Maria Schneider - Days Of Wine And Roses

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:39
Size: 132,5 MB
Art: Front

(8:46)  1. Lately
(7:07)  2. The Willow
(5:33)  3. That Old Black Magic
(7:20)  4. My Ideal
(2:49)  5. Last Season
(8:46)  6. Days Of Wine And Roses
(7:22)  7. Over The Rainbow
(9:53)  8. Bird Count

Originally released in a limited edition boxed with two bottles of Riesling wine the reissue of this unique CD is a welcome event for fans of Maria Schneider. There's no wine this time but it still includes a fascinating taste of her older arrangements. There are three that reach back more than twenty years to her studies at the Eastman School of Music: the originals: "Bird Count and "Last Season, and her chart of the standard "My Ideal.  Her composition "Lately dates from 1987 and was originally intended for Mel Lewis but never submitted to his orchestra. "'The Willow' was written as a dedication of love and gratitude to Mel, according to Schneider's notes. Her close friend and teacher Bob Brookmeyer commissioned the arrangements of "That Old Black Magic and "Over the Rainbow for a project with the Cologne Radio Orchestra. Ivan Lins' "Começar de Novo and the title selection come from a 1994 collaboration with Toots Thielemans and the Norrbotten Big Band."This album is like a double-exposed photograph, she writes in the liner notes, referring to the pre-Orchestra arrangements from the 1980s through the 1990s juxtaposed with the late January 2000 edition of her own large ensemble, recorded live to two-track at the Jazz Standard by the brilliant engineer David Baker. Days of Wine and Roses is dedicated to Baker, who recently passed away. He also co-produced the recording with Schneider. The magnificent sonic clarity, depth and definition serve as a fitting remembrance of his loving attention to detail and keen hearing; he was likely the premier recording engineer of his time.The Maria Schneider Orchestra's previous recordings tended to concentrate primarily on a diaphanous quality in the writing, leading many commentators to pigeonhole her as a colorist, an orchestral impressionist akin to Gil Evans, with whom she apprenticed and to whom Evanescence was dedicated. Days of Wine and Roses demonstrates conclusively that this is but one facet of her talents as a composer, arranger and orchestrator. "Lately is a relaxed yet propulsive swinger in a latter-day Basie groove that would have been right at home in the Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra book. The bustling "Bird Count brings the Charles Mingus of "Gunslinging Bird to mind, as well as its namesake Charlie Parker, with preaching reeds plus testifying trumpets and trombones massing in gospel-esque fervor.

It might be said that the arrangements are the true "stars of this organization, but there are some beautifully conceived and fully formed solos as well. One that must be singled out is Scott Robinson's baritone saxophone tour de force on "The Willow. A portion of this tenderly limned melody bears a fleeting resemblance to Duke Ellington's "Prelude to a Kiss, and a similar mood is evoked as well. The baritone solo begins in pensive pastels, lightly burred at times, with pianist Frank Kimbrough's gently probing accompaniment and the stirring brushes of drummer Tim Horner. Schneider's arrangement gradually brings in the other horns, building the dynamic level, and Robinson rises with them, an eagle riding a thermal, judiciously applying split tones and a range from the bottom of the horn to the near-falsetto register. He flies up and "out without losing sight of the ground then gradually glides back down, meshing mesmerizingly with the orchestration. It's a dramatic performance, ranging from tenderness to passion and back again. The title is certainly an apt one. Like a willow, this composition, arrangement and interpretation have a tensile strength that nonetheless bends with the breeze, never brittle and unyielding, always motile and mutable. "Last Season is a fetching miniature, performed as a solo piano reflection by Frank Kimbrough, which segues seamlessly to the saudade orchestral intro of "Começar de Novo. Soprano saxophonist Tim Ries is the featured soloist on this piece, which is a gorgeous ballad rather than a bossa nova or samba despite its Brazilian pedigree.

Rick Margitza takes "That Old Black Magic at a brisk pace, the chart buoying along a fleet tenor saxophone solo with some particularly pungent lower brass exclamation points. Greg Gisbert's mellifluous flugelhorn is showcased on "My Ideal, which opens and closes as a ballad with a lightly swinging medium-tempo portion at the midpoint. "Days of Wine and Roses is transformed from an evocation of cocktail lounge ennui to an up-tempo romp in this arrangement, with solos from Ries whose soprano tone is here a touch too austere for my taste and Rich Perry on tenor. Schneider's rhapsodic chart of "Over the Rainbow is graced with an eloquent solo by alto saxophonist Charles Pillow, who has some of the spicy snap of latter-day Art Pepper in his sound and ideas here. Pepper also recorded a nakedly emotional interpretation of this classic Harold Arlen melody. The closing "Bird Count has a string of solos, with Frank Kimbrough on piano and Ingrid Jensen on trumpet the standouts. It's too bad that there isn't more of Jensen's solo work on the program; she is a superb player. In the five-plus years since Days of Wine and Roses was recorded there have been a few changes of personnel in the orchestra, but the majority of musicians (thirteen by my count) are the same as on 2004's Concert in the Garden. Pianist Frank Kimbrough is one of the constants, as is guitarist Ben Monder. Although the latter doesn't solo in this program, he is an essential part of the rhythm section, while the former is a marvelously incisive, expressive soloist and one of the leading accompanists in the business. The continuity and cohesion of the ensemble are exemplary. Days of Wine and Roses presents a snapshot of the 2000 edition of the Maria Schneider Orchestra in performance, and it's a gladly received document of another side or perhaps one should say other sides of her estimable talents. This recording is available only through Maria Schneider on the web. ~ Bill Bennett https://www.allaboutjazz.com/maria-schneider-orchestra-days-of-wine-and-roses-live-at-the-jazz-standard-by-bill-bennett.php

Personnel: Maria Schneider: composer, arranger, conductor; Tim Ries: alto and soprano saxophone, clarinet, flute; Charles Pillow: alto and soprano saxophone, clarinet, flute; Rich Perry: tenor saxophone, flute; Rick Margitza: tenor saxophone, flute; Scott Robinson: bass and baritone saxophones, bass clarinet, clarinet, flute; Tony Kadleck: trumpet, flugelhorn; Greg Gisbert: trumpet, flugelhorn; Laurie Frink: trumpet, flugelhorn; Ingrid Jensen: trumpet, flugelhorn; Keith O'Quinn: trombone; Rock Ciccarone: trombone; Larry Farrell: trombone; George Flynn: bass trombone; Ben Monder: guitar; Frank Kimbrough: piano; Tony Scherr: bass; Tim Horner: drums.

Days Of Wine And Roses

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Maria Schneider Orchestra - Data Lords (Disc 1), (Disc 2)

Album: Data Lords (Disc 1)
Styles: Big Band
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:58
Size: 121,6 MB
Art: Front

( 9:41) 1. A World Lost
(13:37) 2. Don't Be Evil
(10:17) 3. CQ CQ Is Anybody There?
( 8:11) 4. Sputnik
(11:11) 5. Data Lords

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Album: Data Lords (Disc 2)
Time: 43:06
Size: 99,1 MB

( 5:45) 1. Sanzenin
( 5:42) 2. Stone Song
( 9:04) 3. Look Up
( 3:59) 4. Braided Together
(11:11) 5. Bluebird
( 7:22) 6. The Sun Waited For Me

The skillfully designed cover art tells part of the story; a leaf half as nature intended the remainder, a circuit board doppelganger. The pastoral soundscapes associated with the music of Grammy-winning composer/bandleader Maria Schneider belie her activist alter-ego. An outspoken critic of copyright protections, prejudicial revenue schemes and the abuses of "big data," Schneider has authored op-eds and testified before the US Congress. She ventures onto unfamiliar terrain, coalescing her passions on a masterwork double album, Data Lords.

The two discs are respectively designated as "The Digital World" and "Our Natural World" and the first CD opens with the ominous "A World Lost." Ben Monder's brooding guitar and Richard Perry's tenor sax preside over rumbling brass; the piece is as dark as the title suggests. Monder's electric guitar becomes an emblematic figure in a substantial portion of the digitally-focused disc. "CQ CQ, Is Anybody There?" is based on the low-tech forerunner of the digital world; Schneider's engineer father was a ham radio operator.

The piece features Donny McCaslin on tenor saxophone and Greg Gisbert on trumpet, with electronics, a rarity in Schneider's recordings. The two set up a clash between organic and enhanced sounds. A harbinger of the competition for technological dominance is manifested in the shadowy "Sputnik" where Scott Robinson's baritone sax takes center stage. The title track closes the first disc with an appropriately chaotic and conflicted warning of the potential risks of an AI dominated world.

Returning to more familiar ground, "Our Natural World" is not a divestiture from the concept but solace from the intrusion of mechanization. The striking "Sanzenin" is a meditative reflection on the Buddhist gardens in Ohara, Japan. Gary Versace's accordion evocatively soars above the low reeds. Schneider further lifts the spirits with the lavishly textured "Look Up" with Marshall Gilkes' inspired trombone interwoven with pianist Frank Kimbrough. Schneider builds on her visual observations of nature in the eleven-minute "Bluebird" and the second-disc closing piece "The Sun Waited for Me." Both of those, hopeful and energized arrangements are in the vein of her work on The Thompson Fields (ArtistShare, 2015).

Schneider found her inspiration to take a larger risk in working briefly with David Bowie on his final studio album Blackstar (ISO Records, 2016). The post-production version of the single "Sue (Or in a Season of Crime)" caught Schneider off guard but also opened her mind to new ideas. Data Lords was commissioned by the Library of Congress and premiered at the Library in 2016. Schneider has described the project as "very dark, chaotic, and intense." By comparison to her other releases, it's true but that account shouldn't be off-putting to her fans. Data Lords is often gorgeous and always intriguing. It is Schneider's best collection to date and sure to end up on most of the appropriate year-end lists. This is intoxicating music and highly recommended. By Karl Ackermann https://www.allaboutjazz.com/data-lords-maria-schneider-orchestra-artist-share

Personnel: Composed By, Conductor – Maria Schneider; Accordion – Gary Versace; Alto Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute, Alto Flute, Piccolo Flute – Dave Pietro; Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute, Alto Flute – Steve Wilson (2); Bass – Jay Anderson; Bass Clarinet, Contrabass Clarinet, Baritone Saxophone – Scott Robinson (2); Bass Trombone – George Flynn (2); Drums, Percussion – Johnathan Blake; Guitar – Ben Monder; Piano – Frank Kimbrough; Tenor Saxophone – Rich Perry; Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Donny McCaslin; Trombone – Keith O'Quinn, Marshall Gilkes, Ryan Keberle; Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Greg Gisbert, Mike Rodriguez (9), Nadje Noordhuis, Tony Kadleck

Data Lords (Disc 1),(Disc 2)

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Scott Wendholdt - Jam Session Vol.5

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:30
Size: 157,0 MB
Art: Front

( 6:27)  1. Dig
( 8:22)  2. Up jumped spring
( 5:51)  3. Body and Soul
( 8:02)  4. Strikezone
( 4:47)  5. If you could see me now
( 5:57)  6. After Thought
( 4:31)  7. The Duke Ellington Sound Of Love
(10:01)  8. World Wide Web
( 8:27)  9. Onion Straw

The Danish Steeplechase imprint has long recognized the fertile dynamics of jam sessions, fronting the resources for many in its roster of players to convene in just such supportive surroundings. Volumes 5 and 6 in the continuing series offer up vernal combinations and surprises while upholding producer Nils Winther’s credo of “positively no rehearsal.” Volume 5 follows the template of past entries, at least in theory, focusing on a single frontline instrument, in this particular case the trumpet. Earlier volumes, incidentally, have focused on saxophone and guitar. Fortunately Wendholt, Gisbert and Ballou are markedly different stylists on their respective brass and the resulting diversity dispels any sense of homogeneity from the bandstand. The first two players have close ties to the mainstream tributaries of bop and hard bop, while Ballou straddles these strains and also shows a strong affinity for freer forms of improvisation. Laverne heads up the rhythm section with sensitivity and poise, while Anderson and Drummond fulfill their support roles in equally amicable fashion. 

Miles Davis’ “Dig” delivers perfect fodder for the three front men to flex their embouchres and each solos brightly in loose succession. Gisbert’s tart tone contrasts with Ballou’s more rounded note runs, but it’s Wendholt who proves the smoothest of the three, peeling off buttery streams that dance and cavort against the bustling rhythm before a string of expressive exchanges takes the tune out. Freddie Hubbard’s statuesque standard “Up Jumped Spring” serves as well-chosen follow-up, as Ballou and Wendholdt don their mellow ballad hats and blow soothingly through the tune’s demulcent changes. Laverne’s elegant but understated comping acts as accommodating foil. All three also enjoy a tune apiece, individually. Wendholt steps up first, trying his hand at a romance-laden rundown of “Body and Soul,” and the rhythm section shines right alongside him, fitting his solo improvisations like hand in glove. For Gisbert it’s a lovely reading of the Tad Dameron chestnut “If You Could See Me Now.” Reclining on the plush changes, the trumpeter eases back into a solo of measured restraint and makes full use of his instrument’s satin tone. Ballou proves the most adventurous of the three, tackling Mingus’ “The Duke Ellington Sound of Love” and capturing the spirit of both departed composers in the gilded bell of his horn. A pair of Laverne-penned originals provides clever interludes while still fitting seamlessly into the overall programmatic scheme. On “Afterthought” Ballou’s pitch-perfect appraisal of the theme paves a path for the composer’s own brief but beguiling variation and a stately unison close. The somewhat regrettably titled “World Wide Web” belies the triviality of its name through another circle of outstanding brass statements and even a rare solo turn from Anderson. Everything comes together on the closer, Ballou’s “Onion Straw,” a modal tune built on dark structures reminiscent of Andrew Hill’s Sixties work for Blue Note, opening plenty of space for blowing. Trumpet fans take note: this disc is chock full of the sort of spot on playing that the instrument was designed and built for. ~ Derek Taylor https://www.allaboutjazz.com/jam-session-volume-5-various-steeplechase-records-review-by-derek-taylor.php

Personnel: Scott Wendholt- trumpet; Dave Ballou- trumpet; Greg Gisbert- trumpet; Andy Laverne- piano; Jay Anderson- bass; Billy Drummond- drums.

Jam Session  Vol.5

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Chie Imaizumi - Unfailing Kindness

Styles: Post Bop, Big Band
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:06
Size: 129,4 MB
Art: Front

( 9:05)  1. A Change for the Better
( 5:50)  2. The More the Merrier
( 9:47)  3. Unfailing Kindness
( 6:30)  4. Lonley...
( 7:56)  5. Round and Round
(10:40)  6. Adversity
( 6:16)  7. Another Day

To all but the most jaded of cynics, Chie Imaizumi's Unfailing Kindness is sure to provide many hours of comfort for the soul as this extremely accessible and yet deeply rewarding music washes away all that might ail it. Imaizumi is letting us see her up close and personal as each tune translates her emotional being at various times in her recent life into music. The fact that this music is for large forces (ten players most of the time) makes it all the more remarkable, since it is light and limber with intricate arrangements that do not, however, sound congested or overburdened. There is much room for soloing, and when they get the chance to fly, the soloists make the most of it. The feeling that leads to the solo is one, though, of the underlying music pushing the performer out front, or lifting them above the others, rather than someone just stepping out and wailing. Imaizumi received her original musical training on the electric organ before she switched to piano, winning awards and beginning to record in Japan. The fact that she does not play on this record might seem strange but it is, in reality, part of the emotional roller coaster that the music represents. Among other issues in her life at the time, Imaizumi was afflicted with tenosynovitis, a painful repetitive stress injury, which forced her to stop playing. Anyone who has been through this kind of thing, especially a musician, knows how devastating not being able to function can be. However, Imaizumi turned adversity into opportunity. Indeed, the sixth and longest track is named "Adversity" and is the most interesting musically as it moves through many different moods and emotions. Turning her talents away from the playing and toward composing and arranging, she now builds worlds of sound with the help of other musicians. 

The album starts off with a bang with three very up tunes "A Change for the Better," with its Caribbean rhythms, "The More the Merrier," which kicks back with a New Orleans backbeat, and "Unfailing Kindness," with its meter switching between 5/4 and 4/4. Things take a needed rest with "Lonely," in which Imaizumi remembers how a three month tour felt, but rebounds with the driving changes tune "Round and Round," before getting to the aforementioned "Adversity." 

There are many subtleties in constant change throughout each tune, and an attentive listener will be rewarded many times over. The word is that actually attending an Imaizumi performance and watching her conduct her music is something else altogether. Many jazz fans find music to be highly emotional, and Imaizumi's music exudes both optimism and overcoming difficult times, but mostly the joy of creating and being able to share it. Highly recommended. ~ Budd Kopman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/unfailing-kindness-chie-imaizumi-review-by-budd-kopman.php

Personnel: Greg Gisbert: trumpet, flugelhorn; Ron Miles: trumpet, flugelhorn; John Gunther: alto and soprano saxophones, flute, clarinet; Gary Smulyan: baritone saxophone, bass clarinet; Alex Heitlinger: trombone; Mike Abbott: guitar; Jeff Jenkins: piano, Hammond B3; Mark Simon: bass; Paul Romaine: drums; Manavihare

Unfailing Kindness

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John Hicks - Friends Old and New

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:11
Size: 117,5 MB
Art: Front

(7:54)  1. Hicks Tone
(5:56)  2. I Want to Talk About You
(5:00)  3. Bop Scotch
(6:32)  4. True Blue
(6:43)  5. It Don't Mean a Thing
(7:29)  6. Nutty
(6:25)  7. Makin' Whoopee
(5:08)  8. Rosetta

'92 session with pianist John Hicks playing in various combo settings with some excellent musical associates. Bassist Ron Carter, tenor saxophone dynamo Joshua Redman, trumpeter Clark Terry, trombonist Al Grey, and drummer/vocalist Grady Tate are among the friends who join Hicks for some powerhouse numbers.~ Ron Wynn https://www.allmusic.com/album/friends-old-and-new-mw0000611938  

Personnel:  John Hicks – piano;  Greg Gisbert – trumpet;  Clark Terry – trumpet;  Al Grey – trombone;  Joshua Redman – tenor sax;   Ron Carter – bass;  Grady Tate – drums

Friends Old and New

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John Fedchock - New York Big Band

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:51
Size: 174,3 MB
Art: Front

( 7:53)  1. Limehouse Blues
( 7:23)  2. The Grove City Groover
( 5:55)  3. La Parguera
( 4:29)  4. Ruby, My Dear
( 8:58)  5. Blues Du Jour
(11:46)  6. Caravan
( 4:34)  7. Nefertiti
( 5:55)  8. Louie's Cheese Party
( 7:57)  9. Nightshades
( 4:32) 10. My Foolish Heart
( 5:24) 11. Flintstoned

John Fedchock is best-known as a former trombonist and occasional arranger with Woody Herman's orchestra, but the release of this "Reservoir" set should also give him a reputation as an important big-band leader in his own right. Fedchock, who provided arrangements for all 11 selections (six jazz standards and five of his originals), gathered together quite an interesting variety of jazzmen for this date. Included among the personnel are many players who have led sessions of their own, including altoist Jon Gordon, Rick Margitza and Rich Perry on tenors, baritonist Scott Robinson, trumpeter Tim Hagans, and (on three numbers) percussionist Jerry Gonzalez. Fedchock's arrangements give his big band a unified group sound and leave plenty of room for the soloists. Among the highlights are a race through "Limehouse Blues" (which has a torrid tenor-baritone tradeoff by Perry and Robinson), a thoughtful feature for Tim Hagans on "Nefertiti," the heated tenor of Rick Margitza on "Caravan," altoist Mark Vinci's showcase on "My Foolish Heart," and the leader's many colorful trombone solos. This straight-ahead set (which also includes Fedchock's "Blues Du Jour," the calypso feel of "Louie's Cheese Party," and a slightly demented romp on the "Flintstones Theme" that is retitled "Flintstoned") is consistently swinging, enjoyable, and easily recommended. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/new-york-big-band-mw0000183131

Personnel: John Fedchock (trombone); Jon Gordon (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone); Mark Vinci (alto saxophone); Rich Perry, Rick Margitza (tenor saxophone); Scott Robinson (baritone saxophone); Greg Gisbert, Tim Hagans, Barry Ries, Tony Kadleck (trumpet, flugelhorn); George Flynn , Keith O'Quinn, Clark Gayton (trombone); Joel Weiskopf (piano); Dave Ratajczak (drums); Jerry Gonzalez (percussion).

New York Big Band

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Mickey Tucker - Hang in There

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:48
Size: 132,4 MB
Art: Front

(13:10)  1. Wombat Children
( 7:30)  2. Hang In There
( 8:32)  3. Happy
( 8:21)  4. Cloud Seven
( 8:11)  5. Star Eyes
( 5:30)  6. Mickey's Tucker
( 6:32)  7. Hook-Turns And Hectares

For pianist Mickey Tucker's second Steeplechase recording he gathered a group of fine young players, saxophonists Javon Jackson and Donald Harrison, trumpeter Greg Gisbert, and drummer Marvin "Smitty" Smith, augmented by veteran bassist Ray Drummond, to perform a challenging program of six hard bop-oriented originals, four by Tucker, and a nice trio arrangement of the standard "Star Eyes." With two former Jazz Messengers and Jackson and Harrison on the front line, the music takes on a Jazz Messenger-like flavor, with the melodies of "Happy" and "Hook Turns and Hectacres" adding a modern twist. Tucker's "Happy" has one of the fastest-moving melodies one will ever hear. Starting with a fast piano-drums duet, the composition moves into a tricky line so fast the horns can hardly play it, then into blazing uptempo for the soloists fueled by Smith's driving drumming. Other favorites include the finger poppin "Wombat Children," the funky "Cloud Seven," and another up-tempo burner, "Mickey's Tucker." A welcome addition to Tucker's small discography. ~ Greg Turner http://www.allmusic.com/album/hang-in-there-mw0000423309

Personnel:  Mickey Tucker (Piano);  Javon Jackson and Donald Harrison (Saxophone); Greg Gisbert (Trumpet);  Marvin ‘Smitty’ Smith (Drums);  Ray Drummond (Bass).

Hang in There

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Dave Ballou, Greg Gisbert & Tim Hagans - Jam Session, Vol. 22

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:51
Size: 143,6 MB
Art: Front

(10:13)  1. One Finger Snap
( 9:54)  2. Like Someone In Love
(12:40)  3. Mamacita
( 2:27)  4. Ballad Medley : Body And Soul
( 2:19)  5. Ballad Medley : Stella By Starlight
( 2:56)  6. Ballad Medley : Angel Eyes
( 9:56)  7. Joy Spring
(11:23)  8. Solar

Trumpeter Dave Ballou is one of the few contemporary players who straddles the line between mainstream or progressive jazz and creative improvised musics. Ballou originally attended the Berklee School of Music in Boston, receiving his bachelor's degree in 1986 before achieving his master's at the University of New Hampshire in 1991. Since graduation, Ballou has been very active on the East Coast scene and in Europe and Japan, playing solo and with small and large ensembles, big bands, and symphonies. He has a small but growing discography as a leader almost exclusively for the Danish-based Steeplechase label. Ballou has worked prominently with Orange Then Blue, Gunther Schuller, Michael Formanek, Maria Schneider, Andrew Hill, Satoko Fujii, Dave Liebman, Sheila Jordan, Joe Lovano, Michael Jefry Stevens, John Hollenbeck, Oliver Lake, Denman Maroney, Nate Wooley, Jacob Garchik, Tom Rainey, Rabih Abou-Khalil, and Andy Biskin. In recent years Ballou has been incorporating electronics into his sound, and has been teaching as an assistant professor at Towson University in Maryland. ~ Michael G. Nastos https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/dave-ballou/id160815107#fullText

Personnel: Dave Ballou (trumpet, flugelhorn); George Colligan (trumpet, piano); Greg Gisbert, Tim Hagans (trumpet); Darren Beckett (drums).

Jam Session, Vol. 22

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Greg Gisbert - The Court Jester

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:46
Size: 129.9 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 1997
Art: Front

[8:15] 1. Robyn Song
[8:21] 2. The Love Dirge
[6:15] 3. The Court Jester
[6:06] 4. Soft Snow
[6:47] 5. Smile
[6:47] 6. My Ideal
[7:42] 7. Waltz For Toots
[6:29] 8. Dizzy Atmosphere

Greg Gisbert - trumpet & fluegelhorn, Conrad Herwig - trombone, Tim Ries - tenor sax, soprano sax & flute, Jon Gordon - alto and soprano sax, Janice Friedman - piano, Jay Anderson - bass, Gregory Hutchinson - drums. Recorded December 27, 1996 in New York City, NY, USA by Max Bolleman

Trumpeter Greg Gisbert is a modern-day equivalent of such predecessors as Conte Condoli, Marvin Stamm, Richard Williams, and Clark Terry. That is to say he has spent much of his young musical career in the big bands (Buddy Rich and Maria Schneider) and doing studio work that while providing a living doesn't necessarily make for high visibility among the record-buying public. A graduate of the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Gisbert has never lacked for work over the years and has been lucky enough to appear on a number of fine releases as of late (Mickey Tucker's Hang in There, on SteepleChase, comes to mind) in addition to cutting two previous discs for Criss Cross Jazz.

The album at hand, The Court Jester, is Gisbert's most impressive outing to date and the maturity shown in his writing is most apparent. For proof of that, one needs look no further than the album's two highlights. "The Love Dirge" starts with a military snare drum opening that leads to a swaggering line that Gisbert's muted horn makes the most of (shades of Ellington and Strayhorn to be sure!) The title track then goes for broke, with a dense scoring that develops a momentum all of its own. Gisbert's incendiary trumpet shouts towards the conclusion are certainly some of his finest recorded moments to date.

Elsewhere one gets the sense that Gisbert was trying to present a taste of all the recent writing tricks he has added to his arranger's bag. The tunes are unusual and the voicings for this large ensemble (that includes trombone, saxophones, and flutes) are sonorous and delightful. It should also be mentioned that the crack rhythm team of pianist Janice Friedman, bassist Jay Anderson and drummer Gregory Hutchinson adds support that can only be described as perfect. And while Gisbert's comments in the liner notes tend to suggest that he's a bit hard on himself in terms of his own playing, the fact remains that there's nothing here that seems at all superfluous or mundane. The Court Jester is a memorable disc that will stand up over repeated listening and what more could you want then that? ~C. Andrew Hovan

The Court Jester

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Maria Schneider Orchestra - The Thompson Fields

Size: 178,7 MB
Time: 77:25
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Big Band
Art: Front

01. Walking By Flashlight (5:01)
02. The Monarch And The Milkweed (12:07)
03. Arbiters Of Evolution (13:59)
04. The Thompson Fields (10:00)
05. Home (7:46)
06. Nimbus (9:29)
07. A Potter's Song (5:29)
08. Lembrança (13:30)

There's a wealth of information to be found inside the beautiful packaging that accompanies this release, but a brief Theodore Roosevelt quote may be the most telling piece of text to be found there. It reads: "There is nothing more practical in the end than the preservation of beauty, than the preservation of anything that appeals to the higher emotions in mankind." That really says it all about this artist and her work, for there is nobody more capable of harnessing emotions in music and projecting and preserving the beauty and power of the natural world in sound than Maria Schneider. She's demonstrated that time and again, and she does it once more on this awe-inspiring release.

The Thompson Fields arrives after a lengthy gestation: eight years after the last Maria Schneider Orchestra album the stunning Sky Blue (ArtistShare, 2007). But if it takes Schneider that long to give proper birth to this quality of recorded music, so be it. You can't rush perfection, and this music is as close as you can get to that lofty and unattainable goal. Across these eight tracks, the Maria Schneider Orchestra puts ornithological ideals into play ("Arbiters Of Evolution"), works with nebulous themes and foreboding thoughts ("Nimbus"), takes a trip into Brazilian territory ("Lembranca"), pays tribute to one of its own dearly departed members ("A Potter's Song"), and bottles the attractively complex lingering scents of nostalgia and sentimentality.

As always, the singular personalities in this band help to elevate the music. Gary Versace's accordion wistfully traces its way across vast landscapes; Frank Kimbrough's piano is elemental, conjuring thoughts of gentle winds and the morning dew; Scott Robinson turns the alto clarinet into a thing of elegance and beauty ("Walking By Flashlight"); Marshall Gilkes' trombone and Greg Gisbert's fluegelhorn each balance the weighty and the wondrous in their expressions, eventually crossing paths while cresting the waves of the orchestra ("The Monarch And The Milkweed"); and guitarist Lage Lund draws on light and energy, spinning them both back out in controlled fashion. Those are just a few of the notable names, roles, and deeds, but those descriptions, admittedly, fall short. No words can properly convey the wonders embedded in this music.

Maria Schneider is truly fearless in her expression of self, creating grand statements and musical reveries built from intimate memories, thoughts, and feelings. Her willingness to share these experiences, her unparalleled skills at molding them into music, and the talents of the musicians who populate her orchestra all contribute to the success that is The Thompson Fields. ~´ Dan Bilawsky

Personnel: Steve Wilson: alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, clarinet, flute, alto flute; Dave Pietro: alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, clarinet, flute, alto flute, bass flute, piccolo; Rich Perry: tenor saxophone; Donny McCaslin: tenor saxophone, clarinet, flute; Scott Robinson: baritone saxophone, bass clarinet, alto clarinet, clarinet; Tony Kadleck: trumpet, fluegelhorn; Greg Gisbert: trumpet, fluegelhorn; Augie Haas: trumpet, fluegelhorn; Mike Rodriguez: trumpet, fluegelhorn; Keith O'Quinn,: trombone; Ryan Keberle: trombone; Marshall Gilkes: trombone; George Flynn: bass trombone; Gary Versace: accordion; Lage Lund: guitar; Frank Kimbrough: piano; Rogerio Boccato: percussion (8); Clarence Penn: drums; Jay Anderson: bass.

The Thompson Fields 

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