Recent instrumental big band and orchestral jazz album recommendations. With 25 & 50 year retrospectives, to illustrate the timelessness of this great music.
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Excerpts from and links to album reviews of rather boisterous jazz albums. Artist info links at: Wikipedia; website; Discogs; Bandcamp as available. Links to the full album on: basic/free YouTube; subscription Spotify; purchase download Bandcamp. Check your favorite service. Please enjoy!
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.”
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.
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
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 Discogssince 1976. He did another ‘Tentet’ album in 1994. The video is an album tune.
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.
SWRis 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. SWRDiscogs.
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
David Shiers/LondonJazzNews: “Face to Face was made during pianist Nikki Iles’ time working in Germany as Composer in Residence with the awesome NDR Bigband…. recorded ‘live’ in the studio, with no overdubs or effects…. Face to Face is evidence that the big band can still give us great art.”
This is Niki’s ~13th release since 1996, and first as a big band leader. Niki’s website; Discogs.
The NDR Big Band is a project of NDR Broadcasters in Hamburg, and explores the progressive side of big band. They have released >75 albums since 1985.Discogs. Their YouTube channel (please subscribe) has >50 full concerts that were live streamed from the last 6 years.
Here’s a YouTube playlist with ~40 minutes of 5 tunes from Jazz Baltica 2023, with one below.
This nice 2024 album was mentioned as a new release on 11 February below.
Thierry De Clemensat/Paris-Move: “This collaborative project, led by … pianist Garry Dial and … arranger-drummer Rich DeRosa, honors the great jazz educator Charlie Banacos, whose pedagogy has influenced generations of jazz musicians over the past 50 years. The album, consisting of 10 tracks, presents Banacos’ music reimagined and rearranged by Dial and DeRosa, performed by some of Banacos’ most accomplished disciples and friends…. A 100-page book accompanies the album, containing personal anecdotes, photographs, artistic renditions, and more.”
Guests include Jerry Bergonzi & Gary Smulyan (sax), Dick Oatts & Terrell Stafford (trumpet), Jeff Berlin (bass) and Mike Stern (guitar).
This is Dial’s ~7th album since 1988. DiscogsThis is DeRosa’s ~2nd release since 2012. Discogs.
Garry Dial & Rich DeRosa, Keep Swingin’ - The Music Of Charlie Banacos, full album: YouTube; Spotify; book @ Bookbaby
Pianist Arturo O'Farrill leads the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, based in NYC. Arturo uploads a vlog to YouTube weekly, called ‘Virtual Birdland.’ Here’s a recent episode that features pandemic- related Zoom performances. They're wild because 18 musicians were coordinated to play from home, and is also how the namesake album was recorded.
YouTube: “Virtual Birdland is continuing for the beginning of 2024! Our Belongo/ALJA online content is changing, but we will continue to present on a regular basis. Tune in every Sunday at 8:30PM ET.
This week, we're revisiting some favorite selections from the Virtual Birdland CD, released on Zoho Music in 2021. Included are compositions by Arturo O'Farrill, Rafi Malkiel and the late, great Larry Willis.
The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra are: Arturo O’Farrill – Piano & Artistic Director. Saxes: Alejandro Aviles, Roman Filiu, Adison Evans, Ivan Renta, Jasper Dutz, Larry Bustamante. Trumpets: Seneca Black, Bryan Davis, Rachel Therrien, Adam O’Farrill, Walter Cano. Trombones: Rafi Malkiel, Mariel Bildsten, Abdulrahman Amer, Earl McIntyre. Vince Cherico – Drums, Bam Bam Rodriguez – Bass, Carlos “Carly” Maldonado – Percussion, Keisel Jimenez – Congas.”
The YouTube channel for Arturo’s vlog and the orchestra is Belongó | Afro Latin Jazz (please subscribe). This is episode 174, so the channel has many vlogs and performances.
Arturo has released ~21 albums since 1999, 8 with the orchestra. Arturo has 6 Grammys and 12 nominations (4 & 7 with the orchestra), to go with 2 Latin Grammys and 3 nominations (1 each with the orchestra). They won Grammys for Best Latin Jazz Album in 2021 and 2023, with a 2022 nomination. Quite a streak! Arturo’s Discogs; website.
The vlog namesake album Virtual Birdland earned a 2022 Grammy Award nomination for Best Latin Jazz Album. Jack Bowers/AllAboutJazz: “It's an album that also touches a lot of bases, from Cuba to Morocco and beyond, embracing Brazilian and even Kuwaiti themes while employing Afro-Cuban rhythms, the samba, rhumba, bomba jazz and American swing to press home its point…. Even though this Birdland is virtual ... the spirit is no less ardent, and it shows.” Saxophonist Paquito D’Rivera guests and wrote the tune 'Samba for Carmen.'
Arturo O'Farrill, Virtual Birdland, full album: YouTube; Spotify
This nice 2024 album was mentioned as a new release ~6 posts below.
Connor McCormick/Stage and Cinema: “On CT!, baritone saxophonist and bandleader Adam Schroeder teams up with arranger Mark Masters to deliver [13 tunes] composed by renowned trumpeter Clark Terry…. The proof is in the playing, and CT! is full of the kinds of moments that Terry himself would have appreciated, created by a band full of people with a clear connection to the history of the music, to its future, and to one another.” Peter Erskine drums.
Baritone saxophonist Adam Schroeder … presently serves as an Associate Professor of Jazz & Commercial Music at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He’s a prolific studio musician with many album, television, and film credits. Website; Discogs(old)
Trumpeter/arranger Mark Masters has >15 big band releases since 1984. His most recent before this was the Mark Masters Ensemble Masters & Baron Meet Blanton & Webster. Discogs 1 ; Discogs 2.
Adam Schroeder & Mark Masters, CT! Celebrate Clark Terry, full album: YouTube; Spotify
Nicholas Mondello/AllAboutJazz: “Islands from Dan Bonsanti is a tour de force consisting of eleven unique selections, colorful textured arrangements, and outstanding ensemble and solo playing.”
The 14 Jazz Orchestra: Dan Bonsanti, composer/conductor; Ed Calle, Ed Maina, Peter Brewer, Mike Brignola, saxophones; Brett Murphey, Jason Carder, John Lovell, trumpet; Dana Teboe, Major Bailey, trombone; Mike Levine, piano; Lindsey Blair, guitar. Guests include Dave Liebman on sax, Peter Erskine on drums and Mike Mainieri on vibes.
This is the Orchestra’s 4th album since 2015. Discogs.
The 14 Jazz Orchestra, Islands, full album: YouTube; Spotify
Added these albums to Big Band 2024, now ~5 albums, at Spotify/JazzTodayish. Check your streaming service, YouTube or Bandcamp. Good big band jazz here.
Garry Dial & Rich DeRosa, Keep Swingin’. Paris Move .
Adam Schroeder & Mark Masters, CT! Celebrate Clark Terry. Stage And Cinema.
Paul Dunmall Quintet & Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Big Band, Soultime Again.London Jazz News.
Joe Gallardo & SWR Big Band, It Is What It Is. YouTube.
George Harris/JazzWeekly: “Trombonist, composer and arranger Doug Beavers mixes medium and big sized bands on this sophisticatedly arranged album… Rich charts.”
From his website: “... perform, arrange and record for Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Christian McBride, Mingus Big Band, Ruben Blades, Típica ’73, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Paul Simon, Willie Colón, and countless others. As a leader, he’s recorded six critically acclaimed albums; his 2017 release, Art of the Arrangement, earned a Grammy nomination.”Doug's Discogs ; Bandcamp.
Time for a 2024 release. Based on the December & January posts below, it is wholly appropriate that it is from this band.
Jack Bowers/AllAboutJazz: “Marshall Gilkes spent the years 2010-13 in the WDR Big Band trombone section, shortly before he and the ensemble released Koln in 2015 [2x Grammy nominated] and Always Forward in 2018…. This is big-band jazz at its peak, marvelously written by Gilkes and masterfully performed by the impressive WDR Big Band.”
Soloists include: Billy Test, piano; Andy Haderer, trumpet; Johan Horlen & Paul Heller, saxes; fellow trombonists Ludwig Nuss, Raphael Klemm and Andy Hunter. The video is an album tune performed in-studio.
This is Marshall’s 7th album since 2008. He did a 4th big band album with the United States Air Force Band Airmen Of Note, The Jazz Heritage Series 2018 Radio Broadcasts, with drummer Peter Erskine and other guests. Marshall's Discogs; website
The WDR Big Band is a project of WDR Broadcasters in Cologne, Germany. They have released >75 albums since 1979. YouTubechannel (please subscribe); website; Discogs
Grammy January (see 2 posts below) includes some February.
The WDR Big Band posted this tune today. Pianist Billy Childs just won the 2024 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album for his 2023 release The Winds Of Change.
From the YouTube info: “The WDR Big Band plays with Grammy winner Billy Childs on piano the latter's composition ‘Dance Of Shiva’ in an arrangement by Ansgar Striepens (conductor). Further solos are played by Johan Hörlén on alto saxophone and Hans Dekker on drums. Recorded live at the Kölner Philharmonie (February 2018).”
The WDR Big Band is a project of WDR Broadcasters in Cologne, Germany. They have released >75 albums since 1979. YouTubechannel (please subscribe); website; Discogs
This is Billy's 6th Grammy Award with 17 nominations! He has released ~19 albums since 1985. Billy's Discogs; website
Grammy January (see 4 posts above) includes some February.
This album is nominated for a 2024 Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album. The awards are on 4 February.
Katchie Cartwright/AllAboutJazz: “From the tensile strength of the first chord… Darcy James Argue's Secret Society's Dynamic Maximum Tension is a delight… There is more to report but, like Argue said, ‘Just close your eyes and listen to the damn thing.’"
This is Darcy’s 4th big band album since 2009, and all received nominations. The YT link’s 1st ~12 vids are this album, then abuncha older live performances by the band, including an entire ‘Jazz Night In America’ show. The video below is the live-in-studio 1st album tune. Darcy’s website; Discogs. Society’s Discogs.
Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, Dynamic Maximum Tension, full album: YouTube; Spotify; Bandcamp
BluesRockReview: “Mr. Basie said, ‘our blues will make your blues go away.’ Throughout Basie Swings The Blues The Count Basie Orchestra flows the album together with both mood-altering rhythms and horn exclamation points.”
Shemekia Copeland, Keb Mo, Buddy Guy, Robert Cray, Bettye LeVette, Charlie Musselwhite, George Benson and more do a vocal tune and play.
Trumpeter Scotty Barnhart has led the band since 2013, their 6th leader since Basie died in ‘84, and they’ve now earned 3 Grammy nominations under his direction. The Count Basie Orchestra has been in ~continuous business since 1936! Orchestra’s website; Discogs
The video is the band swingin’ the blues from 1941. To record these guys with modern techniques….
The Count Basie Orchestra, Basie Swings The Blues, full album: YouTube; Spotify
This is nominated for the 2024 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Large Ensemble Album. The awards are on 4 February.
Richard Salvucci/AllAboutJazz: “Here you have intriguing arrangements, superb musicians, and atmospherics galore… Olympians was recorded remotely during the pandemic. It is yet another lovely artifact of a very troubled time.” Dianne Reeves and Cecile McLorin Salvant each sing a song, and saxophonists Chris Potter and David Binney help.
Composer/arranger Vince Mendoza led the Metropole Orkest from 2005-13, and occasionally since. He has 7 Grammys and 1 Latin Grammy with 38 more nominations. This is his ~27th album since 1989. Vince’s: website; Discogs; Bandcamp.
The Orkest has 4 Grammys and 2 Oscars, and has released >150 albums since 1952. They are a project of Netherlands Public Broadcasting, and are based in Hilversum. The Orkest’s: website; Discogs
Vince Mendoza & Metropole Orkest, Olympians, full album: YouTube; Spotify
Added these albums to Big Band 2023, now ~85 albums, at Spotify/JazzTodayish. Check your streaming service, YouTube or Bandcamp. Abuncha good ones here.
The Flying Horse Big Band, A Message From The Flying Horse Big Band. Jack Bowers/AllAboutJazz gave this 5/5 stars.
Mario Corvini & New Talents Jazz Orchestra Play Enrico Pieranunzi, Entropy. Xango Music.
Hakan Brostrom & New Places Orchestra, Cosmic Friends. JazzBluesNews. 😎
