Large Ensemble late July '17 (Part One)

In September of 1963, Duke Ellington and his Orchestra began a State Department of the Middle East, Turkey, India, and various other cities and countries in the region.  When President John F. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22 of that year, the tour was abruptly cancelled and the large ensemble returned home.  Yet, Elington and his musical partner Billy Strayhorn began composing music inspired by the journey.  It was December 19th, 1966 that the band entered the RCA Victor studios in New York City to record the nine tracks that made up the oddly-titled "The Far East Suite" released in June 1967, just a few weeks after Strayhorn passed away from cancer.

Nearly five decades later, the Balkan Brass jazz band known as Slavic Soul Party! decided to perform the Suite in its entirety. In July of 2016, the band released "Slavic Soul Party! Plays Duke Ellington's Far East Suite" (Ropeadope Records) - the nonet, composed of John Carlson and Kenny Warren (trumpets), Matt Musselman and Tim Vaughn (trombones), Ron Caswell (tuba), Peter Hess (saxophones, clarinet), Peter Stan (accordion), Chris Stromquist (snare, percussion) and leader Matt Moran (tapan, goč, bubanj - all hand-held drums) - plays the program in the order of the original album.  One of the joys of the works of Ellington and Strayhorn (especially from the 1940s forward) is how adaptable much of it is.  Slavic Soul Party makes sure you hear all the great melodies and then put its signature percussive fire under the music.  "Tourist Point of View" rushes out of the gates at top speed, Moran and Stromquist pushing the rest of the band to play with great fire.  Kudos to Caswell's tuba work as he is impressive throughout.  With five brass and only one reed player, accordionist (well, that's an instrument with reeds!) Stan is an important voice providing depth  and flair. The funky take of "Bluebird of Delhi" (imagine James Brown letting his band loose) has great work from Hess (on clarinet)  on a smart arrangement by Moran.

Thanks to the work of trumpeter Carlson, there's a drunken swagger to "Ifashan" while Hess's baritone plays sweetly on "Agra" while the band staggers just a bit (on purpose) before hitting its stride halfway through. "Mount Harissa" opens with a fine trumpet (Warren?) reading of the melody (listen for Caswell's sustained low notes) - after a short unaccompanied trumpet statement, the band kicks into a raucous dance beat and the trumpeter continues forward.  Even more of a party is the high-energy performance of "Blue Pepper"; you can just see the Brass band dancing through the streets. Stan gets the spotlight on "Amad" with an opening solo that goes from an imitation of a a steam train to high-intensity lines interspersed with drones. When the rest of the band kicks in, the trombones blare, the trumpets blast, the tuba lays down a hardy beat, the drums pound away (Hess, on alto, joins the trumpets on the melody) and the piece flies along. Watch for the interchange of brass and reeds with the accordion na minute before the "Bali Hai" finish.

Duke Ellington purists might be scared away but this rendition of "Far East Suite" is full of spice and fire. It is impossible to sit still through the up-tempo songs and even the ballads have a touch of spunk. Somehow, I missed reviewing the "Slavic Soul Party Plays Duke Ellington's Far East Suite" upon its release late last summer.  If you have yet to discover this delightful album, check it out.  It's pure joy!

Here's "Blue Pepper":

Composer and arranger Brett Gold took a long route to creating his New York Jazz Orchestra and recording his self-releaseddebut album "Dreaming Big." Though he had played trombone through high school, his double-major in college was History and Film Studies.  Gold then earned his law degrees, concentrating on international and corporate tax law.  He continued working but started his return to music in the 1990s and then, in 2004, began studying with the album producer Pete McGuiness and David Berger (among others) and soon became involved with the BMI Jazz Composers  Workshop where he was mentored by Jim McNeely, Mike Holober, and Mike Abene.  Over his time there, he developed the compositions and arrangements heard on his album.

A glance at the personnel and you'll see members of the Maria Schneider Orchestra, the Pete McGuinness Jazz Orchestra, and the Tony Kadleck Big Band.  As one might expect from a debut, the composer shows his comfort in wiring for different styles but, to his credit, the album never becomes a simple "blowing session." Only one of the 11 tracks has more than two soloists and five have just one.  That leads one to believe that Gold wrote for specific players in the manner of Duke Ellington, Bob Brookmeyer, Gil Evans, Ms. Schneider, and several others. Perhaps the best part of this album is that, even though the program runs nearly 72 minutes, the music is always involving, with melodies that capture your mind and heart, emotionally rich solos, and, on several tracks, great forward motion.

That "forward motion" is quite evident on the opener, "Pumpkinhead, P.I."  Yes, there's a bit of stop-and-start but the band really romps under the hardy tenor solo of Charles Pillow.  There are also several tracks that exude joy. "Lullaby for Lily" was composed shortly after the arrival of the composer's daughter.  After a high-stepping opening, the music slows for a sweet soprano sax solo from Mark Vinci who later trades lies with trumpeter Scott Wendholt.  Whereas "Stella's Waltz" was composed to honor the marriage of Gold's father and stepmother.  One can see the couple whirling around the floor dancing to the sweet melody as it passes from section to section. William Shakespeare devotees will be pleased to see the song title "Exit, Pursued By A Bear" as it was one of the few stage directions the Bard ever wrote. The subtitle, "Slow Drag Blues", could be the real title as the song is a vehicle for a jocular trombone solo from Bruce Eidem and a short, sweet Phil Palombi bass solo.  Pay attention to how the various musicians also have a playful role, especially the flutes, bass clarinet, and bass trombone right at the end.

Two of the pieces have a connection to the Middle East.  "Al-Andalus" (which refers to Spain during the Muslim rule from the eighth Century until 1492) bounces along on a beat that has the feel of Gil Evans-Miles Davis and "Sketches of Spain".  Kudos to trumpeter Jon Owens for a great and wide-ranging solo.  The final track on the album, "Nakba", is the longest (11:30) and the most political. The word is Arabic  and translate to "catastrophe" is the term that Arabs use to describe the 1948 war after the partition of Palestine created the state of Israel.  The "voice" of the song is Tim Ries on soprano sax  but pay attention to the great work of the various sections. The flowing melodies  from the reeds, the intense rhythm work, the sharp sound of the brass (and occasional "air-raid" warnings), the occasional "alarm-like" sounds from the piano, all that and more draws the listener into the conflict in and outside of the music. Powerful music, indeed.

"Dreaming Big" is certainly the modus operandi for composer and arranger Brett Gold.  He's put his heart, soul, money, brains, creativity, and more into this project; this is music that deserves to be heard. Lord knows if this is a band that will ever tour but, if they do, I would not hesitate to buy a ticket.

For more information, go to www.brettgoldnyjo.com.

Personnel:

Jon Owens: trumpet, flugelhorn; James de la Garza: trumpet, flugelhorn; Dylan Schwab: trumpet, flugelhorn; Scott Wendholt: trumpet, flugelhorn; 
Mark Vinci: alto, soprano sax, clarinet, flute; Matt Hong: alto sax, clarinet, flute; Dave Riekenberg: tenor sax, clarinet; Tim Ries: tenor, soprano sax, flute, clarinet (3, 5-7, 11); Charles Pillow: tenor, soprano sax, clarinet (1, 2, 4, 8-10); Frank Basile: baritone sax, bass clarinet; 
Bruce Eidem: trombone; John Allred: trombone; Bob Suttmann: trombone; Jeff Nelson: bass trombone; 
Ted Kooshian: piano; 
Sebastian Noelle: guitar (3, 5, 6, 7); 
Phil Palombi: bass; 
Scott Neumann: drums.

Here's a track:

Brass: Polished, Burnished, & Modern

Here's a modern take on the brass band concept.  Trumpet, trombone, and tuba plus piano, electric guitar, and drums is the makeup of Rebecca Hennessy's FOG Brass Band. "Two Calls" (self-released) is the Canadian ensemble second release and first full-length album. Based in Toronto, Ms. Hennessy (trumpet, peck horn, baritone horn) is very busy musician leading several groups and playing in several others.  FBB plays music that may remind you, at times, of Charles Ives, the Henry Threadgill Sextett, and Guillermo Klein's Los Gauchos but, really, has quickly developed a sound of its own. This is not a "marching band"  but a group that utilized all of its parts to the utmost.  Kudos to drummer Nico Dann and tuba player Jay Burr as they are the "engineers" that stoke the figures this music creates. Pianist Tania Gill also help keep the music flowing as does guitarist Don Scott.  Rounding out the front line is trombonist Tom Richards.

There are touches of New Orleans brass band music that show up on pieces such as the bluesy "Lagoon" and "Snag", a peppy dance tune that sound inspired by The Meters. But there are also pieces such as the opener "Red Herring" that has such a drive and is the piece most like Mr. Threadgill's music. That's followed by the prayer-like "Horn Lake", an impressionistic work that might have been inspired by walking along the shore in the early morning looking out at the still waters. Listen to the pictures the band creates with just the trumpet, quiet guitar, tape loops and triangle.  3/4s of the way in, the music suddenly falls into a samba-like rhythm and the piece literally dances out.

photo by Michael Fisher

Highlights abound. Guitarist Scott gets to romp his way through the first half of "Kings County Sheriff", soloing over the dancing drums and tuba. There's a touch of Klezmer in the horn melody and at the beginning of Ms. Hennessy's far-ranging solo. Bird songs introduce the title track (and continue for a little bit under the musical introduction); it's a funky, jazzy, dance piece that features strong solos from Richards and Ms. Gill.  There's a playful feel to "Birds For Free", a piece that starts in a Latin style before changing tempo. Listen to how Dann drives this piece, especially under the trumpet and trombone solos.

"Two Calls" closes with the lovely "Why Are You So Sad Booker Little". Not only is that a great title but the piece is a handsome ballad in which all the members of the sextet make fine contributions. The music is quiet, somber, not a celebration of the great trumpeter (1938-1961) as much as an elegy for him, for the promise as well as the maturity one could hear in his recordings.

The contemporary music scene, while not financially breaking new ground, certainly has produced a number for fine young bands and composers.  Rebecca Hennessy's FOG Brass Band covers a wide swath of musical territory over the 48 minutes of "Two Calls" and the journey is very rewarding. This album is not only "fun" to listen to, as brass band music often, but also melodically rewarding and adventurous.

If you find yourself in Toronto on June 29, FOG is playing the Toronto Jazz Festival - to find out more, go to torontojazz.com. To find out more about Ms. Hennessy and her myriad projects (including the delightful Way North), go to rebeccahennessy.com.

Take a look and a listen to "Lagoon":

I've been reading about trumpeter and composer Jaimie Branch for the past few years and was excited to see her debut album hit the streets last month. "Fly or Die" (International Anthem) lives up to its name as Ms. Branch takes many chance on the 10-song program that features three other transplanted Chicagoans (cellist Tomeka Reid, drummer Chad Taylor, and bassist Jason Ajemian - like the  trumpeter, all now live in the New York City area).  Ms. Branch has worked in ensembles led by bassist William Parker and saxophonist Matana Roberts as well as with TV On The Radio. Her work exemplifies the AACM tradition, meaning nothing is sacred save for experimentation as well as cliches are forbidden.

photo by Mark Pallman

The program opens with the aptly titled "Jump Off", 16 second of squalling trumpet that leads into Taylor's countdown into "theme 001." One can hear traces of Wadada Leo Smith in Ms. Branch's clarion call and tone. The drummer lays down as irresistible rhythm as Ms. Reid and Ajemian play off each other, plucking, bowing, and creating a storm underneath. Matt Schneider's acoustic guitar shows up at the end, leading into the trancelike "...meanwhile." He plucks, the bassist and cellist play arco, the drummer offers light percussion, and the leader is nowhere to be heard.  She returns on "theme 002", playing muted trumpet over the infectious, dancing drums of Taylor. The West Indian feel continues as the mute is removed and the trumpeter rises above the rhythmic excitement.

That's just the first four tracks.  "Leaves of Glass" features fellow brass players Josh Berman (cornet) and Ben Lamar Gay (cornet) and they create a sonic blueprint that opens up to the arco cello and bass, a flurry of percussion, fiery trumpet, and scary overdubbed denoting "the storm."

Prepare to be surprised by the breadth and vitality of the music on "Fly or Die."  Although the album is barely 36 minutes long, there is so much going on, so many possibilities.  One can only imagine how this music roars and whispers in live settings.  Jaimie Branch took her time to deliver her debut album and it is well worth the wait.

For more information, go to www.intlanthem.com/releases/iarc0011.

Here's a track with the quartet:

Trumpeter and composer Farnell Newton (born 1997, Miami, FL) s a graduate of Oberlin Conservatory of Music who moved to Portland, OR, and is now a full-time member of that community's music scene.  He has worked with singer-songwriter Jill Sobule, funk bassist Bootsy Collins, Darrell Grant, Gladys Knight and many others.  "Back To Earth" is his sixth album as a leader and his debut on Posi-Tone Records. While his 2015 recording "Ready To Roll" was more of a contemporary soul album, his new effort is straight-ahead displaying his formidable "chops".  Joining him are Greg Goebel (piano), Dylan Sundstrom (bass), Christopher Brown (drums), and, on most of the tracks, trombonist Kyle Molitor, all members of the Portland scene.

Eight of the 11 tracks are Newton originals with one tune each by drummer Brown, Freddie Hubbard, and Wayne Shorter. Brown's piece, "Back To Earth" is a funky ballad introduced by a sweet piano melody plus Goebel gets the first solo, an expansive melodic adventure.  The leader doesn't come in until halfway through the 6-minute piece but he rides the groove with an easy solo that even has a bit of fire to it. "Fire" is what hears on the Hubbard tune, "Arietas", a piece off the trumpeter's 1961 "Ready For Freddie" Lp (where the title was spelled "Arietis"). The "burning" piece features splendid work from the rhythm section and fine solos from Geobel and Newton.  Shorter's "El Gaucho" (off his "Adam's Apple" recording) changes tempos, has an attractive feel, and, here, a pleasing Latin rhythm.

The original pieces have their charms as well. "Road To The South" swings atop an insistent rhythmic drive, giving the leader the impetus to rise above the fray. There's also a sweet solo from Molitor and a powerful turn from Goebel (who is quite impressive throughout.) The pianist works around the melody created by the brass on "Redefining The Norm", not so much a counterpoint but a creating a lovely frame around tune. And, again, his solo stands.  His introduction to "Crossing The Tracks" leads the listeners to a soulful tune with several smart twists-and-turns.

Throughout "Back To Earth", Farnell Newton and his compatriots create an enjoyable sound that's not challenging as much as it is soothing, soulful, and melodic. This music sounds good as you sit on the back porch or in the park in the late afternoon as the sun paints the world golden.

For more information, go to www.posi-tone.com/backtoearth/backtoearth.html.

Here's the title track: