Canadian Brass - Take the A Train: The Best of Duke Ellington

Styles: Big Band

Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:23
Size: 136,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:24)  1. It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
(4:38)  2. Echoes Of Harlem
(3:34)  3. Sophisticated Lady
(3:22)  4. The Cottontail Caper
(2:09)  5. Pitter Panther Patter
(3:17)  6. Come Sunday
(1:48)  7. I've Got To Be A Rug Cutter
(2:50)  8. Solitude
(4:04)  9. Blood Count
(4:40) 10. Life Is Lonely
(2:20) 11. Come What May Places
(3:39) 12. A Week in Paris
(2:46) 13. Portrait of Cootie
(3:02) 14. Portrait of Johnny
(3:56) 15. New World a-Comin'
(5:47) 16. Harlem/Sunday Morning
(3:00) 17. Take the "a" Train

If you know anything about the Canadian Brass you know that the group is capable of just about anything musically. What the group has done here is expertly interpret the music of the most legendary composer of American jazz, the great Duke Ellington, for the brass quintet medium with nary a note sounding out of place. Ellington classics like "It Don't Mean a Thing," "Sophisticated Ladies," and "Cottontail" are richly arranged by arranger Luther Henderson and ring gallantly with the bell tones of refined brass. The sound of the group is so complete that the listener never misses the familiar big-band setting in which Ellington's tunes are traditionally performed. Also included are three variations on Billy Strayhorn's signature "Lush Life," the centerpiece of the set. Finally, the disc would not be complete without the resounding swing of "Take the 'A' Train," performed here with all the pageantry that this music so richly deserves. Ellington enthusiasts and music fans in general will find this disc to be as enjoyable time and again, just like the Duke himself. http://www.allmusic.com/album/take-the-a-train-the-best-of-duke-ellington-mw0000666578

Canadian Brass: Jens Lindmann (trumpet, piccolo trumpet); Ronald Romm (trumpet, flugelhorn); Gene Watts (trombone); Chris Cooper (French horn); Chuck Daellenbach (tuba).

Take the A Train: The Best of Duke Ellington

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Canadian Brass - Swing That Music: A Tribute to Louis Armstrong

Styles: Big Band
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:51
Size: 122,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:42)  1. Swing That Music
(2:25)  2. Carolina Shout
(2:23)  3. Promenade
(2:18)  4. Bebop Bach
(2:25)  5. Cool Bach
(1:56)  6. Dixie Bach
(3:18)  7. Struttin' With Some Barbecue
(3:26)  8. Sweet Georgia Brown
(4:47)  9. St. Louis Blues
(3:56) 10. Black and Blue
(3:05) 11. Way Down Yonder In New Orleans
(4:02) 12. Black Bottom Stomp
(3:17) 13. Strike Up The Band
(4:08) 14. Sleepless Night
(0:52) 15. Three-Quarter Blues
(3:19) 16. Ain't Misbehavin'
(4:25) 17. Blueberry Hill

First emerging in 1970, the Canadian Brass went on to establish brass music and instruments as a newly vital force in classical performance. A quintet (longtime members included trumpeters Frederic Mills and Ronald Romm, French horn player David Ohanian, trombonist Eugene Watts, and tuba player Charles Daellenbach), the Canadian Brass' virtuosic, classically trained style is widely credited for infusing a neglected group of instruments hampered by a rather limited repertoire with new vitality and relevance; performing everything from Mozart and Bach to Gerswhin and jazz, the group paved the way for an entirely new measure of acceptance for brass ensembles. The first Western chamber ensemble ever to tour the People's Republic of China, they also headlined venues including New York's Carnegie Hall, Orchestra Hall in Chicago, the Academy of Music in Philadelphia, the Ambassador Auditorium in Los Angeles, and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.; in addition to their many live performances, the quintet also issued myriad recordings. ~ Jason Ankeny  https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/canadian-brass/id243599#fullText

Personnel: Joe Burgstaller, Brandon Ridenour, Ryan Anthony (trumpet); Shachar Israel, Eugene Watts (trombone); Charles Daellenbach (tuba); Jeff Nelsen (horns)

Swing That Music: A Tribute to Louis Armstrong

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The Canadian Brass - Swingtime!

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 58:20
Size: 133.5 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 1996
Art: Front

[5:03] 1. Artistry In Rhythm
[4:28] 2. Blue Rondo A La Turk
[3:11] 3. (Back Home Again In) Indiana
[2:59] 4. Night And Day
[5:02] 5. 'round About Midnight
[3:19] 6. At The Woodchopper's Ball
[3:43] 7. The Lady Is A Tramp
[2:46] 8. Sugar Blues
[3:32] 9. The Man I Love
[2:46] 10. Whatever Happened To The Dream
[9:10] 11. Concierto De Aranjez
[3:33] 12. I Found Love
[4:02] 13. Ellington Medley
[4:39] 14. One O'clock Jump

This is an odd if mostly intriguing set by the Canadian Brass, which is comprised of two trumpets, trombone, French horn, and tuba. On most of the selections, they are joined by a full band that includes keyboardist Warren Bernhardt, guitarist Gene Bertoncini, up to 11 additional horns (arranged by Don Sebesky), and even occasionally six-strings. The inventive arrangements make such songs as "Blue Rondo a la Turk," "Indiana," "At the Woodchopper's Ball," and "One O'Clock Jump" quite colorful and full of surprises. It is particularly odd that there are three selections that have the Canadian Brass adding their parts to historic recordings: Zoot Sims in 1950 playing "Night and Day," the 1954 Gerry Mulligan Quartet on "The Lady Is a Tramp," and Roy Eldridge The Zoot Sims Quartet, Gerry Mulligan Quartet and Roy Eldridge recordings used on SWINGTIME! date from the 1950s. Canadian Brass created new arrangements by overdubbing parts onto existing recordings of "Night And Day" by Zoot Sims (recorded in 1950), "The Lady Is A Tramp" by Gerry Mulligan (June 3, 1954) and "The Man I Love" by Roy Eldridge (June 9, 1950).

Recording information: Clinton Studio A, New York, NY (04/10/1995-04/26/1995); Soundtrack Studio A, New York, NY (04/10/1995-04/26/1995).

Frederic Mills, Ronald Romm (trumpet); David Ohanian (French horn); Eugene Watts (trombone); Charles Daellenbach (tuba). Zoot Sims Quartet: Zoot Sims (tenor saxophone); Gerry Wiggins (piano); Pierre Michelot (bass); Kenny Clarke (drums). Gerry Mulligan Quartet: Gerry Mulligan (baritone saxophone); Bob Brookmeyer (valve trombone); Red Mitchell (bass); Frank Isola (drums). Additional personnel: Gene Bertoncini, Joe Taylor (guitar); Belinda Whitney-Barratt, Natalie Cenovia Cummins, Karen Karlsrud, Evan Johnson (violin); Crystal Garner (viola); Maria Kitsopoulos (cello); Lawrence Feldman (flute, piccolo, clarinet, alto saxophone); Chuck Wilson (flute, clarinet, alto saxophone); Dave Tofani (flute, clarinet, tenor saxophone); Roger Rosenberg (flute, bass clarinet, baritone saxophone); Richard Stoltzman (clarinet); Ken Hitchcock (clarinet, bass clarinet, tenor saxophone); Zoot Sims (tenor saxophone); Rick Baptiste, Tony Kadleck, Neal Balm, Roy Eldridge (trumpet); Jeff Lang, Peter Gordon, Bob Carlise (French horn); Keith O'Quinn, Larry Farrell (trombone); Paul Faulise (bass trombone); Dick Hyman (piano); Warren Bernhardt (piano, keyboards); John Miller, Pierre Michelot (bass); Ronnie Zito, Ed Shaughnessy (drums); Gordon Gottlieb, Joe Passaro (percussion).

Swingtime!

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