Kenny Wheeler: Legacy - 'Some Days Are Better: The Lost Scores' & Big Band - 'The Long Waiting'

The 5th 2025 release posted is a tribute album, with an album from the tributee.... 🎺

Nick Smart conducts the Royal Academy of Music (RAM) Jazz Orchestra from the UK, and John Daversa leads the University of Miami’s Frost Jazz Orchestra for one tune, in this album of recently discovered charts by Kenny Wheeler. These bands are augmented by Wheeler devotees and associates: pianist Shelly Berg;  trumpeters John Daversa, Ingrid Jensen, Etienne Charles, Nick Smart, Brian Lynch; saxophonists Evan Parker, Chris Potter; singer Norma Winstone.

"While the historical importance of these compositions is clear, the real magic of Some Days Are Better comes from the energy and depth the young musicians of the Academy and Frost ensembles bring to the table. Their passion, commitment, and feel for Wheeler’s music infuses these scores with fresh life, showing that his music is just as vibrant and timeless as ever." Tim Larsen/JazzViews.

Nick Smart is head of the Jazz Program at RAM, which is part of the University of London. This appears to be their 1st 'jazz orchestra' release. The Academy has a music label, which releases a wide variety of classical albums. Discogs. This is Nick's ~4th release since ~2006, and he recorded in Kenny Wheeler's big band. Website (old) ; Discogs.

A post below is about and gives more info on John Daversa and the Frost Jazz Orchestra and their 2024 album Historic Landmarks Of Miami: Live At Gusman Concert Hall 2024, and their 2023 album Live At Gusman Concert Hall 2023, with a video.   

Kenny Wheeler was a trumpeter/composer/arranger/bandleader, and big band and avant-garde stalwart. He had >80 releases and collaborations from ~1968 - 2014. Wikipedia ; Allmusic ; Discogs.

Kenny Wheeler Legacy, Some Days Are Better: The Lost Scores, full album: YouTube ; Spotify ; Bandcamp. 

This is on the Big Band 2025 and Jazz Best Albums 2025 playlists at Spotify/Jazz Todayish.

Here's a Kenny Wheeler Big Band album, from 2012, that has Nick Smart in the trumpet section. "For this session, Wheeler's charts are performed by a 17-piece big band.... Wheeler's expressive flügelhorn has a slightly dissonant, fragile sound that is very much his own, while his works are full of moving ensemble passages and superb individual solos." Ken Dryden/Allmusic. Album Discogs.  😎

Kenny Wheeler Big Band, The Long Waiting, full album: YouTube ; Spotify 

Allison Miller & The One O'Clock Lab Band - 'Big & Lovely'

The first post for a 2025 release is from that wonderful jazz program that helps keep the flame alive. The University of North Texas (UNT) and its One O'Clock Lab Band performs songs by and with drummer Allison Miller.

"I couldn’t be more thrilled to have collaborated with Alan Baylock and the prestigious One O’Clock Lab Band on this project. It just felt right from the very beginning and I am immensely grateful to the talented students for their hard work, passionate energy, and exemplary performance on this album!" 

Allison has released >15 albums since 2004. She began her jazz career as a big band drummer at age 14, and her recording career with singer/songwriter Ani DiFranco in the late 90s. She now leads her own band 'Boom Tic Boom,' and guests on many sessions. Website ; Wikipedia ; Allmusic ; Discogs.

A post below is about the One O'Clock Lab Band's album Lab 24, with more info about the band and a video with Allison.

Allison Miller And The One O'clock Lab Band, Big & Lovely, full album: YouTube ; Spotify ; Bandcamp

This is on the Big Band 2025 and Jazz Best Albums 2025 playlists at Spotify/Jazz Todayish.

UNT has a Two O'Clock Lab Band as well, and their 2021 album Long Way On A Blues earned a post below, with more info on that band.

Allison and the band perform the fun title track.

That was so nice, here's another tune.

Might as well post all of these concert tunes. One more at the previously mentioned post below. 😎

Temple University Studio Orchestra - 'Labyrinth'

"One of Los Angeles’ greatest treasures, pianist Billy Childs, takes a trip to Philadelphia where his big band compositional and arranging skills are put to good use. The Temple University Studio Orchestra (TUSO), conducted by Jose Luis Deominguez, is supplemented by ringers Terell Stafford/tp, and Dick Oatts/as,  on this three song collection." George Harris/JazzWeekly. Album Discogs ; website.

A post below celebrates Billy Childs' 2024 Grammy Award winner album The Winds Of Change. The post has a video of Billy with the WDR Big Band, along with more Billy info.

This is the TUSOs 2nd album, but Temple U. has many jazz ensemble iterations. "BCM&D Records is the official record label of the Boyer College of Music and Dance at Temple University. Founded in 2009 to highlight recordings by Boyer students and faculty, the label has since garnered five Grammy nominations." TUSO Discogs. BCM&D website. The Temple University Jazz Band has 3 albums: Spotify ; Discogs.

Temple University Studio Orchestra, Labyrinth, full album: YouTube ; Spotify ; Bandcamp

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

OSU Jazz Orchestra - 'Angular Tuesday' & 'Room 118' & 'Solid Gold'

Another university band spreads plenty of holiday cheer on these 3 fine albums. 😁

"The splendid Oklahoma State University Jazz Orchestra (OSUJA) seldom pauses for breath on Angular Tuesday, its third album under director Tommy Poole.... It is the admirable and earnest section work on every number that raises Angular Tuesday above the norm." Jack Bowers/AllAboutJazz.

OSU Jazz Orchestra, Angular Tuesday, full album: YouTube ; Spotify

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

The other two OSUJA albums are corkers as well. OSUJA website ; YouTube

"There must be something special there, as the OSUJA is one of the most well-rehearsed university-level jazz ensembles you're likely to encounter..." Jack Bowers/All About Jazz. From 2021.

OSU Jazz Orchestra, Room 118, full album: YouTube ; Spotify

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

Trombonist Michael Dease guests on their 2018 album. "A tasty banquet that's sure to quicken the appetite of almost any champion of straight-ahead big-band jazz." Jack Bowers/All About Jazz.

OSU Jazz Orchestra, Solid Gold, full album: YouTube ; Spotify

This is on the Big Band 2018 playlist at Spotify/JazzTodayish. 

Enjoy the new album's title track, performed in-studio. Their YouTube channel has ~9 more nice tunes, from the various albums, recorded like this. 😎

Rob Parton's Ensemble 9+ - 'Relentless' & Two O'Clock Lab Band - 'Long Way On A Blues'

"Parton has produced another winner with Relentless, and fans of big-band jazz should rejoice accordingly." Troy Dostert/AllAboutJazz. Mainly instrumental, with 2 vocal tunes.

Trumpeter Rob Parton is a faculty member of North Texas University (NTU) since 2019. Before that he was Chicago-based and led the JazzTech Big Band, which released 7 albums from 1991 - 2007. Rob's website ; Discogs. Fyi, an album by the Fernando Huergo Big Band with the same title was recommended recently below.

Rob Parton's Ensemble 9+, Relentless, full album: YouTube ; Spotify ; Bandcamp

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

A post below is about NTU's One O'Clock Lab Band. Parton released the 2021 album Long Way On A Blues with NTU's Two O'Clock Lab Band (TLB), another renown NTU student class. The TLB has released ~18 albums since 1994. "The band takes to the charts like ducks to water..." Jack Bowers/AllAboutJazz. Mainly instrumental, with 2 vocal tunes. Album Discogs. TLB Discogs ; Wikipedia

Two O'Clock Lab Band, Long Way On A Blues, full album: YouTube ; Spotify

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

Enjoy the title tune 'Long Way On A Blues' played live in studio by the NTU TLB. 😎

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:

Big Band 2024 - 3 albums

These are some 2024 big band/orchestral jazz releases that I won't get a chance to do a complete post on. These are all on Big Band 2024 at Spotify/JazzTodayish. 😎

Peter Jonatan & Metropole Orkest, Psalms Symphony, full album: YouTube ; Spotify

Joan Chamorro, Presenta Koldo Munne, full album: YouTube ; Spotify ; Bandcamp.

 

Scheen Jazzorkester & Cortex, Frameworks, full album: YouTube ; Spotify ; Bandcamp