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 and album info links at: Wikipedia; website; Discogs; Bandcamp; Allmusic, as available/worthwhile. Links to the full album on: basic/free YouTube; subscription Spotify; purchase download Bandcamp, as available. Check your favorite service. Please enjoy!
Showing posts with label leader: pianist. Show all posts
Showing posts with label leader: pianist. Show all posts
Tuesday 25s,an album from Y2K / 2000, a quarter-century ago.... 😊
"Birdlandis a project setup by pianist Masanori Sasajiand a group of LA (studio) musicians." Sessiondays. The album cover promises L.A. All Stars and delivers, with saxophonists Ernie Watts, Brandon Field and Jack Nimitz, trumpeter Wayne Bergeron, trombonists Andy Martin and Bill Reichenbach, bassist Abraham Laboriel and drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, among others. Solid section-work and the nice solos make this a solid big band product. Album Discogs.
Masanori Sasajiis a Japanese keyboardist/composer/arranger/scorer/producer who works in jazz, J-Pop, rock, fusion, anime and tv/film.His Wikipedia page would indicate his Discogs only scratches the surface. Mr. Sasaji did another L.A. All Stars album in 2002, Afro Blue, with players like saxophonist Pete Christlieb and drummer Peter Erskine.
M. Sasaji & L.A. All Stars, Birdland, full album: YouTube ; Spotify
Today's selections are a 2025 tribute album, a 1989 album by the tributee, and a 2023 video tribute. 😁
Pianist/composer/arranger/bandleader/Latin Jazz icon Arturo "O'Farrill and his orchestra accomplished what they set out to do, which
was to honor Carla Bley's vision and virtuosity while producing an album of
stylish and entertaining Afro Latin jazz." Jack Bowers/AllAboutJazz. There's actually alotta tempo changes and a bit of a wild ride. This would be labelled 'Progressive Big Band' by some, and is actually light on the 'Latin' touch. The orchestra is tight.
Pianist/composer/arranger/bandleader Carla Bleywas an avant-garde jazz icon, with ~12 large ensemble albums and overall >24 releases from 1966 to 2019. Wikipedia ; Allmusic ; Discogs.
"Combining surprising arrangements and pop song melodies, Bley creates a
unique jazz language, setting herself apart from both traditionalist
bandleaders (Thad Jones) and more avant-garde stylists (George Russell). Fleur Carnivoreis one of Bley's best titles and good place to start for newcomers." Stephen Cook/Allmusic. Album Wikipedia ; Discogs. A live album, released in 1989.
Arturo did a Vlog episode in tribute to Carla, after she passed in 2023,"Virtual Birdland, Episode 167, Remembering Carla Bley." Arturo does some commentary, but this is basically a full music show, with the suite 'Blue Palestine' from the new album. Included is a 2020 Carla small-group video. ~Split between small-group tunes and the ALJO. You should watch this, andsubscribe to the ALJO YouTube Channel. 😎
"Hassy and company have done well by the Duke, aligning and updating his
music for a new generation of listeners who may be more attuned to
change and eager to reassess the wizardry of Ellington." Jack Bowers/AllAboutJazz. Album Discogs.
This 2024 release is Japanese pianist/bandleader/composer/arranger Mercer Hassy's ~4th big band or orchestral album since ~2019. The big band is based in Sapporo. Website ; Website2
Mercer Hassy Orchestra, Duke’s Place, full album: YouTube ; Spotify
"The album is a collection of engaging tone poems with pungent orchestral
writing for brass, especially trombones. The virtuosity of the writing
demands and receives similar virtuosity from the players. This is an album from an eloquent new voice that has much to say." Jack Kenny/AllAboutJazz. Album Discogs.
"Born and raised in Taiwan, Tracy Yang has established herself as a
composer, musician, and cross-discipline artist in NYC since 2013.
Recognized with the Charlie Parker Jazz Composition Prize." This is her 2nd album, first with the orchestra.Website ; Discogs.
Friday 50s,today with 3 albums from 1974, so about a half-century ago... 😁
Pianist/composer/arranger/bandleader Bob James did an album of his own, and also orchestral arrangements for albums by saxophonists Hank Crawford and Grover Washington Jr. James' arrangements on these albums were with a small big band plus strings. In order by my favorite...
"This is one of Grover Washington, Jr.'s best-loved recordings and
considered a classic of r&bish jazz.... Bob James provided the colorful if somewhat commercial arrangements, ... and Washington (mostly on tenor and soprano) is heard in particularly creative form. Highly recommended." Scott Yanow/Allmusic. The title tune was 'a hit,' and the album went to #1 on the jazz and soul charts. Album Discogs ; Wikipedia. Grover's Wikipedia ; Allmusic ; Discogs.
Grover Washington Jr., Mr. Magic, full album: YouTube (1 file) ; Spotify
Grover's 1973 album Soul Box, also with Bob James arrangements, earned a post below.
"Saxophonist Hank Crawford provides three original compositions along with two Stevie Wonder tunes (hence the album title). The string arrangements of Bob James,
who also plays electric keyboards on the date, provide a light touch of
sophistication and blend well with Crawford’s R&B-steeped alto
saxophone." Al Campbell/Allmusic. Album Discogs; Wikipedia. Hank's Wikipedia ; Allmusic ; Discogs.
Hank Crawford, Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing, full album; YouTube ; Spotify
One was Bob's ~3rd album as a leader, with now >50 releases. This shortish album is the ~start of Bob's smooth jazz career as a leader, and he's still active. His albumJazz Handsreceived a 2024 Grammy Award nomination for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album. OneAllmusic ; Discogs. Bob's website ; Wikipedia ; Allmusic ; Discogs.
This was nominated for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album at the upcoming 2025 Grammy Awards.
This is a vocal-based big band album. "As he has always done in the past Orrin Evans, the pianist and bandleader from
Philadelphia, is inspired by tradition to renew and enrich, with
passion and freshness. This time the orchestrations are functional to
the interpretations of four prodigious singers who are divided into
seven out of nine songs: Lisa Fischer, Bilal, Joanna Pascale and Paul Jost ." Angelo Leonardi/AllAboutJazz. Album Discogs.
This is Evans' ~5th Captain Black Big Band (CBBB) album since ~2011, and 3 earned Grammy nominations! Orrin has ~13 more total albums, since 2000. Evans' website ; Wikipedia ; Allmusic ; Discogs. CBBB Discogs.
Orrin Evans And The Captain Black Big Band, Walk A Mile In My Shoe, full album: YouTube ; Spotify ; Bandcamp
Tuesday 25san album from 1999, or about a quarter-century ago.... 😉
Claude Bollingwas a French pianist and bandleader who interbred jazz and classical idioms throughout a career that spanned from 1945 - 2016. His love of Duke Ellington's music resulted in this big band album of Duke's tunes, with Claude's French big band. Album Discogs.
"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.
This post mentions 3 albums with Grammy-cred, a new release, and 4 complete video concerts. Enough to keep you busy through the year? 😁
The Frankfurt Radio Big Band (FRBB) released two 2024 albums. This first was nominated for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album at the upcoming 2025 Grammy Awards.
"Fans of Chick Corea's 'Return to Forever' projects will love this as both the score and the musicianship are
as superb as we’d expect from top American arranger John Beasley and the peerless FRBB.... The gorgeous section playing,
a pleasure in itself, once again sets the scene here for the
wonderfully well-crafted solos." David Shiers/UKJazzNews
John Beasley & Frankfurt Radio Big Band, Returning To Forever, full album: YouTube ; Spotify
This is FRBBs 3rd Grammy nomination, and Beasley’s 13th, with 2 wins. Beasley’s website; Discogs. A post below celebrates the Grammy success of John's 2022 album with the SWR Big Band Bird Lives & his 2021 album MONK’estra Plays John Beasley.
Here is a video concert of the entire new album, tunes rearranged, from March 2022.
FRBBs latest release is Turning Point, led by pianist Sebastian Sternal. "Dazzling tonal colors, catchy melodies and energetic grooves. The outstanding soloists of the FRBB shine." Schott-music.
Sebastian Sternal & HR-Bigband, Turning Point, full album: YouTube ; Spotify
The FRBB, also known as the ‘HR-Big Band,’ is a project of Hessian Radio, Germany. They have released ~19 albums since 2007. Their YouTubechannel (please subscribe); website; Discogs.
"Pianist Geoff Stradling's
superb Los Angeles-based StradBand swings heartily and with
seldom a pause on its radiant and power-laden introductory album,Nimble Digits.
Stradling ... composed all but one song on Nimble Digits ... and arranged everything.... The StradBand has been performing in the Los Angeles area almost
since it was formed in 2010," Jack Bowers/AllAboutJazz. Geoff's website.
Geoff Stradling & The Stradband, Nimble Digits, full album: YouTube ; Spotify
Friday 50s 😁 an album from a half-century ago.... A more recent release, an album from 1964 (60 years ago!) and a full concert round-out this tribute.
Dec 12th was pianist/big band composer-arranger-bandleader Toshiko Akiyoshi's 95th birthday. Here's her last big band release, from 2007, with the SWR Big Band, Let Freedom Swing. Album info Discogs ; Wikipedia. She leads the band through charts of her classic big band compositions.
Toshiko Akiyoshi And The SWR Big Band, Let Freedom Swing, full album: YouTube ; Spotify
The band was based in Los Angeles from 1973-82, then New York thru 2003 (with several name variations), and released ~17 studio albums. This Down Beat magazine and Grammy info attests to the band's popularity (Wikipedia info/links):
The 1980 Grammy-nominated album Kogun was actually a 1974 release, and is the actual subject of today's post. You know, Friday 50s, an album from 50 years ago... 😁
"Koguneasily displays why Akiyoshi is such a treasure. It's a record
that is simultaneously driving, romantic, and experimental, seductive in
its implications and undeniable in its swing." Daniel Gioffre/AllMusic. Album Discogs ; Wikipedia. TABB Discogs ; Allmusic. Toshiko Allmusic ; Discogs. Lew Tabackin Allmusic ; Discogs.
Digital availability of TABB albums was sketchy until recently. Kogun is available on YouTube as a CD-rip in one large file. Several 1970s TALTBB albums are now on Spotify, so check your service.
Toshiko Akiyoshi - Lew Tabackin Big Band, Kogun, full album: YouTube rip ; Spotify
Friday 50s extended a decade takes us to 1964 and the album Toshiko Mariano And Her Big Band, Jazz In Japan Recorded In Tokyo. Released also as Toshiko And Modern Jazz, this featured a preview of big band excellence-to-come with 4 tunes, along with 3 piano trio tunes. Toshiko was married to jazz saxophonist Charlie Mariano(Wikipedia ; Discogs) at the time, and their daughter is vocalist/flutist Monday Michiru(Wikipedia ; Discogs).
Toshiko released her first album in 1952. She plans a 2025 tour of Japan with husband Lew, as a duo! Lew is a young man at only 84. My jazz heroes. 💕
Toshiko Akiyoshi, Toshiko And Modern Jazz, full album: YouTube ; Spotify
Trumpeter Clark Terry guests with the Toshiko Akiyoshi - Lew Tabackin Big Band at the 1975 Monterey Jazz Festival main stage. The bearded tenor sax soloist is Toshiko's husband Lew Tabackin. The video is aged and ends a bit abruptly, but the sound is absolutely fine.
To top off this love-fest 😍, here is a full show of the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra from 1993, which was released on DVD as Strive For Jive. Toshiko makes a few comments. Video is dated but the sound is fine. 😎
Friday 50s 😁 an album from a half-century ago.... And a bonus new release also.
"Evans explored ten of Hendrix's compositions with his unique 19-piece unit, an orchestra that included two French horns, the tuba of Howard Johnson, three guitars, two basses, two percussionists and such soloists as altoist David Sanborn, Billy Harper on tenor and guitarist John Abercrombie. Evans' arrangements uplift many of Hendrix's
more blues-oriented compositions and create a memorable set that is
rock-oriented but retains the improvisation and personality of jazz." Scott Yanow/AllMusic. Album Discogs ; Wikipedia.
"Pianist, composer, arranger and band-leader Gil Evans is widely recognized as one of the greatest orchestrators in jazz, playing an important role in the development of cool jazz, modal jazz, free jazz, and jazz fusion" Wikipedia. Evans released >40 albums from 1957-86, most with his orchestra, with 3 Grammy Awards and 13 more nominations.Discogs ; Allmusic.
The Gil Evans Orchestra, Plays The Music Of Jimi Hendrix, full album: YouTube ; Spotify
The Gil Evans Orchestra did a Monday night show at the club 'Sweet Basil' in NYC from 1982 thru Evans 1988 death and for awhile beyond as alumni. A 2014 alumni show has just been released, with what appears to be a nonet, includes 2 Hendrix tunes, and is a great tribute. AllAboutJazz review. Leader Pete Levin's website.
Gil Evans Remembered, Live At The Cutting Room NYC, full album: YouTube ; Spotify ; Bandcamp
Pianist, big band composer/arranger, Grammy Award winner Steven Feifke posted this concert earlier this year, with his and colleague Bijon Watson's Generation Gap Jazz Orchestra.
From the New Trier Jazz Festival, Gaffney Auditorium, New Trier High School, Winnetka, IL, USA, on 3 February 2024.
The
band: Reeds - Alexa Tarantino, Christopher McBride, Tom Luer, Kirsten
Edkins, Lauren Sevian. Trumpets - Bijon Watson, Derrick Gardner, Janelle
Finton, Danny Jonokuchi. Trombones - John Fedchock, Javier Nero, Nick
Finzer. Bass - Julianne Gralle. Guitar - Will Brahm. Piano - Steven
Feifke. Bass - Dan Chmielinski. Drums - Jeff Hamilton.
A post below celebrates Steven Feifke’s last 3 big band albums and Grammy Award: Catalyst ; Generation Gap Jazz Orchestra (2023 Grammy for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album) ; Kinetic.
Two of Feifke’s band-members released excellent big band albums discussed below:
Retrospective 1999, which features an album from a quarter-century ago... (Tuesday 25s 😁)
"Lalo Schifrin's Latin Jazz Suiteis a masterful celebration of
the diverse and colorful sounds and feelings that Latin forms add to the
jazz vocabulary. It is also a reflection of the composer's successful
contributions to the Latin musical language over the last four decades." Douglas Payne/AllAboutJazz.
Recorded in concert with the WDR Big Band,guests include trumpeter Jon Faddis, saxophonist David Sanchez and percussionist Alex Acuna. The song ‘Fiesta’ earned a 2000 Grammy nomination for Best Instrumental Arrangement.
Pianist/composer Lalo Schifrin has released >140 jazz, classical and film score albums since the 1950s. He is a five-time Grammy Award winner; he has been nominated for six Academy Awards (and received an 'honorary Oscar') and four Emmy Awards. Lalo's website; Discogs.
Lalo Schifrin, Latin Jazz Suite, full album: YouTube; Spotify
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
