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. 😎

Steven Feifke & Bijon Watson's Generation Gap Jazz Orchestra - Complete Concert YouTube

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:

Trombonist Javier Nero Kemet: The Black Land.

Trumpeter Derrick Gardner Still I Rise. 😎

Fernando Huergo Big Band - 'Relentless' & 'The Possibility Of Change'

"There are few wasted moments on Relentless, which is a marvelous tour de force for the band, its eloquent soloists and especially Huergo's creative and finely tuned compositions and arrangements." Jack Bowers/AllAboutJazz.

This is Argentine bassist Fernando Huergo's ~12th album since 1998, his 2nd with a big band. A New England (USA) resident, he is a faculty member at the New England Conservatory and Berklee College Of Music. Discogs.

Fernando Huergo Big Band, Relentless, full album: YouTube ; Spotify

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

Have a listen to his really nice 2020 album after you enjoy the new one.

Fernando Huergo Big Band, The Possibility Of Change, full album: YouTube ; Spotify ; Bandcamp

This is on the Big Band 2020 playlist at Spotify/Jazz Todayish.

Here's nice studio performance of the first tune from Relentless. 😎

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. 😎

Joe Clark Big Band - 'Black And Cardinal'

Joe Clark is a Chicago-based trumpeter, composer and arranger. His compositions have been performed by Yo Yo Ma, Kurt Elling and the WDR Big Band, to name a few. Black and Cardinal is his 4th album since 2013, and 2nd with a big band. The only complaint - it could be longer... Joe's Discogs.

Joe Clark Big Band, Black And Cardinal, full album: YouTube ; Spotify ; Bandcamp

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

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! 😎

Sam Rivers - 'Crystals'

Retrospective 1974, with an album from a half-century ago… (Friday 50s 😁)

Thom Jurek/AllAboutJazz: “It's difficult to note in the 21st century just how forward-thinking this avant-garde big band was, and how completely innovative saxophonist Sam Rivers' compositions are…. It is an underrated masterpiece and among the most rewarding and adventurous listening experiences in the history of jazz.” A piano-less big band (Wikipedia for correct musicians).

This was Rivers’ ~6th of >30 albums from 1965 to 2005. Sam’s big band work earned him 2 Grammy nominations. Discogs.

Sam Rivers, Crystals, full album: YouTube ; Spotify

Two of Sam's Grammy-nominated albums with the Rivbea Orchestra are posted below, for 'Retrospective 1999 - albums from a quarter-century ago...' Inspiration and Culmination.

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

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:

Lalo Schifrin - 'Latin Jazz Suite'

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

"Lalo Schifrin's Latin Jazz Suite is 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 is on the Jazz Best Albums 1999 playlist at Spotify/Jazz Todayish.

Enjoy the wonderful live show in full below. Video is a bit dated but sounds absolutely fine.  😎