LOUIS BELLSON BIG BAND - Dynamite

EXPLOSION

Recordings by Louie Bellson's various big bands tend to be a slight disappointment, full of fire and explosive moments but sometimes lacking in subtlety and surprises. This effort finds the classic drummer at the head of a 14-horn, 19-piece orchestra that is certainly full of power. Bellson, his tenor star Don Menza and altoist Matt Catingub wrote all of the six songs, and among the key soloists are Menza, Catingub, trumpeter Bobby Shew, altoist Dick Spencer and guitarist John Chiodini (featured on "Where Did You Go"). Nothing all that unusual occurs (although Don Menza's Sambandrea Swing" is exciting), but modern big-band fans will enjoy the effort.
 AllMusic Review by Scott Yanow


Artist Credit
Matt Catingub Arranger, Clarinet, Composer, Flute, Sax (Alto)
Bill Holman Arranger
Dick Hendler Art Direction
John Williams Bass, Bass (Electric)
Dick Spencer Clarinet, Flute, Piccolo, Saxophone
Louie Bellson Composer, Drums, Primary Artist
Don Menza Composer, Sax (Tenor)
Jack Hayes Composer
Peggy Lee Composer
Nelson Hatt Flugelhorn, Trumpet
Walt Johnson Flugelhorn, Trumpet
Ron King Flugelhorn, Trumpet
Bobby Shew Flugelhorn, Trumpet
John Thomas Flugelhorn, Trumpet
John Chiodini Guitar
Jack Arnold Percussion, Vibraphone
Bruce Burr Photography
Frank Collett Piano
Louie Bellson Big Band Primary Artist
Carl Jefferson Producer
Carl E. Jefferson Producer
Phil Edwards Recorder, Remixing
Andrew MacKintosh Sax (Baritone)
Gordon Goodwin Sax (Tenor)
Nick Dimaio Trombone
Dana Hughes Trombone
Alan Kaplan Trombone
Bob Payne Trombone

ORREN EVANS' CAPTAIN BLACK BIG BAND - Mother's Touch

Complete Recording

Pianist Orrin Evans has been on a roll, with the release of a couple of diamond Posi-Tone releases in 2010: Faith in Action — dedicated to friend and mentor, saxophonist Bobby Watson—and the old school yet highly progressive thinking of The End of Fear , with Tarbaby trio-mates, drummer Nasheet Waits and bassist Eric Revis. But the truth of the matter is that Evans has been an active participant in the game for awhile, with numerous roles (leader, educator, and label owner), and a discography that includes a string of recordings in the '90s on the Dutch Criss Cross label.

The debut of Captain Black Big Band (a nickname of Evans' father, who smoked Captain Black tobacco) is another insight into Evans' repertoire—the aperture of his skills focused even wider, as he leads an humongous ensemble which includes newer flames such saxophonist Tia Fuller and time-weathered veterans like Frank Lacy. Recorded live at the New York's Jazz Gallery, the nearly forty-member band delivers music infused with Evan's contagious melodicism that is colored with the avant-garde, funky blues, and undeniable swing. Doused with Evans' street cred musicality from his stomping grounds in Trenton New Jersey, Philadelphia and New York, the band's sound is imbued with passion and adventurism.

After the announcer's introduction, the band jets off with "Art Of War"—tornadic horns, interlaced arrangements, and shimmering individual spots encouraged by the audience's cat calls and raucous fervor. A big band with attitude, the charts (a mixture of Evans' and other composers) are meaty and spicy, due in part to band's ongoing tenure at the Gallery. From clarinetist Todd Marcus' gospel-tinged "Inheritance," where Michael Walter White's trumpet shouts "hallelujah" in his fine solo, to the lazy groove of Evans' "Easy Now," or the tumultuous "Jena 6," with saxophonist Jaleel Shaw delivering one of the most soulful and searing solos heard in recent memory, Captain Black Big Band is a welcome and surprising debut from the ever-expanding mind of Orrin Evans.
Track Listing: Art Of War; Here's The Captain; Inheritance; Big Jimmy; Captain Black; Easy Now; Jena 6.

Personnel: Orrin Evans: piano; Jim Holton: piano; Neil Podgurski: piano; Luke Brandon: trumpet; Daud EL-Bakara: trumpet; Josh Evans: trumpet; Tatum Greenblatt: trumpet; Leon Jordan Jr.: trumpet; Brian Kilpatrick: trumpet; Curtis Taylor: trumpet; Tim Thompson: trumpet; Jack Walraith: trumpet; Walter White: trumpet; Stafford Hunter: trombone; Frank Lacy: trombone; Joe McDonough: trombon; Ernest Stuart: trombone; Brent White: trombone; Mike Boone: bass (1); Luques Curtis: bass; Mark Przybylowski: bass; Mark Allen: bass clarinet; Todd Marcus: bass clarinet; Donald Edwards: drums (7); Gene Jackson: drums (2, 6); Anwar Marshall: drums; Mark Allen: saxophone; Chelsea Baratz: saxophone; Todd Bashore: saxophone; Ralph Bowen: saxophone; Wade Dean: saxophone: Doug DeHays: saxophone; Wayne Escoffery: saxophone; Tia Fuller: saxophone; Rob Landham: saxophone; Victor North: saxophone; Jaleel Shaw: saxophone; Tim Warfield: saxophone; Darryl Yokley: saxophone

PEGGY LEE & QUINCY JONES - Blues Cross Country

Complete Album

Blues Cross Country is a 1962 studio album by Peggy Lee, principally arranged by Quincy Jones, with some arrangements by Benny Carter. The album can be described as a concept album, consisting of a musical journey across the United States through swinging blues songs, many of which were written by Lee with other contributors.[1]
Blues Cross Country was the second of Lee's two albums featuring arrangements by Jones. He had also arranged her previous studio album, If You Go (1961).

Peggy Lee - vocals
Quincy Jones - arranger, conductor
Benny Carter - arranger, alto saxophone, tuba
Stan Levey, Earl Palmer - drums
Max Bennett - bass guitar
Chico Guerrero - congas, percussion
Aubrey Bouck, Bill Henshaw, Sinclair Lott, Henry Sigismonti - French horn
Frank Strazzeri - piano
Toots Thielemans - guitar
Jimmy Rowles - piano
Bob Cooper, Harry Klee, Bud Shank - woodwind
Bill Green, Plas Johnson, Bill Perkins - alto saxophone, tenor saxophone
Jack Sheldon - trumpet
Dennis Budimir -guitar
Bob Bain, John Pisano, Howard Roberts - guitar
Artie Kane - electronic organ
Larry Bunker, Emil Richards - percussion
Lou Levy - piano
Jack Nimitz - baritone saxophone
Buddy Collette - alto saxophone, tenor saxophone
Justin Gordon - tenor saxophone
Hoyt Bohannon, Vern Friley, Bobby Knight, Lew McCreary, Dick Nash, George Roberts, Frank Rosolino, Tommy Shepard - trombone
Pete Candoli, Bob Fowler, Conrad Gozzo, Joe Graves, Al Porcino, Ray Triscari - trumpet

ROB McCONNELL AND THE BOSS BRASS - The Jazz Album

My Man Bill

Rob McConnell's Boss Brass began as a big band comprised of trumpets, trombones, French horns, and an expanded rhythm section that played commercial music for Canadian radio transcriptions. In 1972, arranger/valve trombonist McConnell added a sax section for the first time, and with this 1976 set (originally released by the Canadian Attic label), he finally began to use the orchestra for jazz charts. McConnell and his 22-piece orchestra perform three of his originals, plus "Portrait of Jenny" (a feature for flugelhornist Guido Basso) and "Body and Soul," which showcases guitarist Ed Bickert. Among the other key players are trumpeter Sam Noto and tenorman Eugene Amaro. Excellent big band music.
Scott Yanow

Artist Credit
Rob McConnell Arranger, Composer, Conductor, Photography, Primary Artist, Producer, Trombone (Valve)
Don Thompson Bass (Acoustic), Bass (Electric)
Gary Morgan Clarinet (Bass), Sax (Baritone)
Moe Koffman Clarinet, Flute, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)
Jerry Toth Clarinet, Flute, Sax (Alto)
Eugene Amaro Clarinet, Flute, Sax (Tenor)
Rick Wilkins Clarinet, Sax (Tenor)
FTerry Clarke Drums
Guido Basso Flugelhorn, Trumpet
Bruce Cassidy Flugelhorn, Trumpet
Arnie Chycoski Flugelhorn, Trumpet
Sam Noto Flugelhorn, Trumpet
Erich Traugott Flugelhorn, Trumpet
Ed Bickert Guitar
Michael Craden Percussion
Jimmy Dale Piano
Rob McConnell & the Boss Brass Primary Artist
Ron Hughes Trombone (Bass)
Bob Livinston Trombone
Ian McDougall Trombone
Dave McMurdo Trombone

CLATTON-HAMILLTON JAZZ ORCHESTRA Absolutely

A Beautiful Friendship

Featuring some of Los Angeles' finest jazz musicians, the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra (which has drummer Jeff Hamilton and altoist Jeff Clayton among its three leaders) performs the arrangements of the other co-leader, bassist John Clayton. There are several classic charts on this CD, including "Blues for Stephanie," "For All We Know" and "Reverence"; all ten selections are well worth hearing. The swinging music has its share of subtle surprises and many fine solos, including some by tenors Rickey Woodard and Charles Owens, pianist Bill Cunliffe, altoist Clayton and trumpeters Oscar Brashear, Snooky Young and Clay Jenkins. Highly recommended for big band fans.
AllMusic Review by Scott Yanow

Artist Credit
John Clayton Arranger, Bass, Composer, Conductor
John Clayton, Jr. Arranger, Bass, Conductor
Jeff Hamilton Composer, Drums
Jim Hershman Guitar
Bill Cunliffe Piano
Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra Primary Artist
Bill Green Sax (Alto)
Lee Callet Sax (Baritone)
Charles Owens Sax (Tenor)
Rickey Woodard Sax (Tenor)
George Bohannon Trombone
George Bohanon Trombone
Thurman Green Trombone
Maurice Spears Trombone
Oscar Brashear Trumpet
Bobby Bryant Trumpet
Chuck Findley Trumpet
Clay Jenkins Trumpet
Snooky Young Trumpet

BILL HOLMAN - A View From The side

TENNESSEE WALTZ

Although he never seems to win any popularity polls, Bill Holman is among the most respected and unique arrangers of the last 40 years of the 20th century. This CD features his band of the mid-'90s, an outfit that includes many of the top Los Angeles-based musicians. Holman's writing is often colorfully overcrowded (rewarding repeated listenings) yet logical, with the charts progressing and developing from beginning to end rather than repeating the same basic ideas continuously. Whether it be the many complex themes of "No Joy in Mudville," the showcases for tenor saxophonist Pete Christlieb ("But Beautiful") and Bob Efford's bass clarinet ("The Peacocks"), the very advanced "Make My Day," or the rebuilding of "Tennessee Waltz," this JVC release is a consistently memorable set from a masterful arranger who deserves much greater recognition in the jazz world.
AllMusic Review by Scott Yanow

Artist Credit
Bill Holman Arranger, Composer, Leader, Liner Notes, Performer, Primary Artist
Dave Carpenter Bass, Bass (Acoustic)
Bob Efford Clarinet (Bass), Sax (Baritone)
Bob Leatherbarrow Drums
Ron Stout Flugelhorn, Trumpet
Bob Summers Flugelhorn, Trumpet
Carl Saunders Flugelhorn
Frank Szabo Flugelhorn
Pete Christlieb Flute, Guest Artist, Sax (Tenor)
Bill Perkins Flute, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)
Lanny Morgan Flute, Sax (Alto)
Doug McDonald Guitar (Electric)
Rich Eames Piano
Ray Herrmann Sax (Soprano), Sax (Tenor)
Kenny Shroyer Trombone (Bass)
Bob Enevoldsen Trombone (Valve)
Andrew Martin Trombone
Jack Redmond Trombone

WOODY HERMAN & HIS BIG BAND - Fiftieth Anniversary Tour

This set, which is the best of the Woody Herman Orchestra's Concord recordings, celebrates his 50th year as a bandleader, quite an accomplishment. No guest stars are needed for this set, which shows just how strong a big band he still had. With tenor-saxophonist Frank Tiberi gradually taking over leadership duties (today he leads the ghost Woody Herman Orchestra) and trombonist John Fedchock contributing the arrangements, the band was in fine shape even if the leader was aging. Whether it be "It Don't Mean a Thing," John Coltrane's "Central Park West" (a great arrangement) or Don Grolnick's "Pools," every selection is excellent.
Music Review by Scott Yanow

Artist Credit
Lynn Seaton Bass, Bass (Electric)
Woody Herman Clarinet, Performer, Primary Artist, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)
John Fedchock Composer, Trombone
Jim Rupp Drums
Bill Byrne Flugelhorn, Trumpet
Roger Ingram Flugelhorn, Trumpet
Mark Lewis Flugelhorn, Trumpet
Les Lovitt Flugelhorn, Trumpet
Ron Stout Flugelhorn, Trumpet
Dave Riekenberg Flute, Sax (Tenor)
Brad Williams Piano
Michael Brignola Sax (Baritone)
Jerry Pinter Sax (Tenor)
Frank Tiberi Sax (Tenor)
Mark Lusk Trombone (Bass)
Paul McKee Trombone

CLAYTON-HAMILTON JAZZ ORCHESTRA Live In Germany

SQUATTY ROO

DON ELLIS - Live At The Filmore

Puzzy Wiggle Stomp

This is a crazy and consistently riotous two-disc set that features the Don Ellis Orchestra at its height. The 20-piece orchestra (with trumpeter Ellis doubling on drums along with a regular drummer and two percussionists) often used electronic devices (such as ring modulators) at the time to really distort its sound. When coupled with odd time signatures and such exuberant soloists as Ellis, trombonist Glenn Ferris, tenor saxophonist John Klemmer (showcased on the remarkable "Excursion II"), guitarist Jay Graydon, altoists Fred Selden and Lonnie Shetter, and tenor Sam Falzone, the results are quite memorable. Highlights of the date include "Final Analysis" (which contains a countless number of false endings), a bizarre rendition of "Hey Jude," and an often hilarious remake of "Pussy Wiggle Stomp." In 2005, the Wounded Bird label reissued this session on CD for the first time. Unfortunately, no bonus tracks were available.
 AllMusic Review by Scott Yanow

Artist Credit
Don Ellis Arranger, Composer, Drums, Liner Notes, Main Personnel, Primary Artist, Trumpet
John Klemmer Arranger, Composer, Main Personnel, Saxophone, Wind, Woodwind
Fred Selden Arranger, Composer, Main Personnel, Saxophone, Wind, Woodwind
Les Hooper Arranger
Hank Levy Arranger
Dennis Parker Bass, Bass Instrument, Main Personnel
Doug Bixby Bass, Double Bass, Main Personnel, Tuba, Tuba (Contrabass)
Don Switzer Bass, Main Personnel, Trombone (Bass)
Lee Pastora Congas, Main Personnel
Ron Dunn Drums, Main Personnel, Percussion
Ralph Haumphrey Drums, Main Personnel
Ronnie Dunn Drums, Percussion
Ralph Humphrey Drums
Jay Graydon Guitar, Main Personnel
Tom Garvin Main Personnel, Piano
Lonnie Shetter Main Personnel, Saxophone, Wind, Woodwind
Jon Clarke Main Personnel, Saxophone, Woodwind
Sam Falzone Main Personnel, Saxophone, Woodwind
Ernie Carlson Main Personnel, Trombone
Glenn Ferris Main Personnel, Trombone
Stewart Blumberg Main Personnel, Trumpet
Jack Coan Main Personnel, Trumpet
John Rosenberg Main Personnel, Trumpet
Glenn Stuart Main Personnel, Trumpet
Brent Dangerfield Producer
John Clark Saxophone, Wind
Sam Faizone Saxophone, Wind
Don Quigley Tuba

WOODY HERMAN 1964

Complete Recording

Loved this whole era of Woody's bands. This was a perfect followup to Herman 1963

All of Woody Herman's recordings for Philips (which regrettably remain out-of-print and unissued on CD) are excellent. He was leading one of the finest orchestras of his long career, playing both current and older tunes with creativity (helped out greatly by Nat Pierce's arrangements) and featuring such talented soloists as trumpeter Bill Chase, trombonist Phil Wilson and tenor great Sal Nistico. The release ranges from "Deep Purple" and "After You've Gone" to Oscar Peterson's "Halleluah Time" and even "A Taste of Honey"; everything works.
AllMusic Review by Scott Yanow

Arrangement: Nat Pierce, Solos: Carmen Leggio, Sal Nistico
Leader, Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Woody Herman
Trumpet – Bill Chase, Billy Hunt, Danny Nolan, Gerald Lamy, Paul Fontaine
Trombone – Henry Southall, Kenny Wenzel, Phil Wilson
Saxophone – Sal Nistico
Tenor Saxophone – Carmen Leggio, John Stevens
Baritone Saxophone – Nick Brignola
Piano – Nat Pierce
Bass – Chuck Andrus
Drums – Jake Hanna