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Andy Clausen

@aclausent

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Brooklyn, NY – Trombonist/Composer/Arranger
@westerliesmusic @fleetfoxes @hhhendrix and more.
2026 GRAMMY-Nominated

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

@WESTERLIESMUSIC FIRST
GRAMMY NOMINATION!!!

Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella – "Fight On" by The Westerlies.

Huge thanks to the recording academy and ALL of you out there who have been listening to and supporting this music over the past 14 years. We are deeply grateful and honored. ❤️❤️❤️

#thewesterlies #grammys #grammynominated by @aclausent

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a year ago

Today, I am proud to share my latest album “Heart of Tones: Solo Trombone at The TANK, Vol. 2,” out now on @westerliesmusic. This is the second collection of material I recorded @tanksounds in Rangely, Colorado, within the profound 40-second reverberation of the former railroad water silo.

Vol. 2 takes its name from the Pauline Oliveros composition “Heart of Tones,” a mesmerizing 1999 piece for trombone and oscillators, featured herein.

In many ways, Vol. 2 feels like my most personal and vulnerable artistic endeavor to date. This project is the culmination of a years-long effort to develop a solo performance practice in conversation with, and distinct from my ensemble work in The Westerlies. Whereas Vol. 1 involved elaborate implementation of electronic processioning and effects pedals, Vol. 2, makes more direct use of the resonance of the space itself.

With pieces from leading contemporary composers Nico Muhly, Pauline Oliveros, Jeff Beal, alongside a catalog of my daily improvisations originally intended just as a way to get to know the space, I hope you’ll take a moment to blast the music on high volume on a nice system. The acoustic effect of over a dozen microphones rigged around the seven-story silo is quite astonishing.

Pauline says it best in the score: “Get to the heart of the matter! Define the space with the sound.”

With much love, heart, and tone,

Andy Clausen August 2025

Cover art by the incredible genius @bentousley. by @aclausent

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a year ago

Today, @westerliesmusic announce our eighth studio album and share the first single “Paradise (feat. Sam Amidon).”

When we started making music as a band 14+ years ago, Sam’s artistry was a guiding light for us. He was also our gateway drug into the world of shape note music. To have him collaborate on this track is a total dream come true.

Paradise is our kaleidoscopic exploration of the shape note vocal tradition, featuring reworkings of traditional tunes, newly commissioned pieces inspired by the practice, and guest appearances from @aoifemaria and @samamidon.

We also couldn’t be more excited to share the cover art by @parade.pimlico.pearl, and design by @BenTousley, whose brilliant work you have seen on the covers of artists from Fleet Foxes to Steve Reich to David Byrne...just wait until you see all he dreamed up for the vinyl packaging.

The full album is coming June 13, 2025 on Westerlies Records, with release shows in New York and Chicago that week.

Love,
&

PS – in another dream come true moment, the westerlies are premiering a whole separate program of new music from @bill.frisell TONIGHT at @newschoolperformingarts. Tickets are sold out, but there is a standby line @ 7:15 and a YouTube live stream for those who want to hear it!

Thankful for music during these insane times. by @aclausent

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2 years ago

MM-500 courtesy of Andy Clausen!
#AudezeInTheWild @aclausent @westerliesmusic The image shows a pair of Audeze headphones resting on a wooden surface next to a Schiit audio amplifier. In the background, books are stacked, including one named "Mary Oliver Devotions. by @aclausent

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3 days ago

"I try to live my life and approach my creative practice with three simple principles: consistency, curiosity, and kindness. I try to focus on finding joy in the work itself, in the messy journey of making stuff, with other humans. Contrary to what the AI CEOs are trying to tell/sell us, making music is fun as hell, and a great privilege, not to be taken for granted." - Andy Clausen (Fleet Foxes, Aoife O’Donovan, Sam Amidon)
Check out the Artists page, link in our bio!⬆️
#AudezeArtists @aclausent @westerliesmusic by @aclausent

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5 days ago

The Westerlies: “B61” by Aoife O’Donovan
👀👀👀

FYC: Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Capella

@westerliesmusic first started making music with @aoifemaria in 2022, and she has since become a beloved friend and collaborator on our projects, and her 2024 grammy-nominated album “All My Friends.”

“B61,” Aoife’s love letter to New York City Public Transit, is a song we learned sitting in with Aoife on tour together, and later adapted for this quartet rendition for our live album “Songbook, Vol. 3.” I just want to play this vamp all day…

Recording academy friends, first round voting has begun!

#thewesterlies #aoifeodonovan #grammys #recordingacademy #fyc by @aclausent

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6 days ago

The Westerlies: Have Your Heard?
The Music of Bill Frisell, Vol. 1

Thrilled to have this record on the first round GRAMMY ballot in the following categories:

Best Alternative Jazz Album
Best Instrumental Compositon
(A Wonderful Day, by @bill.frisell)
Best Engineered Album, Non-classical
Best Recording Package

Recording Academy friends, voting starts this week!

#thewesterlies #billfrisell #grammys #recordingacademy #fyc by @aclausent

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6 days ago

👀👀👀

Mastering the next @westerliesmusic LP with the great @joshbonati. by @aclausent

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8 days ago

@westerliesmusic are thrilled to be on the GRAMMY® first round ballot in five categories this year.

Our album “Have You Heard? The Music of @bill.frisell, Vol. 1” is in four categories including Best Alternative Jazz Album, and our arrangement of @aoifemaria’s song “B61” in on the ballot in the category we were nominated for last year: Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella.

If you’re a member of the Recording Academy, we’d be honored if you consider us in your first round voting next week!

📸: Nathaniel Johnston (1) and Kevin Condon (2)

#thewesterlies #grammys #fyc #billfrisell #aoifeodonovan by @aclausent

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10 days ago

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20 days ago

A beautiful memory crossed my desk today, and I was reminded of an extraordinary occasion that occured on this day, 17 years ago, as a senior in high school.

Sept 21, 2009 I was invited down to @montereyjazzfestival (along with my parents and band director) as the recipient of the "Gerald Wilson Prize" for Jazz Composition, and got to witness my piece "Fly" performed by the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra on the festival mainstage in front of thousands of people, featuring guest soloist @wyntonmarsalis.

This was a life trajectory altering moment for me, a jolt of much needed encouragement from a hero and legend of this music Gerald Wilson, and truly the greatest honor imaginable as a young composer. I'll never forget the time shared backstage with Gerald, and his words of encouragement.

But what is equally striking as I reflect on the experience all these years later, is how many of the members of this ensemble would continue on to New York and become dear friends, colleagues, classmates, collaborators, and continue to inspire me to this day.

@_chloerowlands_
@jimmy.macbride
@bbjazziii
@nickfrenay
@oldmcjonald
@patricksargent
@moeziniac
and many others!

Music is community, and the impact and importance of these types of programs and experiences for young musicians cannot be overstated. taken in Monterey Jazz Festival by @aclausent

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a month ago

8 years of marriage! Grateful for each and every day dancing through life with @rachelclausenpt. ❤️❤️❤️ by @aclausent

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a month ago