ARTURO O’FARRILL & THE LATIN JAZZ ORCHESTRA

ARTURO O’FARRILL & THE LATIN JAZZ ORCHESTRA 

The Offense of the Drum

AllMusic Review by Thom Jurek  [-]

While bandleader and pianist Arturo O'Farrill has always sought to preserve the legacy of Latin jazz, he's never been one to do so it for its own sake, but always for evolutionary purposes. The Offense of the Drum features his 18-piece Afro-Latin Jazz band -- a whopping 28 percussion instruments from all over the globe -- and a notable host of collaborators including Donald Harrison and Vijay Iyer. The program highlights the cultural sounds and prismatic influences of South America, Spain, and the Caribbean in modern jazz. "Cuarto de Colores" weds the Brazilian, Colombian and Afro-Cuban rhythms to post-bop big-band jazz. Colombian harpist Edmar Castañeda, trumpeter Jonathan Powell, and O'Farrill all deliver excellent solos. "They Came" weds spoken word from Chilo Cajigas and reggaeton -- via DJ Logic's turntablism -- to modern big-band jazz. "On the Corner of Malecón and Bourbon" digs deep into the intersections of Latin music and jazz histories. The blues in NOLA's legacy are present in the trumpet, but that's only the beginning; there are stops along the way throughout the evolution of jazz -- including a momentary stop at free -- and second-line, as Spanish melody and Caribbean rhythms provide extensive harmonic colors and rhythmic accents. Iyer's "The Mad Hatter" was written for O'Farrill. Here, strident, knotty rhythmic lines cut across angular lyric melodies and layered harmonies with fantastic solos by the composer and trumpeter Seneca Black. The set's hinge piece is the title track, a suite inspired by the banning of drum circles in New York City. Stringent contrapuntal brass sections work against the djembe for an extended period before O'Farrill's piano signals detente. Chad Lefkowitz-Brown's saxophone solo, followed by the pulsing interplay of djembe and deep-toned Japanese taiko drums, begins to open the work up from the inside. Drums begin to dominate in the second section even as the brass attempts to regain control. Eventually, the two lines intersect in a wild, colorful, songlike celebration in the final segment. The closer is a reading of "Iko Iko" with Harrison. Perhaps no other tune better reflects the commingling of Afro-Latin music as it was translated to North America through the variety of textures, cadences, carnival rhythms, and melodies of the Caribbean. The staggered brass and reed sections meet and greet the drums as they march, strut, swagger, and swing. By virtue of its disciplined execution, cultural queries, and celebratory inspiration, The Offense of the Drum is only O'Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra's most ambitious moment to date.

l

Artist

Uri Sharlin

Accordion, Featured Artist, Guest Artist

Samuel Torres

Arranger, Cajon, Conductor, Guest Artist

Pablo O. Bilbraut

Assistant, Guest Artist, Percussion

Alison Deane

Gregg August

Bass, Soloist

Joe Gonzales

Bell, Bongos

Pablo Mayor

Composer, Conductor, Guest Artist, Maracas

Jason Lindner

Composer, Conductor, Guest Artist

Vijay Iyer

Composer, Featured Artist, Guest Artist, Piano, Soloist

Edmar Castañeda

Composer, Guest Artist, Harp, Soloist

Arturo O'Farrill

Composer, Mixing, Musical Director, Piano, Primary Artist, Producer, Soloist

Roland Guerrero

Congas

Ayanda Clarke

Djembe, Featured Artist, Guest Artist, Soloist

Vince Cherico

Drums

Rafi Malkiel

Euphonium, Soloist, Trombone

Nestor Gómez

Featured Artist, Guest Artist, Percussion

Donald Harrison

Featured Artist, Guest Artist, Sax (Alto), Soloist, Vocals

Antonio Lizana

Featured Artist, Guest Artist, Sax (Alto), Soloist, Vocals

Chad Lefkowitz-Brown

Featured Artist, Guest Artist, Sax (Tenor), Soloist

Hiro Kurashima

Featured Artist, Guest Artist, Soloist, Taiko Drums

DJ Logic

Featured Artist, Guest Artist, Turntables

Jonathan Gómez

Guest Artist, Percussion

Bobby Porcelli

Lead, Sax (Alto), Soloist

Ivan Renta

Lead, Sax (Tenor), Soloist

Seneca Black

Lead, Soloist, Trumpet

Tokunori Kajiwara

Lead, Trombone

David DeJesus

Sax (Alto)

Jason Marshall

Sax (Baritone), Soloist

Peter Brainin

Sax (Tenor)

Frank Cohen

Soloist, Trombone

John Bailey

Soloist, Trumpet

Jonathan Powell

Soloist, Trumpet

Jim Seeley

Soloist, Trumpet

Charles Leaness

Tributee

Glenn Weisman

Tributee

Earl McIntyre

Trombone (Bass), Tuba

JIMMY SMITH - OLIVER NELSON

JIMMY SMITH - OLIVER NELSON

Walk on the Wild Side

Back from when they played jazz on the radio,and had hits.

• Jimmy Smith – hammond organ
• Oliver Nelson – arranger, conductor
• Richard Davis – double bass
• Bob Cranshaw – electric bass
• Bobby Rosengarden – bongos, percussion
• Grady Tate – drums
• Donald Corrado, Willie Ruff – french horn
• Barry Galbraith, Bill Suyker, Billy Butler, Kenny Burrell – guitar
• Buddy Lucas – harmonica
• Jack Agee, Jerome Richardson, Jerry Dodgion, Phil Woods, Bob Ashton – woodwind
• Britt Woodman, Melba Liston, Quentin Jackson, Tom McIntosh – trombone
• Ernie Royal, Gene Young, Joe Newman, Dick Williams – trumpet
• Don Butterfield – tuba

GORDON GOODWIN BIG PHAT BAND

GORDON GOODWIN BIG PHAT BAND 

Rhapsody in Blue

AllMusic Review by Alex Henderson  [-]

Upon seeing the title That's How We Roll, people who don't know anything about the history of pianist/tenor saxophonist Gordon Goodwin and his Big Phat Band might assume that this is a hip-hop recording. "That's how we roll" is a popular expression in hip-hop circles (at least as of 2011), but like a lot of the bebop and hipster slang of the '40s and '50s, hip-hop slang often reaches people who aren't necessarily part of hip-hop's core audience, and that includes a jazz instrumentalist like Goodwin, who is jazz-oriented on this 67-minute CD but doesn't conduct himself like a jazz purist from start to finish. Goodwin has his traditional big-band influences (Count Basie, Buddy Rich), but it's obvious that he also has a taste for soul and funk; in fact, some of the horn arrangements on That's How We Roll successfully find the link between Basie's funkiness and the funkiness of '70s funk/soul bands such as Parliament/Funkadelic, Tower of Power and Earth, Wind & Fire. That's How We Roll has its share of tracks that could easily be described as big-band soul-jazz, including "Rippin' n Runnin'," "Howdiz Songo?," and the title tune. But "Race to the Bridge" and "Gaining on You" have boppish melodies, and Goodwin's hard-swinging arrangement of George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" (which is the only song on this 2011 release he didn't compose) is quite Basie-minded. Meanwhile, the least jazz-friendly track is "Never Enough," which features Take 6 and is the only vocal offering on a predominantly instrumental CD; "Never Enough" is the only time the album ventures into outright funk (as opposed to jazz-funk or soul-jazz). That's How We Roll is not an album that was recorded with jazz purists in mind, and at the same time, there is way too much improvisation for the smooth jazz crowd. But this is an enjoyable outing if one is seriously into big-band jazz and also has a strong appreciation of soul and funk.

Rick Shaw

Bass (Acoustic), Bass (Electric)

Marcus Miller

Bass (Electric), Featured Artist

Jay Mason

Clarinet (Bass), Sax (Baritone)

Sal Lozano

Clarinet, Featured Artist, Flute, Flute (Alto), Piccolo, Sax (Alto)

Jeff Driskill

Clarinet, Featured Artist, Flute, Sax (Tenor)

Brian Scanlon

Clarinet, Featured Artist, Flute, Sax (Tenor)

Gordon Goodwin

Composer, Executive Producer, Featured Artist, Hammond B3, Liner Notes, Piano, Producer, Sax (Tenor)

Bernie Dresel

Drums

Eric Marienthal

Featured Artist, Flute, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)

Andrew Synowiec

Featured Artist, Guitar

Gerald Albright

Featured Artist, Sax (Alto)

Dave Koz

Featured Artist, Sax (Alto)

Andy Martin

Featured Artist, Trombone

Charlie Morillas

Featured Artist, Trombone

Francisco Torres

Featured Artist, Trombone

Craig Ware

Featured Artist, Trombone

Wayne Bergeron

Brad Dutz

Percussion

Dan Savant

Producer, Trumpet

Kevin Garren

Sax (Alto)

Craig Gosnell

Trombone

Daniel Fornero

Trumpet

Willie Murillo

Trumpet

Bob Summers

Trumpet

PHIL WOODS & THE LA JAZZ ORCHESTRA

PHIL WOODS & THE LA JAZZ ORCHESTRA
Unheard Herd

Complete recording

Be Sure to listen to track 8. Not music but hilarious.

AllMusic Review by Scott Yanow

At one of the memorable West Coast jazz festivals organized by Ken Poston, altoist Phil Woods was teamed with a specially assembled big band to perform the "Unheard Herd," selections played but not recorded by Woody Herman's Second Herd. Actually though, of the eight numbers that were performed, only three fit into that category, since four of the songs were recorded by Herman and "My Old Flame" is a feature for Woods with the rhythm section. No matter, for Woods plays brilliantly throughout, the band put together by trumpeter Ron Stout is excellent, and the many soloists, which include trumpeter Carl Saunders, Stout, the full sax section, trombonists Scott Whitfield and Andy Martin, and pianist Ross Tompkins, add a great deal to the music. There is plenty of good spirit both in the playing and the storytelling by Stout and Woods. Phil Woods' four-minute monologue is full of funny stories, including some involving Al Cohn and Gene Quill. Highly recommended.

Joel Hamilton

Bass, Guitar (Bass), Main Personnel

Kim Richmond

Clarinet, Clarinet (Alto), Main Personnel

Phil Woods

Composer, Flute (Alto), Main Personnel, Primary Artist, Sax (Alto)

Ron Stout

Director, Main Personnel, Primary Artist, Trumpet

David Tull

Drums, Main Personnel

Ross Tompkins

Main Personnel, Piano

Keith Bishop

Main Personnel, Reeds, Tenor Reeds

Jerry Pinter

Main Personnel, Reeds, Tenor Reeds

Bill Trujillo

Main Personnel, Reeds, Tenor Reeds

Bob Carr

Main Personnel, Reeds

Bryant Byers

Main Personnel, Trombone (Bass)

Andy Martin

Main Personnel, Trombone

Scott Shitfield

Main Personnel, Trombone

Mike McGuffey

Main Personnel, Trumpet

Carl Saunders

Main Personnel, Trumpet

Bob Summers

Main Personnel, Trumpet

Frank Szabo

Main Personnel, Trumpet

Scott Whitfield

Trombone

BOB BROOKMEYER / MEL LEWIS Slylark

BOB BROOKMEYER, MEL LEWIS

Skylark

Everyone remembers Bob Brookmeyer as the Valve Trombone player and arranger who worked for many years with Gerry Mulligan, very swinging and very straight ahead. But he had another side that surfaced years later. It was shown when being the chief arranger for the Mel Lewis Orchestra. After Thad Jones passed, Lewis continued at the Village Vanguard and Brookmemer was their chief arranger. His influence was felt throughout jazz. Among his students were such later big band leaders and writers as Maria Schneider.

Here is a really beautiful and a bit different arrangement he did of  Skylark.

Drums – Mel Lewis

Flugelhorn – Clark Terry (tracks: B1, B2)

French Horn – Stephanie Fauber

Piano – Jim McNeely

Producer – Norman Schwartz

Reeds – Bob Mintzer, Dick Oatts, Gary Pribeck, Richard Perry, Steve Coleman

Trombone – Bob Brookmeyer (tracks: B1, B2), Earl McIntyre, John Mosca, Lee Robertson, Lolly Bienenfeld

Trumpet – Earl Gardner, John Marshall (7), Larry Moses, Ron Tooley

QUINCY JONES -The Midnight Sun Will Never Set

QUINCY JONES ORCHESTRA

The Midnight Sun Will Never Set

We are all familiar with the Count Basie rendering of this song featuring Marshal Royal, just beautiful. But like several other tunes on Basie’s 1958 recording One More Time of Quincy Jones arrangements and compositions, Q had originally written this for his own band a few years earlier. Jones recorded it a year after Basie, and featured Phil Woods. The entire tune changes with Wood’s BeBop interpretation. As one might think, it is fantastic.

Quincy Jones And His Orchestra :

Harry "Sweets" Edison, Ernie Royal, Joe Newman, Clark Terry, Billy Byers (tp) Jimmy Cleveland, Urbie Green, Tom Mitchell (tb) Julius Watkins (fhr) Phil Woods (as), Jerome Richardson (as,ts,fl,pic) Budd Johnson, Sam "The Man" Taylor (ts) Sahib Shihab (bar) Patti Bown (p) Kenny Burrell (g) Milt Hinton (b) Jimmy Crawford (d-1) Osie Johnson (d-2,tambourine-3) Quincy Jones (arr,cond)

New York, March 9 & 10, 1959

LAURENCE COTTLE BIG BAND

LAURENCE COTTLE BIG BAND

Donna Lee

Perhaps others have, but I never heard ot this guy before. Very interestinv

Laurence Cottle's solo recordings have been mostly in the jazz and jazz-fusion vein, with such notable releases as Five Seasons, Laurence Cottle Quintet Live and others.

He was a member of the Los Angeles, California-based fusion quartet, The Fents, and appears on their second album, The Other Side, released on the Passport Jazz label in 1987. He played with The Alan Parsons Project on their final Arista LP Gaudi in 1987, as well as Parsons' final collaboration with the Project's chief songwriter Eric Woolfson, Freudiana, in 1990.

Shortly after, he was hired by British heavy metal band Black Sabbath to play bass on the studio sessions that would become their 1989 album Headless Cross. Cottle wrote and played all the bass parts for the album and appeared on the music video for the song "Headless Cross", but didn't perform live or tour with the band.

In the 1990s, Cottle produced three albums for guitarist Jim Mullen and recorded with British jazz musicians Mornington Lockett, Tim Garland, Django Bates, Gerard Presencer and John Graham.

He has written music for film and television including the television programs Friends and The Oprah Winfrey Show.^{[clarification needed]}

Cottle was a member of Bill Bruford's Earthworks from 2003 to 2006.

In 2009, Cottle produced albums for Claire Martin, Gareth Williams, and Mark Nightingale.

He leads his own Laurence Cottle Big Band playing a variety of standards and his own material.

He is the brother of Richard Cottle (also a musician), playing with him during his tenure with The Alan Parsons Project.

Saxes:Nigel Hitchcock Sammy Mayne Claire Mcinerney Alex Garnett (Solo) Martin Williams

Flute: Gareth Lockrane

Trumpets: Andy Greenwood Tom Walsh Pat White Sid Gauld

Trombones: Ade Hallowell Andy Wood Neil Sidwell (Solo) Mark Nightingale

Perc: Miles Bould 

Drums:Ian Thomas

Bass & Arranger: Laurence Cottle

ANDY MARTIN/VIC LEWIS

Andy Martin/Vic Lewis

The Project

By JACK BOWERS 

March 29, 2005 

When it came to handling a slide trombone, the late Frank Rosolino set the gold standard. Few players have managed even to come close to emulating what the incredible Mr. Rosolino was able to do. One who has is Andy Martin, an heir-apparent to Rosolino, Carl Fontana, J.J. Johnson and other acrobatic savants of the slide. True, the attack isn't as clean as Rosolino's (who remains in a class by himself), nor is there as much double and triple-tonguing, staples of Frank's matchless arsenal, but as bandleader/arranger Gordon Goodwin points out, Martin "...makes [playing the trombone] sound so easy.... His articulation is flawless, and he plays with a strong melodic sense, a beautiful sound and a great groove, no matter what the style.

Listening to The Project, an ambitious studio session that was conceived by one of Martin's staunchest admirers, British entrepreneur Vic Lewis, there's no other course than to second Goodwin's opinion. Martin's no Rosolino (the world may never see his like again), nor does he try to be; there can be no doubt, however, that he is one of the world's most accomplished Jazz trombonists, as he proves time and again on this scintillating tour de force.

Martin opens with Bill Holman's superb arrangement of Alec Wilder's "I'll Be Around, scored for big band, as are Tom Kubis's "Everything You Is (a.k.a. "All the Things ) and Gordon Goodwin's "So Close So Far. On "Wait Till You See Her, "It Never Entered My Mind and "Ballad of the Sad Young Men, Martin is backed by a small group and six-member string section conducted by long-time Metropole Orchestra maestro Rob Pronk, and on Goodwin's arresting treatment of Ivan Lins' "Love Dance he deftly employs overdubbing to become a five-member 'bone section (including bass), supported only by bassist Trey Henry and drummer Ray Brinker. The other numbers, "Kubis Shuffle and Martin's "Paz y Jazz," are performed by a sextet with tenor Pete Christlieb and trumpeter Bobby Shew sharing front-line duties.

As expected, Martin plays brilliantly throughout, enlivening every note, and even on those few occasions when his horn is all but submerged beneath cascading waves of brass, reeds, strings or rhythm, he strides firmly ahead and always manages to land on high ground. The Project is a splendid showcase for Martin's singular talents, marred only by cavernous acoustics and periodic lapses in mixing. On a scale of one to ten, a nine for Martin, eight for everyone else, but no better than a four or five for the sound.

The Project : Andy Martin/Vic Lewis :

 Wayne Bergeron, Gary Grant, Stan Martin, Larry Hall (tp) Andy Martin, Charlie Loper, Bruce Otto, Bob McChesney (tb) Bill Reichenbach (b-tb) Dan Higgins, Gary Foster (as,fl) Pete Christlieb, Scott Martin (ts,cl) Greg Huckins (bar,cl) Tom Ranier (p) Trey Henry (b) Ray Brinker (d)

Hollywood, CA, August 29 & September 5, 2002