Chuck Owen & The WDR Big Band - Renderings

Styles: Big Band, Jazz
Year: 2023
Time: 73:15
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 168,6 MB
Art: Front

( 6:05) 1. Knife's Edge
( 8:50) 2. ...and Your Point Is
(10:56) 3. Of Mystery & Beauty
(10:24) 4. This Love Of Mine
( 9:38) 5. Fall Calls
(11:44) 6. Arabian Nights
( 8:58) 7. A Ridge Away
( 6:36) 8. Canoe

Anyone who uses YouTube to search for contemporary jazz must surely be familiar with Germany's blue-ribbon WDR Big Band, as it is abundantly represented at the site. Bearing that in mind, it may come as no surprise to those seekers (and others) that the WDR's latest recording, on which it is paired with the esteemed Florida-based composer and arranger Chuck Owen, offers another master class in big-band artistry, or how to make even the most arduous charts seem deceptively simple.

Owen, who leads his own Grammy-nominated ensemble, the Jazz Surge, arranged every number including three of his engaging compositions ("Knife's Edge," ..."And Your Point Is?" and "A Ridge Away") and three more by members of the band (saxophonist Karolina Strassmayer's even-tempered "Of Mystery and Beauty," bassist John Goldsby's hibernal "Fall Calls," saxophonist Johan Horlen's smooth-riding "Canoe"). Completing the seductive program are Chick Corea's esoteric "Arabian Nights" and the durable standard "This Love of Mine," made popular in the 1940s by a young Frank Sinatra. If there is a downside, it lies in the fact that most numbers are generally more easygoing than aggressive.

"Knife's Edge," the only song written especially for the album, is an exception, sprinting eagerly forward while testing the band's mettle via several of Owen's typically sharp and challenging ensemble passages. The WDR has no trouble braving the gauntlet, nor do the able soloists: tenor saxophonist Paul Heller, trumpeter Andy Haderer and drummer Hans Dekker who (with Goldsby) provides rhythmic stability on every number. The pace slows to a brisk fox trot on... "And Your Point Is?" originally written for Owen's sextet. Nice work here by Dekker, whose robust snares and tom-toms underline earnest solos by trombonist Andy Hunter, tenor saxophonist Gabor Bolla, organist Billy Test and tuba-ist Mattis Cederberg.

Strassmayer's ethereal theme, on which she solos with Goldsby and guest violinist Sara Caswell, is equal parts mystery and beauty, while "This Love of Mine," which follows, is a classic ballad whose soloists are Test (on piano), Heller and trumpeter Ruud Breuls. Once again, a gorgeous arrangement by Owen who does the same for "Fall Calls," an inherently slow-paced tone poem whose colors are radiant and whose solos (by Strassmayer, Hunter and guitarist Philipp Brämswig) embrace the casual ambiance. Caswell returns with Bramswig and Horlen (alto) on the enigmatic "Arabian Nights," which leads to another slow-cooker, "A Ridge Away" (Breuls, trumpet; Test, piano) and the tasteful finale, "Canoe," on which Horlen solos on alto alongside trombonist Ludwig Nuss.

As always, Owen's arrangements are exemplary, the WDR impeccable. In sum, an excellent showcase for the author and orchestra that could have been even more impressive given an extra shot or two of adrenaline.By Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/renderings-chuck-owen-and-the-wdr-big-band-mama-records

WDR Big Band: Chuck Owen - conductor, arrangement; Wim Both, Andy Haderer, Rob Bruynen, Ruud Breuls: trumpet; Johan Horlen, Karolina Strassmayer, Gabor Bolla, Olivier Peters, Paul Heller, Jens Neufang: woodwinds; Ludwig Nuss, Raphael Klemm, y Andy Hunter: trombone; Cederberg: bass trombone; Billy Test: piano, organ; Philipp Bramswig: guitar;
John Goldsby: bass; Hans Dekker: drums

Special guest—Sara Caswell: violin

Renderings

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Clare Teal With the Syd Lawrence Orchestra - A Tribute To Ella Fitzgerald

Styles: Vocal Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 28:35
Size: 66,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:57); 1. I've Got You Under My Skin
(3:56)  2. Begin The Beguine
(3:55)  3. I Get A Kick Out Of You
(3:31)  4. Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead
(2:46)  5. Night And Day
(3:18)  6. Anything Goes
(4:23)  7. That Old Black Magic
(3:45)  8. Too Darn Hot

Recording direct-to-disk is difficult enough. The entire side has to be cut in one long take. Consider a big band vocal album like this, which has four songs per side. The orchestra and singer have to be ready as soon as the cutting stylus hits the lacquer and then they have to perform flawlessly on each track, pausing but a few seconds between songs. Often these records sound stilted and mannered as no one wants to produce a "clam" and ruin the whole thing but here everything works perfectly, with the mellifluous Clare Teal backed by The Syd Lawrence Orchestra a brash and brassy ensemble. Incredibly, it was ll rehearsed, mixed and cut to lacquer at Air Studios in one day!, under the supervision of producer Mike Valentine and co-producer Francoise Valentine. So first, who is Clare Teal? She's well-known in the U.K.

In 2004, the then thirty one year old singer was signed to Sony Jazz, in a deal that at the time was the biggest recording deal in U.K. jazz history. She grew up listening to her father's 78rpm record collection and fell in love with big band vocal music, particularly the records of Ella Fitzgerald. Teal, for all intents and purposes, sounds like a 1940's era singer transported to 2016, not just in her phrasing but particularly her vocal timbre. I can think of no other female vocalist today who hits this particular nostalgic mark and does so without it sounding forced or archaic. Instead it sounds refreshing and generous. The repertoire is of course familiar: "I've Got You Under My Skin", " Begin the Beguine", "I Get a Kick Out of You", "Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead", "Night and Day", "Anything Goes", "That Old Black Magic" and "Too Darned Hot". Everyone's ears perked up when I played this at RMAF. The playing is crisp (under the direction of Chris Dean), the arrangements are dynamic with nicely placed hard-driving kick drum accents, and Clare sounds, for all intents and purposes, like the fourth Andrews Sister. We should be grateful that someone is taking the time and spending the money to produce a direct to disk record but more grateful that the music lives up to the sonic promise. But next time, get the writing on the jacket's spine going in the right direction! http://www.analogplanet.com/content/tribute-ella-fitzgerald-performed-clare-teal-recorded-direct-disc#DWhvoPyzxrpSm29R.97

A Tribute To Ella Fitzgerald

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Harmonious Wail - Vintage Jazz

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:45
Size: 102.5 MB
Styles: Gypsy jazz
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[4:12] 1. Sam The Vegetable Man
[2:49] 2. Slipped Disc
[5:46] 3. Exactly Like You
[4:46] 4. Tico Tico
[3:42] 5. Basin Street Blues
[3:32] 6. It Ain't Right
[3:45] 7. You've Got To Believe
[3:21] 8. Jitterbug Waltz
[3:59] 9. Is You Is (Or Is You Ain't My Baby)
[4:33] 10. Georgia On My Mind
[4:17] 11. Saturday Night Fish Fry

These purveyors of Americana infused Gypsy Jazz just celebrated their 30th Anniversary and are continuing to take their listeners on a ride ranging from the music of the Hot Club sounds of Paris to the deepest blues of the Memphis Delta to the folk scenes across “every town” America into their 4th decade of existence. The Wail are sublime entertainers, great educators and they’ve mastered the art of lifting spirits.

Harmonious Wail is Sims Delaney-Potthoff, a mandolin virtuoso, bandleader, vocalist and master of all things behind the curtain, Maggie Delaney-Potthoff, vocalist extraordinaire whose percussive instrument of choice is a cardboard box, but who also has a knack for exploring the musicality of almost any household object, and Jeffo Weiss, master bassist who dazzles and mesmerizes on both upright and electric bass. Every performance is played from the heart and infused with the perfect balance of ingredients that firmly proves that music truly does make the world a better place. Recognized as the “Dr. Feelgood” of Gypsy Jazz, Harmonious Wail has an knack for lifting the spirits of listeners of all ages. The Wail celebrates 10 recordings to date, the three most recent having been submitted for Grammy nomination consideration. Their upcoming project, currently in the works, finds them teamed up with a group of Gypsy Jazz all-stars.

Their gracious approach to music translates beautifully in any outreach program. They have honed their skills to provide excellent educational programs tailored to fit groups of varying skill and age. Popular topics have included; ”the instrumentation of Gypsy Jazz”, “how to succeed in the music biz”, and Maggie’s Method™ “If You Can Speak You Can Sing”. Not only a touring band the ever-reaching Harmonious Wail has enriched their lives working with National Public Radio. They are honored to be recognized as “favorite house band” for the program “Says You” where they’ve matched their wits with the panelists. Their songs have graced the program “All Things Considered” and they have gifted their composition “The Money Song” to NPR stations across the country for annual fundraising programs. Their songs, “People Stuff and “ I Like to Feel My Bones” both received International Songwriters Award, and four of their Gypsy Jazz compositions were cleverly woven into the film score of the internationally acclaimed independent film, ”I Really Hate My Job”.

True warriors for musicians worldwide, they are founding members of the highly respected International Folk Alliance, have created their own foundation, the Henry Mac Fund, supporting the arts in their hometown of Madison, Wisconsin and are recipients of the 2017 Musicnotes Outstanding Musical Career Achievement Award.

Vintage Jazz

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