Recent instrumental big band and orchestral jazz album recommendations. With 25 & 50 year retrospectives, to illustrate the timelessness of this great music.
THIS SITE PROMOTES FUN JAZZ!
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!
Showing posts with label YouTube song(s). Show all posts
Showing posts with label YouTube song(s). Show all posts
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.
"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.
The WDR Big Band posted this tune recently. Some contemplative big band….
From the YouTube info: “The WDR BIG BAND plays ‘Young Blood’ (composer: Gerry Mulligan / arranger Jörg Achim Keller) under the direction of Jörg Achim Keller. Solos are played by Rob Bruynen on trumpet, Paul Heller on tenor saxophone and Karolina Strassmayer on alto saxophone. Live recording of the concert ‘Mr Mulligan's Concert Jazz’ at the Kölner Philharmonie (October 2023).”
Jörg Achim Keller is a German drummer who has played with the hr Bigband and the NDR Big Band. He is leader on 3 albums released with NDRBB from 2002-09. Discogs.
The WDR Big Band is a project of WDR Broadcasters in Cologne, Germany. They have released >75 albums since 1979, and have won 4 Grammys with 6 nominations.YouTubechannel (please subscribe); website; Discogs
From the YouTube info: “The WDR BIG BAND plays his composition ‘Mel’ under the direction of Jim McNeely. Solos are played by Hans Dekker on drums and Paul Heller on tenor saxophone. Live recording of the concert ‘Past And Present’ in the Cologne Philharmonic (December 2023).”
Pianist/composer/arranger Jim McNeelyhas been involved with big bands since 1978, and has variously led the Vanguard & Danish Radio Jazz Orchestras and the HR Big Band. He’s also had long stints with saxophonists Phil Woods and Stan Getz. Jim has a Grammy and 12 nominations, with ~26 albums and ~18 of them big band.Website; Discogs.
The WDR Big Band is a project of WDR Broadcasters in Cologne, Germany. They have released >75 albums since 1979, and have won 4 Grammys with 6 nominations.YouTubechannel (please subscribe); website; Discogs
From the YouTube info: “The WDR BIG BAND plays ‘Big City Blues’ by Bob Brookmeyer under the direction of Jörg Achim Keller. Solos are played by Billy Test on piano, Ben Fitzpatrick on clarinet, Raphael Klemm on trombone and Rob Bruynen on trumpet. Live recording of the concert ‘Mr Mulligan's Concert Jazz’ at the Kölner Philharmonie (October 2023).”
Jörg Achim Keller is a German drummer who has played with the hr Bigband and the NDR Big Band. He is leader on 3 albums released with NDRBB from 2002-09. Discogs.
The WDR Big Band is a project of WDR Broadcasters in Cologne, Germany. They have released >75 albums since 1979, and have won 4 Grammys with 6 nominations.YouTubechannel (please subscribe); website; Discogs
From the YouTube info: “The WDR BIG BAND plays ‘Blueport’ (composer: Art Farmer / arranger: Al Cohn) under the direction of Jörg Achim Keller. Solos are played by Jens Neufang on baritone saxophone, Raphael Klemm on trombone, Paul Heller on tenor saxophone, John Goldsby on bass and Andy Hader on trumpet. Live recording of the concert ‘Mr Mulligan's Concert Jazz’ at the Kölner Philharmonie (October 2023).”
The WDR Big Band is a project of WDR Broadcasters in Cologne, Germany. They have released >75 albums since 1979.YouTube channel (please subscribe); website; Discogs
YouTube: “Featured on the new album LifeSongs…. Marshall Gilkes performs his composition ‘Sin Filtro’ together with the WDR BIG BAND. Recorded as part of the concert ‘Fresh Start’ at WDR JAZZCLUB / Cologne in November 2022.”
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; Wikipedia
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
The Frankfurt Radio Big Band, with saxophonist Mark Turner, posted the tune ‘Return From The Stars’ recently. It is a Turner composition, arranged by Jim McNeely, and Christine Jenson conducts.
This is from an almost 2 hour concert available here on YouTube, from 9 March 2023. The show was discussed in a post below.
The Frankfurt Radio Big Band, also known as the ‘hr Big Band,’ is a project of Hessian Radio, Germany. They have released ~19 albums since 2007.YouTubechannel (please subscribe); website; Discogs. Their YouTube channel has >50 full concerts that were live streamed from the last 6 years! 😎
Pianist, big band composer/arranger, Grammy Award winner Steven Feifke posted his tune ‘Kinetic’ recently, with Steven Feifke and Bijon Watson's Generation Gap Jazz Orchestra.
YouTube: “The longstanding tradition … of hiring the ‘young guns’ for an ensemble has all but disappeared in recent years... With more than two decades between them, Steven and Bijon make the objective of ‘The Generation Gap Jazz Orchestra’ to strengthen that tradition of mentorship that has shaped and defined the jazz idiom since its earliest beginnings.”
From the New Trier Jazz Festival, Winnetka, IL, USA, 3 February 2024. See YouTube for band-members.
Here’s a song from an album discussed ~12 posts down on 7 February.
YouTube: “Featured on the new album LifeSongs…. Marshall Gilkes performs his composition ‘Middle Ground’ together with the WDR BIG BAND. Solos are played by Ludwig Nuss, Raphael Klemm and Peter Hedrich on trombones. Recorded as part of the concert ‘Fresh Start’ at WDR JAZZCLUB / Cologne in November 2022.”
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; Wikipedia
Here’s a song from an album discussed ~10 posts down.
YouTube: “Featured on the new album LifeSongs…. Marshall Gilkes performs his composition ‘Fresh Start’ together with the WDR BIG BAND. Recorded as part of the concert ‘Fresh Start’ at WDR JAZZCLUB / Cologne in November 2022.”
The WDR Big Band is a project of WDR Broadcasters in Cologne, Germany. They have released >75 albums since 1979.YouTube channel (please subscribe); website; Discogs; Wikipedia
The Frankfurt Radio Big Band, with saxophonist Mark Turner, posted the tune ‘Walking Ballad’ recently. It is a Turner composition, arranged by conductor Christine Jenson.
This is from an almost 2 hour concert available here on YouTube, from 9 March 2023. The show is being posted song-by-song, evidently.
The Frankfurt Radio Big Band, also known as the ‘hr Big Band,’ is a project of Hessian Radio, Germany. They have released ~19 albums since 2007.YouTubechannel (please subscribe); website; Discogs. 😎
Pianist, big band composer/arranger, Grammy Award winner Steven Feifke posted his tune ‘I’ve Got Algorithm’ recently, with Steven Feifke and Bijon Watson's Generation Gap Jazz Orchestra.
YouTube: “The longstanding tradition … of hiring the ‘young guns’ for an ensemble has all but disappeared in recent years... With more than two decades between them, Steven and Bijon make the objective of ‘The Generation Gap Jazz Orchestra’ to strengthen that tradition of mentorship that has shaped and defined the jazz idiom since its earliest beginnings.”
From the New Trier Jazz Festival, Winnetka, IL, USA, 3 February 2024. See YouTube for band-members.
The Frankfurt Radio Big Band, with saxophonist Mark Turner, posted the tune ‘Lennie Groove’ recently. It is a Turner composition, arranged by Jim McNeely, Christine Jenson conductor. This band is also known as the ‘hr Big Band.’
This is from an almost 2 hour concert available here on YouTube, from 9 March 2023. The show is being posted song-by-song, evidently.
The hr Big Band / Frankfurt Radio Big Band is a project of Hessian Radio, Germany. They have released ~19 albums since 2007. YouTubechannel (please subscribe); website; Discogs 😎
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; Wikipedia
The Frankfurt Radio Big Band, with saxophonist Mark Turner, posted the tune ‘It’s Not Alright With Me’ recently. It is a Turner composition, arranged by Jim McNeely, Christine Jenson conductor. This band is also known as the ‘hr Big Band.’
This is from an almost 2 hour concert available here on YouTube, from 9 March 2023. The show is being posted song-by-song, evidently.
The hr Big Band / Frankfurt Radio Big Band is a project of Hessian Radio, Germany. They have released ~19 albums since 2007. YouTubechannel (please subscribe); website; Discogs 😎
Here’s a song from an album discussed just 2 posts below on 7 February.
YouTube: “Featured on the new album LifeSongs…. Recorded November 2022 in the WDR Funkhaus Studio 4, Cologne, Germany.”
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; Wikipedia
The Frankfurt Radio Big Band, with saxophonist Mark Turner, posted the tune ‘Brother Sister II’ recently. It is a Turner composition, arranged by Jim McNeely, Christine Jenson conductor. This band is also known as the ‘hr Big Band.’
This is from an almost 2 hour concert available here on YouTube, from 9 March 2023. The show is being posted song-by-song, evidently.
The hr Big Band / Frankfurt Radio Big Band is a project of Hessian Radio, Germany. They have released ~19 albums since 2007. 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.
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
