Five Play - Five Play (Live from the Firehouse Stage) (Live)

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:29
Size: 156,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:26)  1. T-Bone Special
(6:04)  2. Samba de Sorvete
(6:37)  3. Just Squeeze Me
(5:50)  4. Uneven Pieces
(7:20)  5. The Pilot
(7:05)  6. Nancy with the Laughing Face
(7:57)  7. Circles
(5:47)  8. I Can't Give You Anything but Love
(7:49)  9. Unexpected
(7:29) 10. The Time Being

The latest release from FIVE PLAY features Sherrie Maricle on drums, Janelle Reichman on tenor sax and clarinet, Jami Dauber on trumpet, Tomoko Ohno on piano, and Noriko Ueda on bass. The inspiration to record FIVE PLAY LIVE from The Firehouse Stage was sparked by the joy and success of The DIVA Jazz Orchestra’s 25th Anniversary Project. DIVA is FIVE PLAY’s “Mothership,” and both bands are powered by the same deep sense of tradition and swing, energized and elevated by original compositions and arrangements, and driven by exciting and unique players. My enthusiasm for creating and performing music written exclusively by band members for band members has carried over from jazz orchestra to jazz quintet. All FIVE PLAY members have contributed original compositions and arrangements to this recording. As with our DIVA recording, there is something very special about writing music for your friends. Janelle, Jami, Tomoko, Noriko, and I have been playing together for 13+ years. Our longevity has allowed us to develop many deep, unspoken pathways of musical communication and insight. As composers and arrangers, it has given us an inherent understanding of each other’s musical preferences and strengths. It was also simply time for us to create and share our current quintet passions. Our previous release was in 2015, Live at The Deer Head Inn. As with all jazz souls, we are always morphing into new versions of ourselves. Sharing our various incarnations is a joyful, exhilarating, and sometimes scary part of our creative mission. I grew up in Endicott, New York. It’s near the middle of New York State on the southern border near PA. The Firehouse Stage is in a nearby town called Johnson City, New York. From the moment it opened, I have been a fan of this extraordinary performance space. When I was thinking about where to record FIVE PLAY, and given the fact that I much prefer to record live rather than in the studio, I immediately thought of home. My band members and I have many warm and wonderful fans, friends, and family in the area, and when presenting a program of all new music, it’s heartening to do so surrounded by those who support and encourage your success. Each of these 10 pieces of music is a unique creation from us for our listeners. From my penchant for hard-swinging shuffles like T-Bone Special, barn burners like The Time Being, Basie- inspired arrangements like I Can’t Give You Anything But Love, to Tomoko’s Brazilian-fired Samba De Sorvete and Bop masterpiece The Pilot, Noriko’s contemporary opus Uneven Pieces and bass- centric arrangement of Nancy with the Laughing Face, Janelle’s lyrical waltz Circles and captivating ballad Unexpected, and Jami’s nod to Cootie Williams on Just Squeeze Me, we hope each gets your feet tapping and lips smiling. https://divajazz.com/product/five-play-live-from-the-firehouse-stage/

Personnel:  Sherrie Maricle on drums, Janelle Reichman on tenor sax and clarinet, Jami Dauber on trumpet, Tomoko Ohno on piano, and Noriko Ueda on bass

Five Play (Live from the Firehouse Stage)

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Five Play - Five Play Plus

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:20
Size: 130,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:33)  1. Theme From Mr. Broadway
(5:43)  2. That Old Feeling
(5:13)  3. Funk In A Deep Freeze
(8:17)  4. Crazy, He Calls Me
(6:12)  5. If I Only Had A Brain
(5:56)  6. Polka Dots And Moonbeams
(4:50)  7. Pure Imagination
(5:38)  8. Bud Powell
(4:26)  9. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
(5:29) 10. On The Good Ship Lollipop

Here's another bright and swinging album by drummer Sherrie Maricle's able quintet, Five Play (a.k.a. DIVA Lite), encumbered at times by questionable mixing but as a whole quite engaging. For the group's second recording on Arbors, Maricle has assembled an international troupe of all-stars from the larger ensemble alto saxophonist Karolina Strassmayer hails from Austria, tenor Anat Cohen from Israel, bassist Noriko Ueda and drummer Tomoko Ohno from Japan and set aside room for guest shots by two members of DIVA's first-class trumpet section, Jami Dauber and Barbara Laronga, on five selections to lend color and variety to the two-reed front line (and to lend the album its title).  Every member of the group is impressive Cohen, Strassmayer and Ohno especially so on their showcase numbers, Cohen (clarinet) on "That Old Feeling, Strassmayer on "Crazy, He Calls Me, Ohno on the Arlen/Harburg classic from The Wizard of Oz, "If I Only Had a Brain. Dauber frames tasteful solos on Hank Mobley's "Funk in Deep Freeze, Leslie Bricusse/Anthony Newley's "Pure Imagination, and (muted) Richard Whiting/Sidney Clare's show-stopper for Shirley Temple, "On the Good Ship Lollipop. 

Laronga does the same on Chick Corea's boppish "Bud Powell and the standard "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning (on which Ueda carries the melody). Maricle, who swings consistently in the style of her chief role model, the legendary Buddy Rich, bonds with Ohno and Ueda to form a taut and agile rhythm section on which Cohen, Strassmayer and their guests can always lean for support. As for the mixing gaffe alluded to earlier, it affects mainly Strassmayer on the quintet numbers, "Theme from Mr. Broadway and "Polka Dots and Moonbeams, wherein her alto sounds remote and is largely overshadowed by the more prominently recorded rhythm section. But that's hardly enough to put a damper on the session, which is lively and invigorating from start to finish, with sparkling group interplay and admirable solos by every member of the crew. If you've not heard Five Play before, this is a splendid way to get acquainted. 

~ Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/five-play-plus-five-play-arbors-records-review-by-jack-bowers.php

Personnel: Sherrie Maricle, leader, drums; Anat Cohen, tenor sax, clarinet; Karolina Strassmayer, alto sax, flute; Tomoko Ohno, piano; Noriko Ueda, bass. Special guests: Jami Dauber (3, 7, 10), Barbara Laronga (8-10), trumpet, flugelhorn.

Five Play Plus

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Diva Jazz - A Swingin' Life

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:46
Size: 127,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:53)  1. What The World Needs Now Is Love Sweet Love
(6:32)  2. Nothin'
(5:03)  3. All My Tommorrows
(2:45)  4. All Of Me
(6:09)  5. The Very Thought Of You
(4:38)  6. Pennies From Heaven
(4:17)  7. Blues Medley [Goin' To Chicago Blues; Kansas City; Every Day I Have The Blues]
(5:15)  8. Blackberry Winter
(2:58)  9. Wonder Why
(6:38) 10. Nocturne #6 Opus 9, Number 2
(5:34) 11. Blues For Hamp

What do you get when you have fifteen talented and swinging female jazz musicians in an orchestral setting? The answer, drummer Sherrie Maricle and the DIVA Jazz Orchestra offering A Swingin' Life as proof that hard-charging big band music is not the exclusivity of the male gender. Building upon the work of more than a dozen previous albums, DIVA presents music from the Great American Songbook and more, capturing eleven audacious tracks recorded live by Jazz at Lincoln Center at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola in New York and, at the renowned Manchester Craftsman's Guild in Pittsburgh.  Adding to the experience of these live performances are two very special guests, two giants of the business, two vocalists who have left their mark on the jazz world. Legendary singers Marlena Shaw and Nancy Wilson lend their vocal charm on five beautiful charts and while some are certainly swinging tracks for sure, there are a couple of ballads that take your breath away. Wilson takes the Van Heusen/Sammy Cahn standard "All My Tomorrows," to another level expressing heart-felt emotion as the band plays humbly. Vocalist Shaw lays down a warm and gentle performance delivering a fantastic interpretation of Alec Wilder's "Blackberry Winter" for the two soft spots of the album.  However, the limited tender material here is the exception and not the rule as the swinging times obviously carry the date. Opening up with a rousing rendition of Burt Bacharach's "What The World Need Now Is Love," the DIVA's announce their intentions with a full blast of the brass and reeds capped off by a solo from tenor saxophonist Janelle Reichman. 

Appearing once again as one of the main soloist, Reichman, this time on the clarinet, joins trumpeter Jami Dauber on the Stanley Kay piece "Nothin,'" another perky burner showcasing the band. On another of the few light tunes, Nadje Noordhuis on the flugelhorn is simply enchanting on the time-honored Ray Noble classic "The Very Thought of You" as Maricle is heard on the soft brushes making this number, one to remember. The group gets back to some hard-driving sounds on the swinging version of "Pennies from Heaven." Maricle and the girls get real bluesy on "Blues Medley," a fusion of "Going to Chicago Blues," "Kansas City," and "Every Day I have the Blues," featuring singer Shaw. 

The DIVAs show their powerful instrumental voices on the last three tunes showcasing their reach on "Wonder Why," "Nocturne #6 Opus 9, Number 2," and the Terry Gibbs arranged finale "Blues For Harp," demonstrating quite ably why this orchestra is regarded as one of the best jazz bands in the business. Kudos to Sherrie Maricle and the DIVA Jazz Orchestra as they roar through a splendid repertoire of big band jazz on A Swingin' Life, combining instrumental muscle with the elegant vocals in a live setting that is thankfully, documented well here. ~ Edward Blanco https://www.allaboutjazz.com/a-swingin-life-diva-jazz-mcg-review-by-edward-blanco.php

Personnel: Sherrie Maricle: drums; Sharel Cassity: alto saxophone, flute; Karoline Strassmayer: alto saxophone (3, 4); Leigh Pilzer: alto saxophone, flute, baritone saxophone (3, 4); Kristy Norter: alto saxophone (3, 4); Janelle Reichman: clarinet, tenor saxophone (3, 4); Anat Cohen: clarinet, tenor saxophone (3, 4); Roxy Coss: tenor saxophone; Scheila Gonzalez: tenor saxophone (3, 4); Lisa Parrott: baritone saxophone; Tanya Darby: lead trumpet, Flugelhorn; Liesl Whitaker: lead trumpet (3, 4); Jami Dauber: trumpet , Flugelhorn; Barbara Laronga: trumpet (3, 4); Carol Morgan: trumpet, Flugelhorn; Nadje Noordhuis: trumpet, Flugelhorn; Deborah Weisz: trombone; Jennifer Krupa: trombone; Lori Stuntz: trombone (3, 4); Leslie Havens: bass trombone; Tomoko Ohno: piano; Chihiro Yamanaka: piano (3, 4); Noriko Ueda: bass; Nancy Wilson: vocals (3, 4); Marlena Shaw: vocals (7, 8, 9).

Swingin' Life

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Five Play - Live At the Deer Head Inn

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop 
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:30
Size: 141,6 MB
Art: Front

( 7:13)  1. Que Sera, Sera
( 6:55)  2. Struttin' With Some Barbeque
( 7:51)  3. I'm in the Mood for Love
( 7:29)  4. Beo Dat May Troi
( 7:30)  5. Seesaw
( 5:26)  6. La Americana
(11:25)  7. Shenandoah
( 7:38)  8. Organ Grinder's Swing

I haven't been to the Delaware Water Gap in Pennsylvania in years. But if I make it there, I hope to time my visit to coincide with Five Play at theDeer Head Inn, which bills itself as the "oldest continuously running jazz club in the country." Long may it prosper, for there are good musical things happening there. Big bands and their leaders have always had small groups:from Benny Goodman to Stan Kenton, and Woody Herman and Tommy Dorsey inclued. This is the first time I've heard Five Play in this configuration. I was pleasantly surprised. They give you a lot of looks, some Blakeyish, some Ornette, and some distinctively themselves. The can bop, swing and bossa, sometimes in disconcerting juxtaposition.And they do their share of originals. Nothing staid about their repertoire. The live set opens with that famous jazz standard "Que sera,sera." I'm being facetious. It's been a few years since I heard it, and certainly not the arch reading that Fiveplay gives it. There are romping solos by Tomoko Ohno and Noriko Ueda, two thirds of a seriously cooking rhythm section. Janelle Reichman , who doubles on clarinet and tenor sax makes a nice statement. Reichman's clarinet playing is, to say the least, technically assured, but it can be quite beautiful and thoughtful as well, as her solo on "I'm in the Mood for Love" shows. She takes a long solo on "Struttin' With Some Barbecue" as does Jami Dauber who plays very nice and extremely tasteful jazz. 

Her trumpet lead gives the group a much bigger sound and presence than I would've expected. As to adventuresomeness, the originals by Ohno and Ueda are supplemented by "Bao Dat May Troi," a Vietnamese folk song that works very well. There is the traditional Shenandoah, beautifully played too. I will never accuse Maricle of sticking to the tried and true with Diva, her big band, again. As for Sherrie, well, Sherrie plays like Sherrie. For someone ostensibly inspired by Buddy Rich, she is awfully musical. She really plays the drums, including the bass drum, in a way that I'd associate more with Mel Lewis. Her brushwork is inspired and occasionally, her time just seems to float. But she has help. Dauber plays a wonderfully reflective muted solo on "I'm in the Mood for Love" that put me in mind of Warren Vache not that she needs anyone's endorsement. You want up-tempo shouting? The session closes out with "Organ Grinder's Swing" which really gets rolling, propelled by hot choruses by Dauber and Reichman. Everyone gets into the act. So there's a lot of good stuff going on in the recording, and it opens up to further thought as you listen over again, always the mark of something special. These are remarkably talented musicians, and to put it in Maricle's terms, they swing hard, but make it sound easy. I have only one question. What if the group is short Dauber or Reichman some night? What do you call the quartet? Let me guess. ~ Richard J.Salvucci https://www.allaboutjazz.com/live-at-the-deer-head-inn-five-play-deer-head-records-review-by-richard-j-salvucci.php

Personnel: Sherrie Maricle (D); Jami Dauber (TPT); Janelle Riechman (T Sax/CL); Tomoko Ohno (P); Noriko Ueda (B)

Live At the Deer Head Inn

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The Diva Jazz Trio - Never Never Land

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop

Year: 2009
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 56:31
Size: 104,0 MB
Art: Front

(7:09)  1. If I Only Had A Brain
(6:17) 2. Piano Nocturne #6 Op. 09 No. 2 - Frédéric Chopin
(3:49)  3. Virgo
(6:42)  4. I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face
(6:13)  5. My Favorite Things
(4:33)  6. I Could Have Danced All Night / I Won't Dance
(4:22)  7. Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin'
(4:36)  8. I'm Walkin'
(6:00)  9. Never Never Land
(6:45) 10. Love For Sale

About the nicest compliment one can pay the DIVA Jazz Trio's debut recording, Never Never Land, is that the threesome's irrepressible enthusiasm and energy (not to mention their consonance and artistry) are reminiscent of the great Oscar Peterson's classic trio with bassist Ray Brown and drummer Ed Thigpen. Pianist Tomoko Ohno isn't Peterson, nor does she try to be, but she dwells in the same exalted realm, while bassist Noriko Ueda and drummer Sherrie Maricle offer stalwart impressions of Brown and Thigpen. If the trio's accord seems remarkable, a part of the reason lies in the fact that it doubles as the rhythm section for the superb all-women's big band, DIVA. The group's choice of music is as inclusive as it is entertaining. After opening with a happy-go-lucky version of Harold Arlen/Yip Harburg's "If I Only Had a Brain" from The Wizard of Oz, the trio puts a sunny Latin spin on Chopin's graceful "Piano Nocturne No. 6" before addressing exemplary compositions by Horace Silver (the high-octane "Virgo"), Lerner and Loewe, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Fats Domino (yes, Fats Domino) and Cole Porter, plus Betty Comden/Adolph Green's wistful title selection from Peter Pan. Lerner and Loewe contribute "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face" and "I Could Have Danced All Night," Rodgers and Hammerstein "My Favorite Things" and "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning," and Porter the venerable "Love for Sale." If Domino/Dave Bartholomew's "I'm Walkin'" seems somewhat out of place among those celebrated standards, the trio makes it hum like a high-grade Swiss watch. 

Besides working extremely well together, each member of the group is a first-class soloist, an appraisal that is borne out whenever one of them has the floor, while Maricle excels with brushes or sticks, providing taut and tasteful support in every circumstance. Ohno has impeccable technique, swings in every context, and shows she's not only able but eager to roll up her sleeves and get down and dirty on "I'm Walkin.'" As for Ueda, she does far more than simply orchestrate the tempo even though she's a steady and invaluable time-keeper. She and her teammates make Never Never Land a delightful introductory cruise by three remarkably talented young women. ~ Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/never-never-land-diva-jazz-arbors-records-review-by-jack-bowers.php

Personnel: Sherrie Maricle: drums; Tomoko Ohno: piano; Noriko Ueda: bass.

Never Never Land

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Sherrie Maricle & The Diva Jazz Orchestra - Live from Jazz at Lincoln Center's Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2008
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 65:22
Size: 120,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:12)  1. I Love Being Here With You
(6:25)  2. Andalucia
(6:36)  3. Stars Fell On Alabama
(2:31)4. Sweet Georgia Brown (feat. Carmen Bradford)
(2:21)  5. This Can't be Love (feat. Carmen Bradford)
(3:02)  6. I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water (feat. Carmen Bradford)
(5:58)  7. Rachel's Dream
(5:16)  8. Put a Little Love In Your Heart
(6:19)  9. Happy Talk
(5:22) 10. How Do You Keep The Music Playing (feat. Carmen Bradford)
(2:38) 11. All of Me (feat. Carmen Bradford)
(7:05) 12. TPN Blues
(6:31) 13. America

Diva's latest Cd was recorded over two nights last September at Dizzy's Club in Lincoln Center. The band devours John McNeil's swinging chart of Peggy Lee's "I Love Being Here With You," featuring Janelle Reichman's powerful tenor sax and Dauber's delicious muted trumpet. Tenorist Leigh Pilzer and flugelhornist Nadje Noordhuis share the spotlight in Scott Whitfield's lush setting of "Stars Fell on Alabama." The band adds some punch in their swaggering rendition of the pop song "Put a Little Love in Your Heart," hardly a standard, but it fits in just fine. Vocalist Carmen Bradford is added for four selections, highlighted by her soulful takes of "Sweet Georgia Brown" and "This Can't Be Love." 

The disc wraps with Ellen Rowe's imaginative scoring of Leonard Bernstein's "America," featuring Tomoko Ohno's driving piano, Lisa Parrott's gutsy baritone sax and Tanya Darby's sizzling trumpet. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allaboutjazz.com/sherrie-maricle-live-from-jazz-at-lincoln-center-and-what-the-world-needs-now-by-ken-dryden.php

Personnel: Sherrie Maricle: drums; Tomoko Ohno: piano; Noriko Ueda: bass; Sharel Cassity: alto sax; Erica Von Kleist: alto sax, soprano sax; Janelle Reichman: tenor sax, clarinet; Leigh Pilzer: tenor sax; Lisa Parrott: baritone sax; Tanya Darby: trumpet; Jami Dauber: trumpet, flugelhorn; Carol Morgan: trumept; Nadje Noordhuis: trumpet, flugelhorn; Deborah Weisz: trombone; Robynn Amy: trombone; Leslie Havens: bass trombone; Carmen Bradford: vocals.

Live from Jazz at Lincoln Center's Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola

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The Diva Jazz Orchestra - Special Kay!

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2016
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 56:31
Size: 103,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:16)  1. Did You do That?
(6:52)  2. Nothin'
(6:58)  3. To Sweets with Love
(4:36)  4. Where's the Food
(6:25)  5. Give Me Your Love
(5:24)  6. How Ya Doin'?
(6:25)  7. You Made a Mistake
(4:41)  8. The Brush Off
(4:45)  9. Special Kay
(4:04) 10. Three Sisters and a Cousin

No, it is definitely not advisable to open a review with an unequivocal superlative (for one thing, it sort of gives the game away, doesn't it?). But on Special Kay!, its ninth impressive album in twenty-four years, DIVA the gold standard among all-female big bands since its inception really gives a commentator no reasonable choice. Simply put, this is a mind-blowing live performance at the Tannery Pond Community Center in North Creek, NY, that electrifies and satisfies from start to finish. Perhaps one reason for the inspired endeavor is that the "Kay" in Special Kay! symbolizes Stanley Kay, a drummer-turned-talent manager (and entertainment director for the New York Yankees) who in 1990 approached another drummer, Sherrie Maricle, with the idea of forming an all-woman band. Two years later, DIVA made its widely-praised debut, and the rest, as they say, is history. Kay remained a driving force behind the orchestra until his passing in June 2010. Now, some six years later, DIVA pays tribute to its fallen leader by performing ten of his admirable compositions, several of which had never before been recorded. To underscore its import, Special Kay! marks the first time DIVA has ever produced an album of all-original themes. Among Kay's clients was the renowned tap-dancing trio Hines, Hines & Dad, and he wrote the flamboyant opener, "Did You Do That?" for Maurice and Gregory Hines' mother, Alma, who often asked that question after an especially intricate dance routine. The irrepressible barn-burner features a blistering duel between tenors Roxy Coss and Janelle Reichman who moves to clarinet to solo with trumpeter Tanya Darby on the strapping yet melodious "Nothin,'" trimly arranged by bassist Noriko Ueda. All trumpets are muted (and all solo) on "To Sweets with Love," Kay's loping homage to trumpeter Harry "Sweets" Edison, which precedes another brisk flag-waver, "Where's the Food?," a question Kay always insisted was the first one asked by band members at every gig. 

Emphatic solos courtesy of baritone Lisa Parrott, trombonist Deborah Weisz and pianist Tomoko Ohno. So far, an avalanche of exhilarating big-band jazz, and we haven't even reached the halfway mark. Ohno and trombonist Jennifer Krupa are front and center on the seductive "Give Me Your Love," altos Leigh Pilzer and Sharel Cassity on Scott Whitfield's snappy arrangement of the fast-moving "How Ya Doin'?" Reichman (clarinet), Krupa (muted) and trumpeter Jami Dauber (also muted) brighten John J. DiMartino's swinging arrangement of "You Made a Mistake," after which Maricle assumes command on "The Brush Off," written especially for her by Kay to showcase her remarkable dexterity with brushes. "Special Kay," a charming bossa arranged by Ueda on which Cassity (flute) and trumpeter Barbara Laronga shine, leads to the roaring finale, "Three Sisters and a Cousin," Kay's answer to Jimmy Giuffre's "Four Brothers" and the first chart ever written by him for DIVA. As one would surmise, the saxophones are ascendant, with volcanic solos by all hands. Maricle closes the concert, appropriately, by exclaiming "We love you, Stanley Kay!" It's a love that is self-evident in almost every measure of this sensational album, arguably the pinnacle in a long line of splendid recordings by this prodigious orchestra, and one that is indeed Special in every way. Five stars all around: for concept, arrangements, execution, aerial balancing without a net, and especially for an abundance of ardor and esprit de corps.~ Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/special-kay-sherrie-maricle-diva-records-review-by-jack-bowers.php

Personnel: Sherrie Maricle: music director, drums; Tanya Darby: trumpet; Jami Dauber: trumpet; Carol Morgan: trumpet; Barbara Laronga: trumpet; Sharel Cassity: alto sax, flute; Leigh Pilzer: alto sax, flute; Janelle Reichman: tenor sax, clarinet; Roxy Coss: tenor sax, clarinet; Lisa Parrott: baritone sax; Deborah Weisz: trombone; Jennifer Krupa: trombone; Leslie Havens: bass trombone; Tomoko Ohno: piano; Noriko Ueda: bass.

Special Kay!

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The Diva Jazz Orchestra - The Diva Jazz Orchestra 25th Anniversary Project

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:24
Size: 147,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:04)  1. East Coast Andy
(6:39)  2. Middleground
(6:58)  3. Seesaw
(6:37)  4. Jami's Tune
(6:18)  5. Square One
(7:40)  6. Darkness of the Matter
(5:31)  7. La Americana
(5:47)  8. A Quarter Past the Last Minute
(7:12)  9. Forever In My Heart
(5:33) 10. The Rhythm Changes

The Diva Orchestra, with its vibrant sound and stellar soloists, is one of the premier large ensembles in jazz today. It also happens to be one of the few made up entirely of women. Therefore, it is both a creative hot bed for talented musicians and a forum for female instrumentalists, who remain sorely underexposed, to express themselves. The 25th Anniversary Project is an intriguing set of ten originals by various members of band that highlights their inventive and imaginative artistry. For instance, alto saxophonist Alexa Tarantino's cinematic "Square One" opens with fascinating dramatic tension. Trumpeter Rachel Therrien embellishes the melody with suave agility as she blows her Flugelhorn with warmth and slow, simmering passion. A delightfully riotous collective performance follows, setting the stage for Tarantino and her fluid and muscular improvisation. Elsewhere baritone saxophonist Leigh Pilzer's whimsical and energetic "East Coast Andy" features lively exchanges among various instruments. These form an exciting and colorful backdrop for the trumpeter Jami Dauber's lyrical and emotive spontaneous lines. Pilzer takes her turn in the spotlight with expressive phrases and vivid tones. Drummer Sherrie Maricle propels the tune with fervor and sophistication. Maricle's own "The Rhythm Changes" closes this superb album with exuberance. Hard swinging and fiery refrains overlap to create the piece's framework. Trumpeter Barbara Laronga solos with high notes and lithe lines. Saxophonist Mercedes Beckman follows with flittering acrobatics that stimulate and satisfy. The horns punctuate bassist Noriko Ueda's eloquent soliloquy and Maricle engages the various sections of the orchestra with her thunderous polyrhythms and ushers in the moving and riotous conclusion. Other noteworthy moments include woodwind player Janelle Reichman 's bittersweet clarinet monologue on her own, eastern flavored "Middleground." The composition also showcases pianist Tomoko Ohno's cascading and resonant chords. This recording is the result of a quarter century of artistic maturation that has crystalized in an exquisite display of high caliber musicianship. Thanks to Maricle's dynamic leadership the group continues to captivate and thrill. ~ Hrayr Attarian https://www.allaboutjazz.com/25th-anniversary-project-sherrie-maricle-artistshare-review-by-hrayr-attarian.php

Personnel: Sherrie Maricle: drums; Noriko Ueda: bass; Tomoko Ohno: piano; Leslie Havens: bass trombone; Sara Jacovino: trombone; Jennifer Krupa: trombone; Rachel Therrien: trumpet, flugelhorn; Barbara Laronga: trumpet, flugelhorn; Jami Dauber: trumpet, flugelhorn; Liesl Whitaker: trumpet, flugelhorn; Leigh Pilzer: baritone saxophone, bass clarinet; Erica von Kleist: tenor saxophone; Janelle Reichman: tenor saxophone, clarinet; Mercedes Beckman: alto saxophone, flute, clarinet; Alexa Tarantino: alto saxophone, soprano saxophone; Marcia Gallas: congas (7).

The Diva Jazz Orchestra 25th Anniversary Project

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