Cd Review: John Fedchock "Like It Is"

Trombonist and world-class arranger John Fedchock has enjoyed a 35-year career that has included being the chief arranger for the legendary Woody Herman during the 1980's.  This is the 5th album for the 16-piece band and Fedchock's eighth as leader.  "Like it is" features five Fedchock originals and five arrangements of Jazz and American classics.  I absolutely love his arrangements, they are fresh and new but remain true to the history of the great big bands.  His Trombone playing is superb, his tone is heavenly and his improvisation is what ever master Jazz player strives for.

Fed chock's idea for this album is his musical desire to mesh the old with the new.  "Even though many embrace the big band's evolution, there seem to be plenty of folks who'd prefer everything just remain like it was.  But truth be told, some of the best things in music have come from combining the 'Like it was' with the 'Like it is', melding the greatness of the past with a fresh perspective using today ears". 

The musicians on this album are all experienced New York City superstars and prove the point in eleven different outstanding solos.  Saxophonists Mark Vinci, Charles Pillow, Rich Perry, Walt Weiskopf, Gary Smulyan, and Scott Robinson.  Trumpeters Scott Wendholt and Barry Ries, Pianist Allen Farnham, Bassist Dick Sarpola and Drummer Dave Ratajczak.  Bobby Sanabria's Latin percussion joins the band on three tracks bringing the sound and Rhythm to perfection!

The playlist for the CD is what you would expect from John, some old, some new but all exceptional music.

           PLAYLIST:
1, "You and the Night and the Music"
2. "Like It Is"
3. "Never Let Me Go"
4. "Just Sayin"
5. "Ojos De Rojo"
6. " Hair of the Doag"
7. "Havana"
8. "Just Squeeze Me"
9. "For Heavens's Sake"
10. "Ten Thirty 30"

If you long for the big band sound and arrangement of the past re-mastered to today's musical world, you must pick up this CD.  This band captures the emotion of the songs and yet can run with the best of the best bands of yesterday, today and tomorrow.  I could listen to John Fedchock play Trombone forever and never get bored.  His feel for standards and sound are as good as it gets! Don't just take my word for it, listen to the "YouTube" link below of John playing "Never Let Me Go"!

Ok, now listen to the "Youtube" of John Fedchock's New York Big Band playing the Dietz and Schwartz gem "You and the Night and the Music".

CD Review: Kenny Lavender's "Conscious Journey Part 1 & 2"

                                                                         

There is a great, new big band in town put together under the leadership of multi-talented Trumpet player, Kenny Lavender.  He has built a 17 piece band using some of the finest players on the New York scene. Kenny produced and arranged the 11 songs on this double CD and composed 8 of the songs. The sounds from this band are "hip", and, yet the ties to the great big bands of the past are very visible. As I listened to the cuts, the sounds evoked memories of the great Maynard Ferguson band, Woody Herman and Jack Sheldon bands. The sounds are crisp, new and, yet, comfortably familiar all at the same time. The arrangements are superb! This CD is a wonderful showcase for not only Kenny Lavender but also for the sparkling solos from the major league supporting musicians.

Lavender named the CD "Conscious Journey" because the songs he wrote reflect the different stages of life he has traveled, "from falling in love with my wife to dealing with addiction and a lot in between". Because the solos on the album are so remarkably good, I listed the soloists for each song below. I thought you would want to know because I did.

Those of us who love the big band sound will be delighted to listen to this CD. We don't get too many opportunities to hear new big bands these days, and if you only listen to one this year, this is the one to get.

                         "Conscious Journey Part I"

1. "Velocity": Solos by Nathan Childers and Kenny Lavender
2. "As I Close My Eyes": Solos by Rick Germanson and Scott Wendholt
3. "Beauty In A Kiss": Solo Kenny Lavender
4. "Down In NOLA": Solos Kurt Bacher and Alan Ferber
5. "9th Ave Song": Solos Jason Rigby and Rick Germanson
6. "Flow Through Me": Solos Phil Palombi and Kurt Bacher

                        "Conscious Journey Part II"

1. "Caravan": Solos Kenny Lavender and Alejandro Aviles
2. "I Could Write A Book": Solos Kenny Lavender
3. "Happiness": Solos Rick Germanson and Kenny Lavender
4. "Clark's Bark": Solo Kenny Lavender
5. "Una Mas": Solos Kenny Lavender and Jason Rigby

                     I have attached  5  minute YouTube video previewing the songs from this CD. 

 

The Dave Lalama Big Band: CD Review

Dr. Dave Lalama is currently Professor of Music at Hofstra University and is a founding faculty member of the Manhattan School of Music Jazz Program. He received his doctorate in music composition from New York University and is an active clinician and performer throughout the US. He has performed and recorded with Woody Herman, Buddy Rich, Mel Lewis, amoung numerous other Jazz artists.

The Hofstra Project was developed by Dr. Lalama as a tribute to the hundreds of students, faculty colleagues and guest artists he has been associated over the years at Hofstra University.

According to Dr. Lalama, "The music present here has been chosen to embody the past 28 years of Jazz Art Music-making that attempts to strike a healthy balance between ensemble discipline and improvisational freedom". The result in my opinion is that Mr. Lalama has achieved his objective perfectly.  The charts are great, the arrangements are new and fresh and the musicians are precise and, yet, free to express themselves within this musical environment.

In my opinion, "The Hofstra Project" played by The Dave Lalama Big Band is the best big band CD I have heard in years!  This CD was released on February 26, 2013 and I know that my "Big Band" followers will flip when they hear this great band! If you only buy one big band CD this year, this CD should be the one you buy!