HARRY CONNICK JR BIG BAND

JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER - The Life And Music Of Dave Brubeck

WAYNE BERGERON - You Call This Living

In the liner notes of YOU CALL THIS A LIVING? Arturo Sandoval recalls the first time he heard Wayne Bergeron play. "What a hell of a lead player," Sandoval remembers thinking, and then goes on to attest to the trumpeter's continued high standard of performance, recommending the album wholeheartedly. With kudos like these from the one and only Sandoval, it's hard not to give Bergeron the benefit of the doubt.
As a musician, Bergeron does not disappoint. His high, bright tone recalls Dizzy Gillespie, and his flawless articulation and phrasing serve him equally well during quick, chromatic runs or sweeping lyrical passages. The large band here packs plenty of punch on standard bop outings like "Rhythm Method," Latin groovers like "Horn of Puente" and novelties like the swing version of Tchachikovsky's "Waltz of the Flowers" and a jazzified "America the Beautiful." The range of the compositions and the impressive technical command that is everywhere in evidence from the musicians here make Bergeron's debut as a leader an album to note.



Andy Waterman

Pete Christlieb
Guest Artist
Peter Erskine
Guest Artist
Grant Geissman
Guest Artist
Eric Marienthal
Guest Artist
Gary Meek
Guest Artist
Alan Pasqua
Guest Artist
Wayne Bergeron
Primary Artist

HARRY CONNICK JR - Concert On Broadway

 Come By Me

 
Part of WNET's Great Performances series on PBS, In Concert on Broadway features crooner/pianist Harry Connick, Jr. performing with big band and orchestra over two nights at the Neil Simon Theatre in New York City in July of 2010. Backing Connick here is a top-notch group of musicians featuring several well-known New Orleans performers, including trombonist Lucien Barbarin and trumpeter Mark Braud, who are featured. Although the album opens with his '90s hit "We Are in Love," Connick largely sticks to tracks off his 2009 album Your Songs. To this end, listeners get his take on the Latin classic "Bésame Mucho" and the American popular song standard "All the Way," as well as the mid-album Frank Loesser medley "My Time of Day"/"I've Never Been in Love Before." Elsewhere, Connick delves into his own high-quality original material with "The Other Hours" from 2003's Other Hours: Connick on Piano, Vol. 1 as well as the midtempo swinger "Nowhere with Love" and title track from 1999's Come by Me. A longtime champion for his hometown of New Orleans, Connick closes out the album with several joyous Crescent City-themed cuts, including his own "Take Her to the Mardi Gras" as well as the traditional second-line song "Bourbon Street Parade." Joyous, urbane, and always charming, Connick is in perfect vocal form here and, of course, shows off his impeccable piano jazz chops throughout the album. In every way, In Concert on Broadway is a welcome showcase for Connick's traditional-meets-contemporary pop chops.

Harry Connick, Jr.
Arranger, Composer, Conductor, Orchestration, Piano, Primary Artist, Vocals
David Bett
Art Direction, Design
Geoff Burke
Copyist, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)
Arthur Latin
Drums
Jerry Weldon
Sax (Tenor)
Joe Barati
Trombone (Bass)
Lucien Barbarin
Trombone
Dion Tucker
Trombone
Mark Braud
Trumpet
Kevin Bryan
Trumpet

MAYNARD FERGUSON - Maynard 61

 OLE

 Maynard Ferguson led his finest orchestra during his period with Roulette; all of the excellent recordings have since been reissued on a ten-CD box set by Mosaic. For those Maynard fans who do not have the box, this single CD gives one some examples of his orchestra, reissuing the original Maynard '61 LP along with one selection ("Saturday Night") from Maynard '64 and adding two previously unissued performances. In addition to the leader/trumpeter, the main soloists are trombonist Slide Hampton, altoist Lanny Morgan, Joe Farrell on tenor and pianist Jaki Byard; trumpeters Rolf Ericson and Bill Berry are also heard on "Blues for Kapp," one of the CD's many highlights.


    •    Maynard Ferguson – trumpet, trombone
    •    Bill Berry (tracks 3 & 6), Rolf Ericson (tracks 3, 4 & 6), Chet Ferretti, Rick Kiefer (tracks 1, 2, 4 & 5), Jerry Tyree (tracks 1, 2 & 5) – trumpet
    •    Slide Hampton (tracks 1, 2, 4 & 5), Kenny Rupp, Ray Winslow (tracks 3 & 6) – trombone
    •    Lanny Morgan – alto saxophone, flute
    •    Willie Maiden – tenor saxophone, clarinet
    •    Joe Farrell – tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute
    •    Frank Hittner – baritone saxophone, bass clarinet
    •    Jaki Byard – piano
    •    Charlie Sanders – bass
    •    Rufus Jones – drums
    •    Joe Farrell, Slide Hampton, Willie Maiden, Marty Paich, Don Sebesky – arrangers

Jarreau, Hendricks, Elling & Metropole Orchestra

 Going To Chicago

COUNT BASIE - Al Gray

 Don't Get Around Much Anymore

MINGUS BIG BAND - Live In Time

Moanin'Mambo

Having exhausted most of the late bassist's best-known songs, the Mingus Big Band emphasizes obscurities (such as "Sue's Changes," "Children's Hour of Dream" and "Chair in the Sky"), along with later-period work, on their third release, Live in Time, a double CD. The orchestra really digs into the complex material, and they perform Mingus' almost impossible-to-play originals with joy, swing and constant excitement. Among the many all-stars on this fascinating and highly enjoyable set (all of whom are featured) are trumpeters Randy Brecker, Philip Harper and Ryan Kisor, trombonists Frank Lacy, Robin Eubanks and Britt Woodman, altoists Gary Bartz and Steve Slagle, Seamus Blake, Mark Shim and John Stubblefield on tenors, Ronnie Cuber or Gary Smulyan on baritone and Kenny Drew Jr. or John Hicks on piano. The gloriously overcrowded ensembles, the explosive solos and the spirit of Mingus are three of the many reasons to acquire this memorable effort.

Steve Slagle
Arranger, Assistant Engineer, Guest Artist, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)
Andy McKee
Bass
Adam Cruz
Drums
Gary Bartz
Guest Artist, Sax (Alto)
Seamus Blake
Guest Artist, Sax (Tenor)
Conrad Herwig
Guest Artist, Trombone
Randy Brecker
Guest Artist, Trumpet
Ryan Kisor
Guest Artist, Trumpet
Mark Shim
Guest Artist
Gary Smulyan
Guest Artist
John Hicks
Piano
Mingus Big Band
Primary Artist
Ronnie Cuber
Sax (Baritone)
Mark Isham
Sax (Tenor)
John Stubblefield
Sax (Tenor)
Frank Lacy
Trombone, Vocals
Robin Eubanks
Trombone
Britt Woodman
Trombone
Earl Gardner
Trumpet
Philip Harper
Trumpet
Alex Sipiagin
Trumpet