Thad Jones & Mel Lewis - ‘Potpourri’

Here’s an album for the ‘half-century retrospective,’ 1974, or 50 years ago. It is also Grammy discussion appropriate.

Scott Yanow/Allmusic: “With such notable sidemen as trumpeter Cecil Bridgewater, Ron Bridgewater and Billy Harper on tenors, trombonist Quentin Jackson, baritonist Pepper Adams, keyboardist Roland Hanna, bassist George Mraz and lead trumpeter Jon Faddis, the music certainly has its moments of interest… With material by Stevie Wonder, Marian McPartland and four worthwhile originals by Jones.”

Thad Jones & Mel Lewis earned 1976 Grammy nominations for Best Jazz Performance by a Big Band (~best album), and Thad one for Best Instrumental Arrangement of ‘Living for the City.’ Discogs.

The Thad Jones - Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra morphed into the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra in 1990, has been in existence since 1965, and has won a Grammy by each name with 16 more nominations.

Thad Jones & Mel Lewis, Potpourri, full album: YouTube ; Spotify

This is on the Jazz Best Albums 1974 playlist at Spotify/Jazz Todayish.  😎

NDR Big Band - YouTube song - ‘Panzerballett’

The NDR Big Band posted this tune recently.

YouTube: “The NDR Bigband featuring ‘Panzerballett’ under the direction of Chief Conductor Geir Lysne.. ‘Typewriter II’ is a composition by guitarist Jan Zehrenfeld of the Munich band. The soloists are Percy Pursglove on trumpet, Gerd Boelicke on electric bass and Virgil Donati on drums.” 

The NDR Big Band is a project of NDR Broadcasters (radio and television) in Hamburg, Germany. They have released ~74 albums since 1985. YouTube ; Discogs.

Vince Mendoza & Metropole Orkest - ‘Olympians’

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

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

Big Band 2023 playlist additions

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.  😎

Mingus Big Band - ‘The Charles Mingus Centennial Sessions’

This 2022 release is nominated for a 2024 Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album. The awards are on 4 February.

Album info from their website: “The flagship repertory ensemble Mingus Big Band (MBB) celebrated the 100th anniversary of Mingus’ birth with The Charles Mingus Centennial Sessions. Highlights include 11 compositions and new arrangements, vocals and narrations by Charles’ son Eric Mingus, and 34 first-class musicians, rotating in MBB tradition.”

This is MBB’s ~11th album since 1993. They’ve won a Grammy with 6 more nominations. The MBB is a project of the Charles Mingus Institute. They play ~weekly at DROM in NYC. Discogs ; website.

Mingus Big Band, The Charles Mingus Centennial Sessions, full album: YouTube ; Spotify ; Bandcamp

The album is on Jazz Best Albums 2022, Grammy Jazz 2022 and Big Band 2022 playlists at Spotify/Jazz Todayish.  😎

Frankfurt Radio Big Band with Mark Turner - YouTube song - ‘Nigeria II’

The Frankfurt Radio Big Band, with saxophonist Mark Turner, posted the tune ‘Nigeria II’ recently. It is a Turner composition, arranged by Christine Jensen, 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. YouTube channel (please subscribe); website ; Discogs 😎

Chick Corea & London Phil - ‘Corea: Spain & Piano Concerto No. 1’

Grammy January/February continues. This begins/ends a trio of Chick Corea posts (below): large ensembles, none with traditional big bands; 2 were tributes, not this one; 2 with Grammy nods. This 1999 release also fits in for the quarter-century retrospective.

Pianist/composer Chick Corea won the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Arrangement for the version of his 1971 song ‘Spain,’ on this 1999 release with the London Philharmonic and his band Origin.

Chick Corea & London Philharmonic Orchestra, Corea: Spain & Piano Concerto No. 1, full album: YouTube ; Spotify

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

Big Band 2023 playlist additions.

Added these albums to the Big Band 2023 playlist, with ~85 albums, at Spotify/Jazz Todayish. Check your streaming service, YouTube or Bandcamp. 😁

Miguel De Armas & Ottawa Latin Jazz Orchestra, From Me To You. LatinJazzNet.

Torsten MaaS X SWR Big Band, Music Written By Real Life: Part 1. SWRMedia... 

Drew Zaremba, Reunion. JazzTrail.  😎

 

WDR Big Band - YouTube song - ‘In The Mood’

The WDR Big Band posted this tune recently. 

YouTube: “Under the direction of Jochen Neuffer, the WDR BIG BAND will play ‘In The Mood’ by Joe Garland (arrangement: Glenn Miller, arrangement: Frank Engel) together with the WDR Funkhausorchester. Rob Bruynen plays solo on the trumpet. Recorded as part of the concert 'WDR BIG BAND and WDR Funkhausorchester - Götz Alsmann - So schön wie heut' at the Kölner Philharmonie (November 2023).”

Type ‘WDR’ into site search for ~3 more posts below with ~6 album recommendations about this great contemporary big band. Their YouTube channel is very active, please subscribe. 😎

WDR Big Band: YouTube ; website ; Discogs

ADDA Simfònica et al - 'The Chick Corea Symphony Tribute - Ritmo'

This is both a preview of this year and a review of last year for this Grammy nominee. The 2024 Grammy Awards are on February 4.

This Chick Corea tribute album is a 2024 Grammy Award nominee for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album. It was a 2023 Latin Grammy nominee for Best Instrumental Album, and for Best Arrangement for Emilio Sollo on the song ‘Spain,’ shown below.

Saxophonist Paquito D’Rivera guests, among others. Josep Vincent (conductor) and ADDA Simfònica have >20 classical releases since 2019. The Simfònica is based in Alicante, Spain. Emilio Solia (arranger) Discogs. Josep Wikipedia ; website.

ADDA Simfònica, Josep Vincent & Emilio Solla, The Chick Corea Symphony Tribute - Ritmo, full album: YouTube ; Spotify 

This is on Grammy Jazz 2023 and Big Band 2023, at Spotify/Jazz Todayish. 😎