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. 😎

Bob Brookmeyer New Art Orchestra - 'New Works Celebration'

Retrospective 1999, with an album from a quarter-century ago. (Tuesday 25s 😁)

"... Bob Brookmeyer has conceived something that is as warm and passionate as it is cerebral and sometimes startling." Douglas Payne/All About Jazz. Album: Wikipedia ; Discogs ; Allmusic.

This was Bob's first of 6 albums with his New Art Orchestra (NAO). NAO Discogs.

Trombonist/composer/arranger Bob Brookmeyer was a jazz giant from the 1950s - 2011, both in historical small groups and as a big band composer and arranger, with >70 albums as leader. He earned 8 Grammy nominations, 2 with later NAO albums. Bob's website ; Discogs ; Allmusic.

Bob Brookmeyer New Art Orchestra, New Works Celebration, full album: YouTube ; Spotify

This is on the Jazz Best Albums 1999 playlist at Spotify/Jazz Todayish. 😎

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:

       😎

Doug Beavers - ‘Luna’

Retrospective 2020s. Here's a nice 2023 album.

 

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.

Doug Beavers, Luna, full album: YouTube ; Spotify ; Bandcamp

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

Marshall Gilkes & WDR Big Band - ‘Life Songs’

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. YouTube channel (please subscribe); website ; Discogs

Marshall Gilkes & WDR Big Band, LifeSongs, full album: YouTube ; Spotify ; Bandcamp

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

Posts below about WDR Big Band albums: 4 albums of Steve Gadd et al & Bob Mintzer collaborations; with arranger Chuck Owens; with bassist Ron Carter.  😎

Ryan Haines Big Band & Courtney H. - 'Emerald And Sapphire' & 'Saxophone Barbie'

Trombonist/composer/arranger/bandleader/U of Texas-Arlington professor Ryan Haines released his 4th album with his big band, Emerald and Sapphire. He wrote all but 1 tune, 4 of which were originally penned for his saxophonist wife Courtney’s 2017 album Saxophone Barbie, who also plays on his album, as he did on hers. Ryan is a music professor at Arizona State University.

Prominent players are trumpeters Kevin Burns, Pete Clagett and guest Wayne Bergeron, trombonist Alex Dubrov, tenor David Lown, guitarist Davey Mooney and drummer Stockton Helbing. Jack Bowers/AllAboutJazz: “Emerald and Sapphire readily lives up to the high standards set on Haines' first three albums. A delicious big-band smorgasbord.” The big band does a smokin’ album tune in a Zoom performance. The band at Discogs.

Ryan Haines Big Band, Emerald and Sapphire, full album: free YouTube ; Spotify

On Jazz Best Albums 2023 and Big Band 2023 playlists at Spotify/Jazz Todayish.

Info is sparse for Courtney’s debut and only album, but it’s a solid straight-ahead/smooth album, with a tight band. Give a listen to the fine efforts from a couple dedicated to jazz .  😎

Courtney Haines, Saxophone Barbie, full album: free YouTube ; Spotify

Michael Davis Hip-Bone Big Band - 'Open City'

Jerome Wilson/AllAboutJazz: “All the music on the album was written by either trombonist/bandleader Michael Davis or his son, Cole, who plays bass on the album… This album shows that Michael Davis is a force in his own right as a composer, arranger, and bandleader.”

He’s recorded and/or toured with The Stones, Bob Dylan, Bob Mintzer, Buddy Rich, Paul Simon, and Sarah Vaughan.

The band must be acknowledged. 24 musicians are listed. That would be a big band!

Saxophones: David Mann, Steve Wilson, Matt Hong, Andy Snitzer, Troy Roberts, Charles Pillow, Sam Dillon, Frank Basile
Trumpets: Nick Marchione, Tony Kadleck, Jim Hynes, Scott Wendholt, Maneco Ruiz, Zaq Davis, Mike Rodriguez
French Horn: Judy Yin-Chi Lee
Trombones: Michael Davis, Marshall Gilkes, Ryan Keberle, Bill Reichenbach
Rhythm: Andy Ezrin (piano), David Finck (bass), Cole Davis (bass), Jared Schonig (drums)

This is Michael’s ~14th album since 1989, and 2nd with the big band. The video is an in-studio performance of an album tune. Here’s a YouTube playlist with 4 more live album tunes, plus a few older songs. Michael: Bandcamp ; Wikipedia

Michael Davis Hip-Bone Big Band, Open City, full album: free YouTube ; Spotify ; Bandcamp

On Jazz Best Albums 2023 and Big Band 2023 playlists at Spotify/Jazz Todayish.  😎

Javier Nero Jazz Orchestra - 'Kemet: The Black Land'

Thierry De Clemensat/Paris-move: “This is the second recording by trombonist, composer, arranger, and educator Dr. Javier Nero… It's joyful, sun-soaked music, and Nero’s unique style is perfectly recognizable, with brass instruments being his preferred mode of expression.” 

This is Javier’s 2nd album. The video is a live studio performance of an album tune. Javier at Discogs.

Javier Nero Jazz Orchestra, Kemet: The Black Land, full album: free YouTube ; Spotify ; Bandcamp

On Jazz Best Albums 2023 and Big Band 2023 playlists at Spotify/Jazz Todayish.  😎