THIS SITE PROMOTES FUN JAZZ!

Excerpts from and links to album reviews of rather boisterous jazz albums. Artist info links at: Wikipedia; website; Discogs; Bandcamp as available. Links to the full album on: basic/free YouTube; subscription Spotify; purchase download Bandcamp. Check your favorite service. Please enjoy!

Tuesday, February 13, 2024

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:  😎

Monday, February 12, 2024

Marshall Gilkes & WDR Big Band - YouTube song - ‘Fresh Start’

Here’s a song from an album discussed ~10 posts down.


YouTube: “Featured on the new album LifeSongs…. Marshall Gilkes performs his composition ‘Fresh Start’ together with the WDR BIG BAND. Recorded as part of the concert ‘Fresh Start’ at WDR JAZZCLUB / Cologne in November 2022.”

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 ; Wikipedia

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

Frankfurt Radio Big Band with Mark Turner - YouTube song - ‘Walking Ballad’

The Frankfurt Radio Big Band, with saxophonist Mark Turner, posted the tune ‘Walking Ballad’ recently. It is a Turner composition, arranged by conductor Christine Jenson.

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 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 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.  😎

Sunday, February 11, 2024

Steven Feifke & Generation Gap Jazz Orchestra - YouTube song - ‘I’ve Got Algorithm’

Pianist, big band composer/arranger, Grammy Award winner Steven Feifke posted his tune ‘I’ve Got Algorithm’ recently, with Steven Feifke and Bijon Watson's Generation Gap Jazz Orchestra.

YouTube: “The longstanding tradition … of hiring the ‘young guns’ for an ensemble has all but disappeared in recent years... With more than two decades between them, Steven and Bijon make the objective of ‘The Generation Gap Jazz Orchestra’ to strengthen that tradition of mentorship that has shaped and defined the jazz idiom since its earliest beginnings.”

From the New Trier Jazz Festival, Winnetka, IL, USA, 3 February 2024. See YouTube for band-members.

A post below celebrates Steven Feifke’s last 3 big band albums and Grammy Award: Catalyst; Generation Gap Orchestra; Kinetic.

Two of Feifke’s band-members released big band albums discussed below:

Trombonist Javier Nero Kemet: The Black Land.

Trumpeter Derrick Gardner Still I Rise.  😎

Big Band 2024 new albums.

Added these albums to Big Band 2024, now ~5 albums, at Spotify/JazzTodayish. Check your streaming service, YouTube or Bandcamp. Good big band jazz here.

Garry Dial & Rich DeRosa, Keep Swingin’. Paris Move .


Adam Schroeder & Mark Masters, CT! Celebrate Clark Terry. Stage And Cinema.
 

Paul Dunmall Quintet & Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Big Band, Soultime Again. London Jazz News.



Joe Gallardo & SWR Big Band, It Is What It Is. YouTube.

Saturday, February 10, 2024

Frankfurt Radio Big Band with Mark Turner - YouTube song - ‘Lennie Groove’

The Frankfurt Radio Big Band, with saxophonist Mark Turner, posted the tune ‘Lennie Groove’ recently. It is a Turner composition, arranged by Jim McNeely, Christine Jenson 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  😎

Marshall Gilkes & WDR Big Band - YouTube song - ‘Back In The Groove’

Here’s a tune from an album discussed 5 posts down on 7 February.

YouTube: “Featured on the new album LifeSongs…. Marshall Gilkes performs his composition ‘Back In The Groove’ together with the WDR BIG BAND. Solos are played by Johan HΓΆrlΓ©n on alto saxophone and Billy Test on piano. Recorded as part of the concert ‘Fresh Start’ at WDR JAZZCLUB / Cologne in November 2022.”

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 ; Wikipedia 

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

Friday, February 9, 2024

Frankfurt Radio Big Band with Mark Turner - YouTube song - ‘It’s Not Alright With Me’

 


The Frankfurt Radio Big Band, with saxophonist Mark Turner, posted the tune ‘It’s Not Alright With Me’
recently. It is a Turner composition, arranged by Jim McNeely, Christine Jenson 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  😎

 

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, TΓ­pica ’73, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Paul Simon, Willie ColΓ³n, 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.  😎