Adam Schroeder & Mark Masters - ‘CT! Celebrate Clark Terry’

 This nice 2024 album was mentioned as a new release ~6 posts below.

Connor McCormick/Stage and Cinema: “On CT!, baritone saxophonist and bandleader Adam Schroeder teams up with arranger Mark Masters to deliver [13 tunes] composed by renowned trumpeter Clark Terry…. The proof is in the playing, and CT! is full of the kinds of moments that Terry himself would have appreciated, created by a band full of people with a clear connection to the history of the music, to its future, and to one another.” Peter Erskine drums.

Baritone saxophonist Adam Schroeder … presently serves as an Associate Professor of Jazz & Commercial Music at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He’s a prolific studio musician with many album, television, and film credits. Website ; Discogs (old)

Trumpeter/arranger Mark Masters has >15 big band releases since 1984. His most recent before this was the Mark Masters Ensemble Masters & Baron Meet Blanton & Webster. Discogs 1 ; Discogs 2.

Adam Schroeder & Mark Masters, CT! Celebrate Clark Terry, full album: YouTube ; Spotify

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

Frankfurt Radio Big Band & Oatts / Smulyan / McNeely - Complete Concert YouTube

Here’s a concert from 11 May 2023 by The Frankfurt Radio Big Band, with saxophonists Dick Oatts and Gary Smulyan and arranger/conductor Jim McNeely. See YouTube for a lot more info. This version re-masters the audio of the original livestream for improved sound.

The first tune 'Three And One' composed and arranged by Thad Jones:

Their YouTube channel has >50 full concerts that were live streamed from the last 6 years!

The Frankfurt Radio Big Band, also known as the ‘hr Big Band,’ is a project of Hessian Radio, Germany. They have released ~19 albums since 2007. YouTube channel (please subscribe); website ; Discogs

The whole show:  😎

The 14 Jazz Orchestra - ‘Islands’

Retrospective 2020s, a 2023 release.

Nicholas Mondello/AllAboutJazz: “Islands from Dan Bonsanti is a tour de force consisting of eleven unique selections, colorful textured arrangements, and outstanding ensemble and solo playing.”

 

The 14 Jazz Orchestra: Dan Bonsanti, composer/conductor; Ed Calle, Ed Maina, Peter Brewer, Mike Brignola, saxophones; Brett Murphey, Jason Carder, John Lovell, trumpet; Dana Teboe, Major Bailey, trombone; Mike Levine, piano; Lindsey Blair, guitar. Guests include Dave Liebman on sax, Peter Erskine on drums and Mike Mainieri on vibes.

This is the Orchestra’s 4th album since 2015. Discogs.

The 14 Jazz Orchestra, Islands, full album: YouTube ; Spotify

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

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.  😎

Billy Childs - ‘The Winds Of Change’ & WDR Big Band - YouTube song - ‘Dance Of Shiva’

Grammy January (see 2 posts below) includes some February.

The WDR Big Band posted this tune today. Pianist Billy Childs just won the 2024 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album for his 2023 release The Winds Of Change.

From the YouTube info: “The WDR Big Band plays with Grammy winner Billy Childs on piano the latter's composition ‘Dance Of Shiva’ in an arrangement by Ansgar Striepens (conductor). Further solos are played by Johan Hörlén on alto saxophone and Hans Dekker on drums. Recorded live at the Kölner Philharmonie (February 2018).”

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

This is Billy's 6th Grammy Award with 17 nominations! He has released ~19 albums since 1985. Billy's Discogs ; website

Billy Childs, The Winds of Change, full album: YouTube ; Spotify ; Bandcamp

Winds is on Jazz Best Albums 2023, Grammy Jazz 2023 and Jazz 2023 at Spotify/Jazz Todayish.  😎

Grammy January Preview/Recap

Below is a preview/recap of 28 albums for Grammy January. 

Seven albums that were nominated for a 2024 Grammy Award; nine 2023/22/21 Grammy nominees; five 25/50 year retrospective albums that earned nominations; five nominees for a 2023 Latin Grammy.

The nominees for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album were (link to post):

• THE WINNER: The Count Basie Orchestra directed by Scotty Barnhart - Basie Swings the Blues!
• Darcy James Argue's Secret Society - Dynamic Maximum Tension
• Vince Mendoza & Metropole Orkest - Olympians
• Mingus Big Band - The Charles Mingus Centennial Sessions
• ADDA Simfònica, Josep Vincent & Emilio Solla - The Chick Corea Symphony Tribute - Ritmo [Latin and USA Grammy nominations!]

Two big bands received nominations for an instrumental tune:

• Best Instrumental Composition: Gordon Goodwin & Raymond Scott - "Cutey and the Dragon" (Quartet San Francisco ft. Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band)
• Best Instrumental Arrangement: Hilario Duran- "I Remember Mingus" (Hilario Duran & his Latin Jazz Big Band ft. Paquito D'Rivera)

2023 Best Large Jazz Ensemble album nominees:

• Steven Feifke - Generation Gap Jazz Orchestra (winner) & Kinetic (2022 nominee)
• Steve Gadd, Eddie Gomez, Ronnie Cuber & WDR Big Band, Center Stage & Jackets XL (2022 nominee)
  
• Remy Le Bouf - Architecture Of Storms & Assembly Of Shadows (2022 nominee)
• John Beasley - & SWR Big Band Bird Lives & MONK’estra Plays John Beasley (2021 nominee)
• Ron Carter - Remembering Ron Freedman

Retrospective 1999 nominees:

• Don Sebesky - Joyful Noise: A Tribute To Duke Ellington = Wins for 2 songs in 2000.
• I Remember Bill: A Tribute To Bill Evans = song win 1999
• Giant Box = 1975 album nominee
  
• Anthony Brown’s Asian American Orchestra - Far East Suite = 2000 album nominee
• Chick Corea & London Symphony Orchestra - Corea: Spain & Piano Concerto No. 1 = a 2000 song win.

Retrospective 1974 nominees:

• Woody Herman - Thundering Herd = Best Album in 1975!
• Thad Jones & Mel Lewis - Potpourri = 1976 album nominee

 

 

Here’s large ~instrumental ensembles that earned a win/nomination at the 2023 Latin Grammys.

• Best Instrumental Album, winner: Camilo Valencia & Richard Bravo - Made In Miami
• Best Arrangement, winner: Rafael Valencia for ‘Songo Bop’ [2022]
• Best Jazz Album: William Maestre Big Band - Semblanzas
• Best Traditional Tropical Album: Orquesta Failde – Danzoneando (En Vivo Desde Matanzas)
• Best Arrangement: Joe McCarthy & Vince Norman – "Waltz of the Flowers" (Joe McCarthy's New York Afro Bop Alliance Big Band) [2022]
• and Daniel Freiberg – "Crónicas Latinoamericanas," Pacho Flores & Orquesta Sinfonica De Mineria - Estirpe [2022]
• Best Instrumental Album: ADDA Simfònica, Josep Vicent & Emilio Solla – The Chick Corea Symphony Tribute: Ritmo [Latin and USA Grammy nominations!]
• Best Arrangement: Emilio Solla – "Spain"  😎
  

Woody Herman - ‘Thundering Herd’

Grammy January (see the post above) includes some February.

Today is the day for the 2024 Grammy Awards. Nominees are reviewed in posts below that run the month of January. Let’s reminisce before the show, with an album for the 50 year retrospective. This 1974 release won the 1975 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance by a Big Band (best album).

Scott Yanow/Allmusic: “Of all the big-band leaders of the swing era, clarinetist Woody Herman went the most out of his way to interpret current material and keep his orchestra young, enthusiastic, and modern…. This is one of Herman's most successful efforts of the period.”

Soloists are tenor Frank Tiberi, flügelhorn Tony Klatka, and keyboards Andy Laverne. Songs by John Coltrane, Frank Zappa, Stanley Clarke and Carole King. Arrangements by Alan Broadbent, Bill Stapleton and Tony Klatka.

The video is a wonderful 1974 performance of Carole King’s ‘Corazon,’ from the album.

Woody won 3 Grammys (also 1974 & 1964), a Lifetime Achievement Grammy (1987), with 12 nominations. He released >110 albums from 1944-1987. Woody’s: Discogs

That’s alotta words for 37 minutes of music. Short, but sweet.

Woody Herman, Thundering Herd, full album: YouTube ; Spotify

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

Darcy James Argue's Secret Society - ‘Dynamic Maximum Tension’

Grammy January (see 4 posts above) includes some February.

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

Katchie Cartwright/AllAboutJazz: “From the tensile strength of the first chord… Darcy James Argue's Secret Society's Dynamic Maximum Tension is a delight… There is more to report but, like Argue said, ‘Just close your eyes and listen to the damn thing.’"

This is Darcy’s 4th big band album since 2009, and all received nominations. The YT link’s 1st ~12 vids are this album, then abuncha older live performances by the band, including an entire ‘Jazz Night In America’ show. The video below is the live-in-studio 1st album tune. Darcy’s website ; Discogs. Society’s Discogs.

Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, Dynamic Maximum Tension, full album: YouTube ; Spotify ; Bandcamp

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

Anthony Brown’s Asian American Orchestra - ‘Far East Suite’

Here’s an album for the quarter-century retrospective, and Grammy-nominated. This 1999 release was nominated for the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Performance (album).

A tribute to a 1966 Duke Ellington & Billy Strayhorn classic. Alex Henderson/AllMusic: “While Ellington's orchestra stuck to traditional instruments, [drummer Anthony] Brown's outfit combined them with various Asian and Middle Eastern instruments, which range from Chinese bamboo flutes to the daf (a Persian/Iranian drum) and the ney (a Middle Eastern flute). The end result is … fresh-sounding instead of clichéd.”

This was the Orchestra's 2nd of 4 albums from 1998 to 2010. Orchestra’s Discogs. This was Anthony’s 1st of 4 Grammy nominations. Anthony's Wikipedia.

Anthony Brown’s Asian American Orchestra, Far East Suite, full album: YouTube ; Spotify

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

Count Basie Orchestra - 'Basie Swings The Blues'

This WON the 2024 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Large Ensemble Album. The awards were on 4 February 2024.

When the horn section for your R&B album is The Count Basie Orchestra…

BluesRockReview: “Mr. Basie said, ‘our blues will make your blues go away.’ Throughout Basie Swings The Blues The Count Basie Orchestra flows the album together with both mood-altering rhythms and horn exclamation points.”

Shemekia Copeland, Keb Mo, Buddy Guy, Robert Cray, Bettye LeVette, Charlie Musselwhite, George Benson and more do a vocal tune and play.

Trumpeter Scotty Barnhart has led the band since 2013, their 6th leader since Basie died in ‘84, and they’ve now won a Grammy with 2 nominations under his direction. The Count Basie Orchestra has been in ~continuous business since 1936! Orchestra’s website ; Discogs

The video is the band swingin’ the blues from 1941. To record these guys with modern techniques….

The Count Basie Orchestra, Basie Swings The Blues, full album: YouTube ; Spotify

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

Thad Jones & Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra - ‘Potpourri’ & YouTube concert

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. 

Enjoy ~45 minutes of the band from 1974 in Norway, with fine sound (and a drum solo 😣). Here's a list of the band: Thad Jones, flugelhorn; Jon Faddis, Steve Furtado, Jim Bossy, Cecil Bridgewater, trumpets; Jimmy Knepper, Billy Campbell, Quentin "Butter" Jackson, Dave Taylor, trombones; Jerry Dodgion, Ed Xiques, Billy Harper (rips the solo on the last tune), Ron Bridgewater, Pepper Adams, reeds; Walter Norris, piano; George Mraz, bass; Mel Lewis, drums. 😎

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.  😎

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.  😎

 

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. 😎

Big Band 2023 playlist additions

Added these 5 albums to Big Band 2023, now ~85 albums, at Spotify/JazzTodayish. Check your streaming service or YouTube.

UNLV Wind Orchestra, Joe's Tango: Concerto for Trombone & Other Works. Allmusic. With pianist Chick Corea's last completed composition.

Corina Bartra Afro Peruvian New Trends Orchestra, Cosmic Synchronicities. LatinJazzNet. This one is a good one. 😁

Piero Umiliani, A Tempo Di Jazz. AllAboutJazz.

Jakob Buchanan, Song & Wind. With the Aarhus Jazz Orchestra. JazzViews.

Teitur & Aarhus Jazz Orchestra, Songs From a Social Distance. Bandcamp. 😎

Frankfurt Radio Big Band with Mark Turner - Complete Concert YouTube

Here’s a concert from 9 March 2023 by The Frankfurt Radio Big Band, with saxophonist Mark Turner and conductor Christine Jensen. See YouTube for a lot more info. This version re-masters the audio of the original livestream for improved sound.

Here is the first tune ‘Return From The Stars.’ It is a Turner composition, arranged by Jim McNeely.

The Frankfurt Radio Big Band, also known as the ‘hr Big Band,’ is a project of Hessian Radio, Germany. They have released ~19 albums since 2007. YouTube channel (please subscribe); website ; Discogs. Their YouTube channel has >50 full concerts that were live streamed from the last 6 years!

The whole show: