mimi Jones of The D.O.M.E. Experience orchestra; and is the musical director and pianist for acclaimed vocalist Allan Harris.
She obtained a master's degree in jazz piano performance from the Manhattan School of Music. Among ArcoIris’ many awards and accolades:
Winner, 2013 and 2015 American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) young jazz composer awards
Semifinalist, Montreux Solo Jazz Piano Competition (2012)
Finalist at the inaugural Ellis Marsalis Jazz Piano Competition (2018)
Participant in the Mary Lou Williams Festival; Betty Carter Jazz Ahead program; and the Metropole Orkest Arrangers Workshop directed by Vince Mendoza featuring Richard Bona
The Metropole Orkest performed one of ArcoIris’ arrangements at the 2016 BBC “Proms Tribute to Quincy Jones.” She has also performed at major festivals throughout the world including Umbria Jazz Festival, but a highlight was opening for Tower of Power in 2017 as well as performing in 2015 at the Tucson Jazz Festival with legendary jazz drummer Jimmy Cobb.
ArcoIris appears on Eugene Marlow’s “Obrigado Brasil” album which WBGO radio FM 88.3 selected as a premium album in 2017.
In 2018, Ms. Sandoval released her debut Sonic Asylum Trio album entitled “First Voyage” featuring Marty Kenney on bass and Allan Mednard on drums on the MEII Enterprises label. It won a Global Music Award in 2018.
More about ArcoIris Sandoval.
Sonic Asylum
ArcoIris Sandoval began her Sonic Asylum project in 2016 performing at the “Milt Hinton Jazz Perspectives” series at Baruch College, New York City. It was an all-star quintet featuring Jaleel Shaw, Mark Turner, Nate Smith and Mimi Jones. The ensemble performed Ms. Sandoval’s original compositions.
Sonic Asylum has performed at the Kennedy Center, Vermont Jazz Festival, and regularly around NYC venues as a trio, quartet and quintet. She has held a Sonic Asylum trio residency with Marty Kenney on bass and Kenneth Salters on drums at Zinc Bar since 2022. Her debut trio album “First Voyage” featuring Marty Kenney on bass and Allan Mednard on drums won a Global Music Award in 2018. t
Her Sonic Asylum Quintet recently received a Chamber Music America Performance Plus grant in 2021 to work with Billy Childs. ArcoIris’ original composition "Journey to Agartha" is now published in Terri Lyne Carrington's compilation "New Standards, 101 Lead Sheets by Women Composers".
