People
David O’Rourke
Arranging/Guitar, USA
David is one of New York’s top jazz guitarists and arrangers, performing with Pat Martino, Cedar Walton, Jackie McLean and more. He directs his own big band, the O’Rourkestra and is founder and director of NYC’s renowned Jazz Standard Discovery Program.
Born and raised in Dublin, O’Rourke has built a career defined and shaped by his exposure to and association with many of his musical idols, both in the US and abroad. He has played with Les Paul and Bucky Pizzarelli and studied with legends such as Barry Galbraith. Recent commissions include work for the City Of Dublin Jazz Orchestra, and he is currently creating arrangements for the debut tour (Japan) of drummer Lewis Nash’s Big Band. David conducted the RTE Concert Orchestra in Dublin’s National Concert Hall for two years in succession as music director/conductor of the tributes to arranger Nelson Riddle. He conducted for Steve Wilson’s “Bird With Strings” project that also included a workshop in string writing when they performed at SUNY New Paltz. David also conducted Steve’s 50th birthday run at Jazz Standard and wrote string arrangements for trumpeter Jeremy Pelt’s “Close To My Heart” recording followed by further arrangements for the launch performance at Jazz Standard and Sirius Satellite Radio. String arrangements for Pamela Luss led to David conducting the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra strings in a Prague recording studio.
David is also busy as a performer in the New York/New Jersey/Philadelphia jazz clubs, and throughout his career, David has played with many jazz legends such as Tommy Flanagan’s Trio, Billy Higgins, Curtis Fuller, James Spalding, Harold Ousley, Vernal Fournier, and Brother Jack McDuff.
