Sam Rivers & Rivbea Orchestra - ‘Inspiration’

Retrospective 1999, with an album from a quarter-century ago.

Inspiration was avant-garde saxophonist/composer/arranger Sam Rivers first album in ~20 years, and one of two 1999 releases of 4 total with the Rivbea Orchestra. The album earned a Grammy nomination for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album, as did his next release, Culmination, a year later.

Stephen Erlewine/AllAboutJazz: “Inspiration truly is a revelation, proving not only that Rivers retains all his creative power at the age of 75, but that avant-garde jazz can be as inviting as any other style without sacrificing any of its depth or daring.”

This goes up to the edge of free, then re-groups, and is usually just good big band. Rivers released >40 albums from 1965-2005, with a few seminal big band albums. Discogs.

The Rivbea Orchestra: Alto Saxophone – Greg Osby, Steve Coleman; Baritone Horn – Joseph Daley; Baritone Saxophone – Hamiet Bluiett; Bass – Doug Mathews; Drums – Anthony Cole; Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Sam Rivers; Tenor Saxophone – Chico Freeman, Gary Thomas; Trombone – Art Baron, Joseph Bowie, Ray Anderson; Trumpet – Baikida Carroll, James Zollar, Ralph Alessi, Ravi Best;Tuba – Bob Stewart.

Sam’s wife Beatrice helps arrange, has a namesake song on the album, and is a part of ‘Rivbea.’

Sam Rivers & Rivbea Orchestra, Inspiration, full album: YouTube ; Spotify

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

Jukka Linkola Tentet - ‘Rumba Liberte’

Here’s a nice album from 2023. A tentet is a ‘little big band.’

JazzFinland: “On Rumba Liberte you can hear multidimensional music, where prog shifts are combined with the soundscape of a big band… According to pianist/arranger/bandleader Jukka Linkola you will hear an energetic and surprising ensemble, in whose sounds you can hear a lot of creative madness.”

Jukka has hewn ‘creative madness’ around Europe long enough to have >25 albums on Discogs since 1976. He did another ‘Tentet’ album in 1994. The video is an album tune.

Jukka Linkola Tentet, Rumba Liberte, full album: YouTube ; Spotify ; Bandcamp

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

When Finns need a break from Metal, they consult the JazzFinland website for up-to-date information on album releases and live shows.  😎

SWR Big Band X Joe Gallardo - ‘It Is What It Is’

Here is the SWR Big Band’s new release, It Is What It Is, with trombonist Joe Gallardo. The album was introduced in a post below on 11 February. It’s Latin jazz big band.

SWR is a public radio broadcaster in Stuttgart, Germany, and sponsors The SWR Big Band, which has released ~55 albums since 1997, in collaboration with jazz giants. SWR Discogs.

The SWR Big Band won a Grammy for Best Instrumental Arrangement for the tune ‘Scrapple From The Apple,’ from their 2021 album with pianist John Beasley, Bird Lives. The album was also nominated for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album, and the tune ‘Cherokee/Koko’ was nominated for Best Jazz Performance. A post below from 10 January has more info.

The big band’s 2023 album with trumpeter Torsten Maaß, Music Written By Real Life, Part 1, was mentioned as a new release in a post below.

Trombonist Joe Gallardo has been active in Germany since the 1970s, has released ~7 albums since 1986, and penned a Grammy-winner tune …. He did an album with the NDR Big Band in 2005, Latin Jazz Latino. Joe’s Discogs.

SWR Big Band X Joe Gallardo, It Is What It Is, full album: YouTube ; Spotify

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

The nice tune below is not an album tune, has dated 2009 video but fine sound, and features Joe.  😎

Frankfurt Radio Big Band & Till Brönnerr - Complete Concert YouTube

Here’s a concert from 23 January by The Frankfurt Radio Big Band, with trumpeter Till Brönner. Chiara Civello - Vocals, Fausto Beccalossi - Accordion, Magnus Lindgren - Conductor  & Arrangements.

German trumpeter/composer Till Brönner has released ~24 albums since 1994, with a Grammy nomination and multiple Echo Awards (~German Grammys to 2018). Till has been a professor at the College of Music Carl Maria von Weber in Dresden since 2009. Website. Discogs.

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.  😎

WDR Big Band & Jim McNeely - YouTube song - ‘Mel’

The WDR Big Band posted this tune recently.

From the YouTube info: “The WDR BIG BAND plays his composition ‘Mel’ under the direction of Jim McNeely. Solos are played by Hans Dekker on drums and Paul Heller on tenor saxophone. Live recording of the concert ‘Past And Present’ in the Cologne Philharmonic (December 2023).”

Pianist/composer/arranger Jim McNeely has been involved with big bands since 1978, and has variously led the Vanguard & Danish Radio Jazz Orchestras and the HR Big Band. He’s also had long stints with saxophonists Phil Woods and Stan Getz. Jim has a Grammy and 12 nominations, with ~26 albums and ~18 of them big band. Website ; Discogs.

The WDR Big Band is a project of WDR Broadcasters in Cologne, Germany. They have released >75 albums since 1979, and have won 4 Grammys with 6 nominations. YouTube channel (please subscribe); website ; Discogs

Four posts below about seven 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.  😎

Nikki Iles & NDR Big Band - ‘Face To Face’

Here's a nice 2023 release.

David Shiers/LondonJazzNews: “Face to Face was made during pianist Nikki Iles’ time working in Germany as Composer in Residence with the awesome NDR Bigband…. recorded ‘live’ in the studio, with no overdubs or effects…. Face to Face is evidence that the big band can still give us great art.”

This is Niki’s ~13th release since 1996, and first as a big band leader. Niki’s website ; Discogs.

The NDR Big Band is a project of NDR Broadcasters in Hamburg, and explores the progressive side of big band. They have released >75 albums since 1985. Discogs. Their YouTube channel (please subscribe) has >50 full concerts that were live streamed from the last 6 years.

Here’s a YouTube playlist with ~40 minutes of 5 tunes from Jazz Baltica 2023, with one below.

Nikki Iles & NDR Big Band, Face To Face, full album: YouTube ; Spotify ; Bandcamp

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

WDR Big Band & Jörg Achim Keller - YouTube song - ‘Big City Blues’

The WDR Big Band posted this tune recently.

From the YouTube info: “The WDR BIG BAND plays ‘Big City Blues’ by Bob Brookmeyer under the direction of Jörg Achim Keller. Solos are played by Billy Test on piano, Ben Fitzpatrick on clarinet, Raphael Klemm on trombone and Rob Bruynen on trumpet. Live recording of the concert ‘Mr Mulligan's Concert Jazz’ at the Kölner Philharmonie (October 2023).”

Jörg Achim Keller is a German drummer who has played with the hr Bigband and the NDR Big Band. He is leader on 3 albums released with NDRBB from 2002-09. Discogs.

The WDR Big Band is a project of WDR Broadcasters in Cologne, Germany. They have released >75 albums since 1979, and have won 4 Grammys with 6 nominations. YouTube channel (please subscribe); website ; Discogs

Four posts below about seven 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.  😎

Big Band 2024 new albums.

Added these albums to Big Band 2024, now ~9 albums, at Spotify/JazzTodayish. Check your streaming service.

Martin Stjostedt & Stockholm Jazz Orchestra, Horizon. Made a good first-impression. AllAboutJazz. YouTube.

Peter Jonatan & Metropole Orkest, Psalms Symphony. Jazz/classical 3rd stream. PlanetSinger. YouTube.

Joan Chamorro, Presenta Koldo Munne, who sings and plays sax, ~⅔ instrumentals. Medium. YouTube. Bandcamp.

 

Scheen Jazzorkester & Cortex, Frameworks. JazzMessengers. YouTube. Bandcamp.  😎

Wynton Marsalis & Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra - ‘Big Train’

Retrospective 1999, an album from 25 years or a quarter-century ago….

Richard Ginell/Allmusic: “A 52-minute big band suite modeled after Ellington's long-form essays, it purports to evoke the moods, sounds and feelings of a cross-country train trip with selections named after a train's various cars…. There is fine soloing all around in the hard bop tradition from Wessell Anderson, Victor Goines, Ted Nash & Walter Blanding, Jr. (saxes) and Wycliffe Gordon (trombone) …. One of Marsalis' better extended form essays.”

This was trumpeter/composer/arranger Wynton Marsalis’ ~51st of >100 albums since 1981. He has won 9 Grammys with 32 nominations. Discogs. Wikipedia. website.

The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra (LCJO) originated in 1988, and Marsalis has directed since ‘91. LCJO has released ~18 albums since 2015, and >30 since 1992. Wikipedia ; website ; Discogs (incomplete). LCJO is a component of Jazz At Lincoln Center, NYC.

Wynton Marsalis & Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Big Train, full album: YouTube ; Spotify

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

A 2023 big band album from LCJO saxophonist Victor Goines, The Woodlawn Suite, was the very first post of this blog, on 8 December 2023. More info about Victor in that post.

Jazz At Lincoln Center has a subscription video channel, called Jazz Live ($10 mo, $100 yr), and includes shows from Dizzy’s Club. Shows are live streamed and then available VOD. For $10 you get a ~half-dozen excellent live shows monthly.

Frustratingly, they only give access to a few of their back-log shows at-a-time, instead of full access to a treasure-trove of live jazz performances. Currently available, however, is a wonderful Toshiko Akiyoshi tribute concert from 2023, which features husband Lew Tabackin on sax, and the LCJO plays her big band charts.

Coincidentally, on Friday, May 3, 8 pm/2000h EDT, the LCJO and Wynton Marsalis perform(ed) Duke Ellington At 125. That’s 2 enticements for big band jazz fans to try Jazz Live.

Here's a live performance of Big Train in its entirety from around release time. Video is a bit dated, but the sound is fine.  😎

WDR Big Band & Jörg Keller - YouTube song - ‘Blueport’

The WDR Big Band posted this tune recently. 

From the YouTube info: “The WDR BIG BAND plays ‘Blueport’ (composer: Art Farmer / arranger: Al Cohn) under the direction of Jörg Achim Keller. Solos are played by Jens Neufang on baritone saxophone, Raphael Klemm on trombone, Paul Heller on tenor saxophone, John Goldsby on bass and Andy Hader on trumpet. Live recording of the concert ‘Mr Mulligan's Concert Jazz’ at the Kölner Philharmonie (October 2023).”

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

Four posts below about seven 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.  😎