Miguel Zenon - 'Golden City'

San Francisco-based saxophonist Miguel Zenon's 2024 album Golden City earned a 2025 Grammy Award nomination for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album. Recorded with a nonet, Zenon now has >20 Grammy/Latin Grammy nominations. He won Best Latin Jazz Album last year for his duet release with pianist Luis Pedromo, El Arte Del Bolero, Vol. 2.

"Thematically and instrumentally challenging and complex, featuring a nonet heavy on the low-end brass (trombones, tuba, trumpet), Golden City is a triumph.... The album is Miguel Zenon at his creative peak." Dan McClenaghan/AllAboutJazz. Musicians include trumpeter Diego Urcola and trombonist Alan Ferber.

This is Zenon's ~24th album since 2001. He is a long-time member of the SF Jazz Collective. Miguel's: website ; Wikipedia ; Discogs ; Bandcamp.

Miguel Zenon, Golden City, full album: YouTube ; Spotify ; Bandcamp

This is on the Jazz 2024 and Jazz Best Albums 2024 playlists at Spotify/Jazz Todayish.

Enjoy the tune 'Cultural Corridor' from a 2022 performance of the album. 😎

Bill Warfield and The Hell’s Kitchen Funk Orchestra - ‘Chesapeake’

"One of the more flexible large ensembles on the New York scene. Capable of swinging fervently, playing a persuasive mambo or laying down the funk in no uncertain terms, the Hell’s Kitchen Funk Orchestra (HKFO) covers a lot of bases on Chesapeake." Jeremy Smith/Last Row Music. Guests include saxophonist Gary Bartz, trombonist Conrad Herwig and keyboardist Paul Shaffer.

Trumpeter-composer-arranger-bandleader-educator and Baltimore native Bill Warfield has played in the NYC area and released ~9 big band albums since ~1983 (Discogs). Most were as the Bill Warfield Big Band, and this is the 3rd HKFO album since 2020. Bill has a day job as director of the jazz program at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Bill Warfield and The Hell’s Kitchen Funk Orchestra, Chesapeake, full album: YouTube ; Spotify

This is on the Big Band 2024 and Jazz Best Albums 2024 playlists at Spotify/Jazz Todayish. 😎

Jihye Lee Orchestra - 'Infinite Connections' & 'Daring Mind' & 'April'

"Infinite Connections is remarkable contemporary jazz with a slight yet definitive Korean accent, marvelously written by Lee and impeccably performed by the orchestra." Jack Bowers/AllAboutJazz.

Jihye Lee is a Korean-born, Brooklyn-based composer, arranger, and conductor. This is her 3rd big band album since 2017, and all 3 are worth a listen. She studied with Jim McNeely at the Manhattan School of Music, and her co-producer is Grammy-winning composer/arranger Darcy James Argue.

Jihye Lee Orchestra, Infinite Connections, full album: YouTube ; Spotify ; Bandcamp

This is on the Big Band 2024 and Jazz Best Albums 2024 playlists at Spotify/Jazz Todayish.

"...a buoyant drama, a roaming investigation that swells and swales in all the right places," wrote Mike Jurkovic/AllAboutJazz about her 2021 album Daring Mind, which was Best Jazz Album at the Korean Music Awards.

Jihye Lee Orchestra, Daring Mind, full album: YouTube ; Spotify ; Bandcamp

This is on the Big Band 2021 playlist at Spotify/Jazz Todayish.

“Thought-provoking and gut-wrenching all at once,” wrote Dan Bilawsky/AllAboutJazz about her 2017 debut album April.

Jihye Lee Orchestra, April, full album: YouTube ; Spotify ; Bandcamp

Here is a studio performance of the first tune from Infinite Connections, with trumpet guest Ambrose Akinmusire. 😎

Bill Watrous - 'Manhattan Wildlife Refuge' & Gary Urwin Jazz Orch - 'A Beautiful Friendship' & 'Flying Colors'

Retrospective 1974, with an album from a half-century ago… (Friday 50s 😁) A Black Friday bonus includes a 2014 and 2024 album as well.

"Manhattan Wildlife Refuge and its follow-up, The Tiger of San Pedro, are the only two recordings of trombonist Bill Watrous' impressive big band of the mid-'70s." Scott Yanow/Allmusic. Album Discogs.

Trombonist/composer/arranger Bill Watrous was active in New York in the 60s - 70s, with a stint for the Merv Griffin Show and CBS. He moved to Los Angeles in the 80s, and continued to play on occasional small and big band albums to go with steady studio-work. Sam Houston State University (Texas) renamed its 66-year running jazz festival the SHSU Bill Watrous Jazz Festival 14 years ago, with an early April date. Bill's Discogs ; Allmusic.

Bill Watrous, Manhattan Wildlife Refuge, full album: YouTube ; Spotify

This is on the Jazz Best Albums 1974 playlist at Spotify/Jazz Todayish.

Bill is featured on several Gary Urwin Jazz Orchestra (GUJO) albums. Here's Bill's last big band recorded performance, from 2014.

Gary Urwin Jazz Orchestra, A Beautiful Friendship, full album: YouTube ; Spotify

The YouTube link above includes the 2024 album 

Gary Urwin Jazz Orchestra, Flying Colors, so here's the Spotify link also.

"Pianist Gary Urwin leads a swinging big band through some clever charts and rich solos brought on by an A-list of guests including the late Carl Saunders/tp, Wayne Bergeron/tp, Pete Christlieb/ts." George Harris/JazzWeekly. GUJO Discogs

This is on the Big Band 2024 playlist at Spotify/Jazz Todayish. 😎

Fernando Huergo Big Band - 'Relentless' & 'The Possibility Of Change'

"There are few wasted moments on Relentless, which is a marvelous tour de force for the band, its eloquent soloists and especially Huergo's creative and finely tuned compositions and arrangements." Jack Bowers/AllAboutJazz.

This is Argentine bassist Fernando Huergo's ~12th album since 1998, his 2nd with a big band. A New England (USA) resident, he is a faculty member at the New England Conservatory and Berklee College Of Music. Discogs.

Fernando Huergo Big Band, Relentless, full album: YouTube ; Spotify

This is on the Big Band 2024 and Jazz Best Albums 2024 playlists at Spotify/Jazz Todayish.

Have a listen to his really nice 2020 album after you enjoy the new one.

Fernando Huergo Big Band, The Possibility Of Change, full album: YouTube ; Spotify ; Bandcamp

This is on the Big Band 2020 playlist at Spotify/Jazz Todayish.

Here's nice studio performance of the first tune from Relentless. 😎

Joe Clark Big Band - 'Black And Cardinal'

Joe Clark is a Chicago-based trumpeter, composer and arranger. His compositions have been performed by Yo Yo Ma, Kurt Elling and the WDR Big Band, to name a few. Black and Cardinal is his 4th album since 2013, and 2nd with a big band. The only complaint - it could be longer... Joe's Discogs.

Joe Clark Big Band, Black And Cardinal, full album: YouTube ; Spotify ; Bandcamp

This is on the Big Band 2024 and Jazz Best Albums 2024 playlists at Spotify/Jazz Todayish. 😎

The One O'Clock Lab Band - 'Lab 2024'

3rd (or 1st) of 3 posts about jazz big bands comprised of young musicians. The other 2 are a short scroll below.

The class projects of the University of North Texas College of Music 'One O’Clock Lab Band' (OLB) have 7 Grammy Award nominations since the 1970s, from a library of >80 critically-acclaimed albums. Their 2024 release is Lab 2024.

"The OLB evolved from an extracurricular stage band founded in 1927 into a curricular laboratory dance band in 1947 when North Texas began its jazz degree program.... The OLB is noted for its exceptional individual musicianship and tight ensemble performance.... Among others, the university harbors the Stan Kenton and Maynard Ferguson Jazz Libraries." Wikipedia ; website ; YouTube ; Discogs (incomplete)

The One O'Clock Lab Band, Lab 2024, full album: YouTube ; Spotify

This is on the Big Band 2024 and Jazz Best Albums 2024 playlists at Spotify/Jazz Todayish.

The vid is not an album tune, but a nice performance of a tune by guest drummer Alison Miller. 😎

Saint Andreu Jazz Band - 'Jazzing' series

2nd of 3 posts about jazz big bands comprised of young musicians.

Joan Chamorro is a Spanish jazz saxophone, clarinet, flute, cornet, and double bass player. He is a tireless youth jazz educator. In 2006 he founded the Sant Andreu Jazz Band (SAJB), for 7 to 21 year olds, in Barcelona, Spain. The band has released ~ 27 albums in their Jazzing series since 2009. The albums are ~straight-ahead big band jazz, with ~3/4 instrumental tunes. Saxophonist Scott Hamilton is a frequent collaborator. Here's their 2024 releases:

Saint Andreu Jazz Band, Jazzing 14 Vol. 1, full album: YouTube ; Spotify ; Bandcamp

Saint Andreu Jazz Band, Jazzing 14 Vol. 2, full album: Spotify ; Bandcamp

These are on the Big Band 2024 playlist at Spotify/Jazz Todayish.

Joan Chamorro has released many small-band albums, with SAJB members and Scott Hamilton. Joan's website (& SAJB); YouTube (& SAJB); Discogs 

The SAJB's Bandcamp (& Joan) ; Discogs (incomplete)

The SAJB guests on Joan Chamorro Presenta Koldo Munne listed in a post below.

Here's a nice taste of what the kids can do, with a tune from Vol.1 that features guest Gerry Lopez on alto sax and Koldo Munne on baritone sax. The kids are alright! 😎

Frost Jazz Orchestra - 'Historic Landmarks Of Miami: Live At Gusman Concert Hall 2024' & 'Live At Gusman Concert Hall 2023'

1st (or 3rd) of 3 posts about jazz big bands comprised of young musicians. 

The Frost Jazz Orchestra is a component of the Frost School Of Music at the University Of Miami (Florida, USA). The orchestra has won Downbeat Magazine Student Music Awards often over the last decade, and often plays with jazz-great guests. Composer/arranger/trumpeter Dr. John Daversa is resident director, and Chair Of Studio Music And Jazz. This album documents a fine performance from April 2024.

John Daversa has over a dozen big band and small group releases as a leader or co-leader since 1994. He's won 3 Grammy Awards with 6 nominations. John's website ; YouTube ; Discogs ; ~monthly Podcast.

Frost Jazz Orchestra, Historic Landmarks Of Miami: Live At Gusman Concert Hall 2024, full album: YouTube ; Spotify

The orchestra's first album, from 2023, might be even better:

Frost Jazz Orchestra, Live At Gusman Concert Hall 2023, full album: YouTube ; Spotify

2024 is on the Big Band 2024 and Jazz Best Albums 2024 playlists, and 2023 is on Big Band 2023 and the Jazz Best Albums 2023 playlists at Spotify/Jazz Todayish. 😎

Here's a nice performance of a 2024 album tune:

Vanguard Jazz Orchestra - 'Centennial: The Music of Thad Jones'

The Thad Jones - Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra (TJMLJO) morphed into the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra (VJO) in 1990, has been in existence since 1965, and has won a Grammy by each name with 16 more nominations.

Trumpeter Thad Jones co-led the band through 1978, and a new VJO album celebrates his charts on Centennial. This is a 2 hour live show at the Village Vanguard in New York, where the orchestra has been in Monday-night residency for over 50 years! Album review at JazzWeekly.

The TJMLJO's 1974 double Grammy-nominated album Potpourri earned a post below, as part of a half-century retrospective. VJO Discogs. TJMLJO Discogs.

Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Centennial: The Music Of Thad Jones, full album: YouTube ; Spotify ; Bandcamp.

This is on the Big Band 2024 and Jazz Best Albums 2024 playlists at Spotify/Jazz Todayish.  😎

Peter Vuust & Aarhus Jazz Orchestra - 'New Views'

"Fresh charts on navigable waters," wrote George Harris at JazzWeekly. This is bassist Peter Vuust's 8th release, first with a large ensemble.

Peter has a day job as a music professor at Aarhus University, Denmark. Peter's Google Scholar page.

The Aarhus Jazz Orchestra (AJO) was incorporated in 1977 as the Kluvers Big Band (KBB), and has released >30 albums since 1990.  AJO: website ; Discogs ; YouTube. KBB Discogs.

Peter Vuust & Aarhus Jazz Orchestra, New Views, full album: YouTube ; Spotify ; Bandcamp

This is on Big Band 2024 and Jazz Best Albums 2024 at Spotify/Jazz Todayish. 😎

Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra - 'Tidal Currents: East Meets West'

Jack Bowers at AllAboutJazz wrote, "The Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra (WJO) has engaged two of that country's leading jazz composers, Jill Townsend and Christine Jensen, to present in musical terms impressions of places that have a special meaning to them... A superb album with no discernible flaws," except it is a bit short.

Full album at YouTube ; Spotify ; Bandcamp.

This is the WJOs seventh release since 1997. Discogs (not up to date) ; website.

On the Spotify playlists Big Band 2024 and Jazz Best Albums 2024.

😎

David Liebman & The CNY Jazz Orchestra - 'If A White Horse From Jerusalem...'

"The mix of Semitic and swing is as delicious as za’atar on bread," wrote George Harris at JazzWeekly.

Saxophonist Dave Liebman has released >200 albums since 1973. Wikipedia ; Discogs ; website. 

The Central New York, or CNY Jazz Orchestra was formed in 1996 by the CNY Jazz Arts Foundation and has released at least 4 albums. website

Dave Liebman & The CNY Jazz Orchestra, If A White Horse From Jerusalem..., full album: YouTube ; Spotify ; Bandcamp.

Added to Big Band 2024 and Jazz Best Albums 2024 at Spotify/JazzTodayish.

 😎

Dan Pugach Big Band - 'Bianca Reimagined'

Drummer Dan Pugach released this album twice this year, earlier as just Bianca, and recently as Bianca Reimagined, with 2 songs and an alternate version added. The reimagined version earned two 2025 Grammy Award nominations: Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album, and Best Jazz Performance for the tune 'Little Fears.' Review AllAboutJazz.

Mostly instrumentals, vocals on acoupla tunes by his wife Nicole Zuraitis. She earned a Grammy nomination with Dan in 2018 for Best Arrangement for Instruments and Vocals for the tune 'Jolene' on Dan Pugach Nonet Plus One. Dan's website.

Full album: YouTube ; Spotify ; Bandcamp.

This is on Big Band 2024 and Jazz Best Albums 2024 at Spotify/Jazz Todayish.

Here's a live album tune:

 😎

William Cepeda - 'The Sound Of Puerto Rican Jazz'

"If you’re looking for some new, fresh and exciting sounds, this big band album led by trombonist William Cepeda is going to knock your socks off," wrote George Harris at JazzWeekly. William's website.

Full album: YouTube ; Spotify.

Added to Big Band 2024 and Jazz Best Albums 2024 at Spotify/JazzTodayish.

Several of the album tunes have nice live performances on William's YouTube channel:

       😎

Steve Lehman & Orchestre National De Jazz - ‘Ex Machina’

Here's a somewhat futuristic 2023 release.

The Orchestre National De Jazz is a progressive French big band that has released ~35 albums since 1986. Their latest endeavors delve into prog-rock and artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted compositions. Discogs ; website ; YouTube ; Bandcamp

Their 2023 album Ex Machina, with composer/saxophonist Steve Lehman, used an AI program as a pre-compositional tool. Karl Ackermann/AllAboutJazz: “ Seamlessly incorporated with acoustic and electronic instrumentation, the elements blend together as … a baffling and beautiful juggling act.”

This is Steve Lehman's ~6th album since 2005. Discogs ; website ; Bandcamp

Steve Lehman & Orchestre National De Jazz, Ex Machina, full album: YouTube ; Spotify ; Bandcamp.

This is on Big Band 2023 at Spotify/Jazz Todayish. 😎

Fredrik Nordström - ‘Big Band Stories’

Here’s a nice 2024 release.

Big Band Stories is saxophonist Fredrik Nordström’s 2nd big band album. Mark Corroto/AllAboutJazz: “Nordström's gift is his ability to leave space in this music for the solos to develop…. While Nordström solos on six tracks, he also gives generous attention to the skilled ensemble players assembled.” The band is ~northern European players.

Fredrik has released >13 albums since 2000, with Vibb, in 2007, his other big band release. Website. Discogs.

Fredrik Nordström, Big Band Stories, full album: YouTube ; Spotify ; Bandcamp

This is on Jazz Best Albums 2024 and Big Band 2024 at Spotify/Jazz Todayish.  😎

Martin Sjöstedt & Stockholm Jazz Orchestra - ‘Horizon’

This album was mentioned as a new release in a post below on 21 February.

Pianist/bassist/composer/band-member Martin Sjöstedt writes 4 tunes to go with 5 standards for the Stockholm Jazz Orchestra’s (SJO) new album Horizon. Neil Duggan/AllAboutJazz: “The orchestra plays flawlessly, often weaving textures that can seamlessly shift from dark to light while the soloists improvise at a high level, making this an attractive example of the jazz orchestra art form.”

This is Martin’s ~6th album since 2009. He’s been a member of the SJO for >25 years. He also led In The Blink Of An Eye with the SJO in 2013. Martin’s Discogs.

The Stockholm Jazz Orchestra has played modern swinging big band jazz in the tradition for 40 years, with 19 albums and one more coming in the fall of 2024. They’ve done albums with Bob Brookmeyer, Bob Mintzer and Jim McNeely. SJO's Discogs.

Martin Sjöstedt & Stockholm Jazz Orchestra, Horizon, full album: YouTube ; Spotify

This is on Jazz Best Albums 2024 and Big Band 2024 at Spotify/Jazz Todayish.  😎

Jukka Linkola Tentet - ‘Rumba Liberte’

Here’s a nice album from 2023. A tentet is a ‘little big band.’

JazzFinland: “On Rumba Liberte you can hear multidimensional music, where prog shifts are combined with the soundscape of a big band… According to pianist/arranger/bandleader Jukka Linkola you will hear an energetic and surprising ensemble, in whose sounds you can hear a lot of creative madness.”

Jukka has hewn ‘creative madness’ around Europe long enough to have >25 albums on Discogs since 1976. He did another ‘Tentet’ album in 1994. The video is an album tune.

Jukka Linkola Tentet, Rumba Liberte, full album: YouTube ; Spotify ; Bandcamp

This is on Jazz Best Albums 2023 and Big Band 2023 at Spotify/Jazz Todayish.

When Finns need a break from Metal, they consult the JazzFinland website for up-to-date information on album releases and live shows.  😎

SWR Big Band X Joe Gallardo - ‘It Is What It Is’

Here is the SWR Big Band’s new release, It Is What It Is, with trombonist Joe Gallardo. The album was introduced in a post below on 11 February. It’s Latin jazz big band.

SWR is a public radio broadcaster in Stuttgart, Germany, and sponsors The SWR Big Band, which has released ~55 albums since 1997, in collaboration with jazz giants. SWR Discogs.

The SWR Big Band won a Grammy for Best Instrumental Arrangement for the tune ‘Scrapple From The Apple,’ from their 2021 album with pianist John Beasley, Bird Lives. The album was also nominated for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album, and the tune ‘Cherokee/Koko’ was nominated for Best Jazz Performance. A post below from 10 January has more info.

The big band’s 2023 album with trumpeter Torsten Maaß, Music Written By Real Life, Part 1, was mentioned as a new release in a post below.

Trombonist Joe Gallardo has been active in Germany since the 1970s, has released ~7 albums since 1986, and penned a Grammy-winner tune …. He did an album with the NDR Big Band in 2005, Latin Jazz Latino. Joe’s Discogs.

SWR Big Band X Joe Gallardo, It Is What It Is, full album: YouTube ; Spotify

This is on Jazz Best Albums 2024 and Big Band 2024 at Spotify/Jazz Todayish.

The nice tune below is not an album tune, has dated 2009 video but fine sound, and features Joe.  😎