THE COUNT BASIE with DIANA SCHUUR

BILL POTTS - JAZZ SOUL OF PORGY AND BESS

COMPLETE RECORDING

I hadn't listened to this complete recording for several years. What dynamite arrangements from Bill Potts, some of the best ever.

NANCY WILSON WITH THE DIVA ORCHESTRA

ALL OF ME

DIVA Jazz Orchestra

Artists: Marlena Shaw (Vocals); Nancy Wilson (Vocals); Anat Cohen (Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone); Janelle Reichman (Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone); Karoline Strassmayer (Saxophone); Sharel Cassity (Alto Saxophone, Flute); Kristy Norter (Alto Saxophone); Leigh Pilzer (Alto Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, Flute); Roxy Cross (Tenor Saxophone); Scheila Gonzalez (Tenor Saxophone); Lisa Parrott (Baritone Saxophone); Barbara Laronga (Trumpet); Liesl Whitaker (Trumpet); Tanya Darby (Flugelhorn, Trumpet); Jami Dauber (Flugelhorn, Trumpet); Carol Morgan (Flugelhorn, Trumpet); Nadje Noordhuis (Flugelhorn, Trumpet); Jennifer Krupa (Trombone); Lori Stuntz (Trombone); Deborah Weisz (Trombone); Leslie Havens (Bass Trombone); Tomoko Ohno (Piano); Chihiro Yamanaka (Piano); Noriko Ueda (Double Bass); Sherrie Maricle (Drums)

Contributors: Marty Ashby (Producer); Robert Bowman (Photographer); Jay Dudt (Recording Engineer); Renee Govanucci (Associate Producer); Jeff Jones (Recording Engineer); Stan Kleja (Editing Engineer); Jim Manly (Layout); Jeff O.Brien Myers (Cover Art and Design); Bill Westmoreland (Photographer)

PAQUITO D'RIVERA & THE ABSOLUTE ENSEMBLE -

HABANERA

This bold and innovative "third stream" project has the hand of producer and arranger Daniel Schnyder all over it. Paquito D'Rivera leads a fine rhythm section, to which he adds bass trombonist David Taylor and percussionist Mino Cinelu, plus the modern chamber group Absolute Ensemble, led by Kristjan Järva. The eclectic choice of tunes, from Ellington's "Caravan" to Gershwin's "I Got Rhythm" to several original pieces by D'Rivera, is a plus. Combining jazz musicians with classically trained ones is risky business, and the most successful ventures, such as the Uri Caine Ensemble, find innovative ways to forge new constructs. If the instant recording is somewhat flawed in that it succumbs in part to popular notions of swinging the classics, there are still moments of remarkable ingenuity and creativity. The Gershwin pieces, in particular, sing passionately, and pianist Kenny Drew, Jr takes improvisational liberties that seamlessly weave into the songs. D'Rivera is a bit restrained, but tuneful and accessible

SCHEEN JAZZORKESTER & Audun Kleive Politur Passiarer Porsgrunn

From Norway
Here's some fantastic music with an agenda, or more exactly, an entire program of action. Since the days of the researches developed by the likes of Globe Unity Orchestra and Chris McGregor's Brotherhood of Breath the challenge remains the same: how to make a big band improvise without the restraints usually applied when there's the idea that a large ensemble needs a tight organization?

In the mentioned cases the musicians involved were free improvisers wanting to establish some kind of order through scores, structures, arrangements and / or conduction. This time, the point of departure is the inverse one: how to make a conventional jazz orchestra, usually working inside very defined parameters, to open its perspectives and be more spontaneous? Norway's Scheen Jazzorkester has six records behind them with more structured and arranged music, with the particularity of only using compositional materials by their own members. The last one, Commuter Report, had a commissioned piece by keyboardist Eyolf Dale, known from the projects Albatrosh and Wolf Valley.

Now it's the co-founder of the free-form bands Cortex and Friends and Neighbors who takes the lead in this new step documented in As We See It...: the music he wrote had from the start the intention to be reconverted by the orchestral interpretations, with instructions clear enough for musicians who aren't used to the particularities of free jazz and free improvisation. The final result is astonishing, with everybody's personal expressions being fundamental in the mix. Music liberation has a new victory."-Clean Feed

THE PAGE 7 - Impact At Basin Street East

SATIN DOLL

From 1962, San Fernando Valley, California.
A 'Little Big Band' assembled to play the arrangements of Page Cavanaugh.

BRIZILIAN BIG BAND PEQUI

RALPH BURNS - In The Mood

Take The A Train

Film sound track of the 1987 movie, In The Mood

Ralph Burns (arr,cond) acc by Rick Baptist, Oscar Brashear, Chuck Findley, Gary Grant, Jerry Hey, Warren Luening (tp) J.J. Johnson, Alan Kaplan, Charley Loper, Lew McCreary, Bob Payne, Morris Repass, Bill Watrous, Chauncey Welsch (tb) Pete Christlieb, Bob Cooper, Dave Edwards, Ronny Lang, Lanny Morgan, Jack Nimitz, Joel Peskin, Marshal Royal, Bob Tricarico (saxes) Abe Most (cl) Dennis Budimir (g) Dave Stone, Chuck Domanico, Chuck Berghofer (b) Harvey Mason, Jeff Hamilton (d) Larry Bunker, Gene Estes (perc) Assa Drori (concertmaster) Murray Adler, Brenton Banks, David Frisina, Joseph Goodman, Reg Hill, Bill Hybel, Karen Jones, Bernard Kundell, Irma Neumann, Bob Sanov, Josef Schoenbrun (vln) David Schwartz, Samuel Boghossian, Denyse Buffum, Kenneth Burward-Hoy, Virginia Majewski, Gary Nuttycombe (viola) Ray Kelley, Robert Adcock, Christine Ermacoff, Jan Kelley (cello) Jennifer Holiday, Beverly D'Angelo (vcl)

Soloists:

Oscar Brashear - Trumpet

Joel Peskin - Tenor Sax

VANDGUARD JAZZ ORCHESTRA - Music Of Slide Hampton

 The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra is directly descended from the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra, continuing even after the departure of Jones for Europe in 1979 and the death of Lewis in 1990, with pianist Jim McNeely taking over the band in 1997. The orchestra has continued to stay fresh with their constant exploration of new charts. One of the previous members of the original Jones-Lewis band, trombonist Slide Hampton, serves as the arranger and guest conductor for these December 2003 sessions. Hampton's four part "Inspiration: Suite for Jazz Orchestra" has John Coltrane's "Giant Steps" as its underlying theme. It is most apparent in "One for Thad," which features strong solos by tenor saxophonist Ralph Lalama and trumpeter Scott Wendholt. The underlying presence of "Giant Steps" is less apparent in "Strayhorn," which is unusual for featuring three separate flute soloists (Dick Oatts, Billy Drewes, and Rich Perry). The listener's ears are tested with Hampton's richly textured "Gil." Coltrane's influence returns to the forefront in the brisk concluding segment "Dameron," adding fine solos by Perry (on tenor sax) and baritone saxophonist Gary Smulyan. Hampton's other contributions also merit praise, especially "The Way" and "Frame for the Blues," the latter adding the composer's brilliant trombone to the band and trading licks with fellow trombonist Jason Jackson. With new material like Hampton's being added to the vast repertoire of the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, this is one big band that should be around for decades to come.
AllMusic Review by Ken Dryde

   Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Flute – Dick Oatts
    Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Flute, Bass Clarinet – Billy Drewes
    Arranged By, Composed By – Locksley "Slide" Hampton*
    Baritone Saxophone, Bass Clarinet – Gary Smulyan
    Bass – Dennis Irwin
    Bass Trombone – Douglas Purviance*
    Directed By [Artistic Director] – Dick Oatts
    Directed By [Director] – John Mosca
    Drums – John Riley (2)
    Piano – Jim McNeely
    Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet – Ralph Lalama
    Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Rich Perry
    Trombone – Jason Jackson (2), Luis Bonilla
    Trombone [Lead] – John Mosca
    Trumpet – Glenn Drewes, Joe Mosello, Scott Wendholt
    Trumpet [Lead] – Earl Gardner
    Trumpet, Flugelhorn [Additional Parts] – Frank Greene (2)

CHICAGO JAZZ ORCHESTRA w/ CYRILLE AIME - Bustin' Out

What a Little Moonlight Can Do

Now entering its 35th year, the Chicago Jazz Orchestra has built a resume that ranks it among the greatest artistic institutions in the city, if not the United States. For their latest recording, director Jeff Lindberg teams the CJO with the quickly emerging vocalist Cyrille Aimee for a diverse album of great jazz classics. Beside the timeless arrangements of Claus Ogerman, Billy May, Paul Weston, Count Basie and Duke Ellington, new arrangements are offered by Diego Figueiredo, Assaf Gleizner, Taylor Eigsti, Cyrille Aimee, and members of the Orchestra. From the standard big band setting to a full studio orchestra with strings, "Burstin' Out!" offers a sweeping, swinging recording that promises to become a classic.

CHICAGO JAZZ ORCHESTRA:

Artistic Director & Conductor - JEFF LINDBERG
Guest Vocalist - CYRILLE AIMEE ("Surreal Em-A")

Woodwinds:
JOHN WOJCIECHOWSKI - lead alto saxophone, flute
BILL OVERTON - alto saxophone
SCOTT BURNS - tenor saxophone
ERIC SCHNEIDER - tenor saxophone
JERRY DIMUZIO - baritone sax, flute, alto flute

Trumpets and Fluegelhorns:
DANNY BARBER - lead / DOUG SCHARF
MARQUIS HILL / ART DAVIS
VICTOR GARCIA (replaces Doug Scharf on 8)

Trombones:
SCOTT BENTALL lead / TOM GARLING
KENDALL MOORE / MICHAEL YOUNG bass
ANDY BAKER (replaces S. Bentall on 2,4,8,9,11)

Rhythm:
DAN TRUDELL - piano, Fender Rhodes
DENNIS CARROLL - bass
GEORGE FLUDAS - drums
CHARLEY HARRISON - guitar

BOB MINTZER BIG BAND - Old School- New Lessons

 The Manchester Craftsman's Guild in Pittsburgh offers another rousing live concert date in this varied program led by the eclectic saxophonist who is best known as one of the Yellowjackets -- but whose early résumé also boasts everyone from Tito Puente to Thad Jones and the Mel Lewis Big Band. A dash here and a dollop there of each of these influences make this a varied date whose appeal extends beyond big-band fans and embraces those who love bebop, a touch of the avant-garde, the progressive spirit of the Yellowjackets (most notably Russell Ferrante, who contributes stunning percussive solos on pieces like the crazed, polyrhythmic "Mofongo"), and the great contemporary vocalist Kurt Elling. The singer shows a softly romantic and emotional side in extracting every heartfelt word on "My One and Only Love," but engages even more with his lively roller coaster phrasing over the bold and booming arrangement of John Coltrane's "Resolution." Later original Mintzer highlights include the percussive blues-driven playfulness of "March Majestic," the classic swinging of "Black Sand," and the mix of funk beats and swirling horn arrangements on "Go-Go."
AllMusic Review by Jonathan Widran

Jimmy Haslip     Additional Personnel, Bass (Electric), Guest Artist
Marcus Baylor     Additional Personnel, Drums, Guest Artist
Kurt Elling     Additional Personnel, Guest Artist, Liner Notes, Primary Artist, Soloist, Vocals
Russell Ferrante     Additional Personnel, Guest Artist, Piano, Soloist, Synthesizer
Bob Mintzer     Arranger, Composer, EWI, Flute, Liner Notes, Member of Attributed Artist, Primary Artist, Sax (Tenor), Soloist
Jay Anderson     Bass, Bass Instrument, Member of Attributed Artist
Scott Robinson     Clarinet, Member of Attributed Artist, Sax (Baritone)
Bob Malach     Clarinet, Member of Attributed Artist, Sax (Tenor), Soloist
John Riley     Drums, Member of Attributed Artist
Jay Dudt     Editing, Engineer, Mixing
Scott Wendholt     Flugelhorn, Member of Attributed Artist, Soloist, Trumpet
Lawrence Feldman     Flute, Member of Attributed Artist, Sax (Alto)
Pete Yellin     Flute, Member of Attributed Artist, Sax (Alto)
Jim Manly     Layout Design
Phil Markowitz     Member of Attributed Artist, Piano, Soloist
Larry Farrell     Member of Attributed Artist, Soloist, Trombone
Jason Jackson     Member of Attributed Artist, Soloist, Trombone
Terell Stafford     Member of Attributed Artist, Soloist, Trumpet
David Taylor     Member of Attributed Artist, Trombone (Bass)
Michael Davis     Member of Attributed Artist, Trombone
Frank Greene     Member of Attributed Artist, Trumpet
Bob Millikan     Member of Attributed Artist, Trumpet
Robert Bowman     Photography
Bob Mintzer Big Band     Primary Artist
David Earl Taylor     Trombone (Bass)
Michael Davis     Trombone