GRP All-Star Big Band - GRP All-Star Big Band

Styles: Big Band
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:45
Size: 164,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:10)  1. Airegin
(4:35)  2. Blue Train
(4:13)  3. Donne Lee
(6:34)  4. Maiden Voyage
(6:48)  5. Sister Sadie
(6:39)  6. The Sidewinder
(5:59)  7. Seven Steps To Heaven
(5:33)  8. I Remember Clifford
(6:54)  9. Footprints
(6:55) 10. Manteca
(7:01) 11. 'Round Midnight
(5:18) 12. Spain

When this CD was released, it was a major surprise. GRP is a label whose initial reputation was made on pop-ish jazz. However, co-founders Dave Grusin and Larry Rosen always had a love for the sound of big bands and for hard bop. For this set, they gathered together some of the most notable players on their label to play 12 jazz standards dating from the mid-'40s ("Donna Lee") up to the early '70s ("Spain"). The lineup of musicians is quite impressive, comprised of trumpeters Arturo Sandoval, Randy Brecker, and Sal Marquez; trombonist George Bohanon (who had to be imported since GRP did not have any trombonists); a reed section of Eric Marienthal, Nelson Rangell, Bob Mintzer, Ernie Watts and Tom Scott; bassist John Patitucci; drummer Dave Weckl; and several alternating pianists (Grusin, Russell Ferrante, Kenny Kirkland, and David Benoit), plus such guests as guitarist Lee Ritenour, flutist Dave Valentine, vibraphonist Gary Burton, clarinetist Eddie Daniels, and percussionist Alex Acuna. 

On the strictly straight-ahead set, which has such tunes as "Blue Train," "Sister Sadie," "The Sidewinder," and "Manteca," all of the musicians are featured adequately. It is a particular revelation hearing Marienthal and Rangell sound passable in this setting. Easily recommended to hard bop and big band collectors. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/grp-all-star-big-band-mw0000612127

GRP All-Star Big Band: Lee Ritenour (guitar), Tom Scott, Eric Marienthal, Nelson Rangell, Ernie Watts, Bob Mintzer (saxophone), Arturo Sandoval, Randy Brecker, Sal Marquez (trumpet), George Bohanon (trombone), Dave Valentine (flute), Eddie Daniels (clarinet), Gary Burton (vibraphone), Dave Grusin, David Benoit, Kenny Kirkland, Russell Ferrante (piano, keyboards), John Patitucci (bass), Dave Weckl (drums), Alex Acuna (percussion).

GRP All-Star Big Band

---

GRP All-Star Big Band - All Blues

Styles: Big Band
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:05
Size: 140,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:41)  1. Cookin' At the Continental
(5:16)  2. Stormy Monday
(7:38)  3. All Blues
(6:03)  4. Birk's Works
(5:19)  5. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
(6:16)  6. Senor Blues
(5:31)  7. Blue Miles
(8:12)  8. Mysterioso/Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are: Mysterioso
(3:46)  9. Some Other Blues
(7:19) 10. Aunt Hagar's Blues

When one considers the large number of great players who participated in this project (including trumpeters Arturo Sandoval, Randy Brecker and Chuck Findley, trombonist George Bohanon, the reeds of Eric Marienthal, Nelson Rangell, Tom Scott, Ernie Watts and Bob Mintzer, such keyboardists as Dave Grusin, Chick Corea, Ramsey Lewis and Russell Ferrante, bassist John Patitucci, drummer Dave Weckl, and guests B.B. King and tenor great Michael Brecker), the rather predictable results are a disappointment. With the exception of Chick Corea's recent "Blue Miles," this album could have been titled "Warhorses" due to the very familiar material. The arrangements by Michael Abene, Scott, Grusin, Mintzer and Ferrante contain no real surprises (other than some unexpected moments on "Misterioso"), and none of the solos are long enough to really build. 

There is a certain novelty in hearing some of the crossover players like Rangell, Scott and Lewis playing hard bop tunes such as "Birks Works," "Senor Blues" and "Cookin' at the Continental," but why waste B.B. King on yet another version of "Stormy Monday Blues?" ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/all-blues-mw0000124778

GRP All-Star Big Band: Eric Marienthal (alto & soprano saxophones), Nelson Rangell (alto & soprano saxophones, flute), Ernie Watts (tenor & soprano saxophones), Bob Mintzer (tenor & soprano saxophones, bass clarinet), Tom Scott (baritone, soprano & tenor saxophones), Arturo Sandoval, Randy Brecker, Chuck Findley (trumpet, flugelhorn), George Bohanon (trombone), Dave Grusin, Chick Corea, Ramsey Lewis (piano), Russel Ferrante (piano, Hammond B-3 organ), B.B. King (guitar, vocals), John Patitucci (acoustic & electric bass), Dave Weckl (drums).

All Blues

---