VANGUARD JAZZ ORCHESTRA

VANGUARD JAZZ ORCHESTRA

Just Friends

Bill Holman

AllMusic Review by Ken Dryden  [-]

The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, the successor to the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra (and also the Mel Lewis Orchestra), still attracts some of the cream of the crop of New York-based musicians for regular performances and occasional recording sessions, such as these studio sessions from early in 2001. This collective band makes the most of their diverse program of mostly post-bop compositions, from Jimmy Giuffre's compelling "Dragon Fly" to Ed Neumeister's brilliant, swinging arrangement of Wayne Shorter's "ESP" to Garnett Brown's energetic "Bachafillen." Of particular importance to the band's members are the contributions of Julie Cavadini, a promising young composer who died over a dozen years before the orchestra's moving interpretations of her works were recorded. The emotional ballad "A Simple Wish" packs a powerful punch without overplaying its hand, while Dick Oatts' soft-spoken alto sax carries the day in her other song, "Can I Persuade You?" Standards are hardly ignored; "Just Friends" is updated with a cooking arrangement by Bill Holman, and Brown's chart of Duke Ellington's "Sophisticated Lady" struts her stuff without losing her elegance. There are too many fine solos to begin to identify all of the musicians present, which include Jim McNeely, Rich Perry, Scott Wendholt, and Billy Drewes, but the strength of the ensemble passages are every bit as important as the individual features in making this an essential big band recording.

Peter Gordon

Additional Personnel, French Horn

Duduka Da Fonseca

Additional Personnel, Percussion

Gary Smulyan

Clarinet (Bass), Member of Attributed Artist, Sax (Baritone)

Billy Drewes

Clarinet, Flute, Member of Attributed Artist, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)

Ralph Lalama

Clarinet, Flute, Member of Attributed Artist, Sax (Tenor)

Dennis Irwin

Double Bass, Member of Attributed Artist

John Riley

Drums, Member of Attributed Artist

Dick Oatts

Flute, Member of Attributed Artist, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)

Rich Perry

Flute, Member of Attributed Artist, Sax (Tenor)

Luis Bonilla

Member of Attributed Artist, Trombone

Jason Jackson

Member of Attributed Artist, Trombone

John Mosca

Member of Attributed Artist, Trombone

Glenn Drewes

Member of Attributed Artist, Trumpet

Earl Gardner

Member of Attributed Artist, Trumpet

Joe Mosello

Member of Attributed Artist, Trumpet

Scott Wendholt

Member of Attributed Artist, Trumpet