Upon his return to Winnipeg, Paley rose to prominence on the localmusic scene as a composer, arranger, and leader of both big bands and small ensembles. He is a perennial act at the Jazz Winnipeg festival, has performed in concert with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra & the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, and has performed a concert of new music sponsored by Winnipeg’s new music concert organization “Groundswell”. In 2014, Ron Paley was presented with the BreakOut West "Heritage Award"—an honor bestowed upon an artist with "a demonstrated, outstanding body of work over a long period of time -- a real icon in the community". The Ron Paley Big Band was formed in 1976, and has since performed numerous jazz concerts and dances, appeared at Expo 86 as part of a western Canadian tour, and traveled widely in Manitoba. The small ensemble performed at the 1987 Montreal International Jazz Festival. Paley was also the musical director for the University of Manitoba stage band from 1976–86, and filled the same role for two local TV shows, CKND's 'Friday Night Live', and CBC's 'Jerry and Ziz'.
Composer / Arranger
His composition credits include two works for big band with symphony orchestra, and two works for jazz trio with symphony orchestra. These four works were premiered by Paley with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. He also has written more that 25 pieces for big band alone, as well as several third-stream items, notably Happiness Is a String Quartet Playing the Blues, Saxophone Quintet, and Shades of Jazz. A number of his works were premiered at concerts sponsored by the Manitoba Composers Association, of which Paley is a member. Paley was commissioned by the Royal Canadian College of Organists in 2002 to compose a work for choir and organ based upon the text of Psalm 122. He was thereafter commissioned by the National Arts Centre to write a fanfare for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra for the occasion of the Royal Visit. In 2004, his big band toured with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, performing jazz arrangements of Rogers and Hart tunes for “A Cinderella Story”. Paley received a 2007 commission from the Winnipeg Singers for a choral work based on the text of three Shakespearean sonnets.
Influence
Winnipeg Free Press jazz writer Chris Smith notes that "any number of longtime local musicians have performed in Paley's orchestra over the years, and many still do. It is considered both a good gig and training ground". Numerous well-established players include the Ron Paley Big Band in their pedigree, or cite Paley as an influence:
