Will there be a better big band (double) album this year? I have my doubts unless it's a reissue consisting of a couple of Basie and Ellington long players and, even then ...
This is simply magnificent! Don't be fooled by the title and think that this is merely some kind of a Pasadena Roof Orchestra or a Midnite Follies' reincarnation of the past, good as those bands are/were. It isn't and yet it would be if we were able to move the past one hundred years forward!
Wallarab's vision is to celebrate the Gennett recording studio where, in Richmond, Indiana, many of the first great jazz recordings were made by the New Orleans Rhythm Kings, King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band, Louis Armstrong, Hoagland 'Hoagy' Carmichael, Bix Beiderbecke and Jelly Roll Morton to mention but a few.
It's a band that swings as good as any big band from Goldkette to Schneider and those in between.
It's ancient, it's modern, it's yesterday, it's tomorrow as well as the day after tomorrow. The soloists pay tribute whilst retaining their own identity.
There are too many highlights to signal out every soloist and there is only one 'low point' which is, in itself, a high point - I refer to Jeremy Allen's bass feature, Interlude, during which he manages to incorporate the bass intro to All Blues.
Nevertheless, It would be churlish of me not to mention Greg Ward's sumptuous take on Stardust or Luke Gillespie's piano solos where, at times, his left hand is in the past and his right hand is looking to next Tuesday (and sometimes vice-versa!)
Co-leader Buselli and Belck alternate between trumpet and flugel. I could go on and on extolling every one from the person who made the intermission coffee (a change from those original Gennett intermissions!) to all the players and, not least to Brent Wallarab whose arrangements and concept of this project put him up there with - well you name it - anyone.
There are four movements, each relating to a specific band/artist and all are done with respect to the originals but very much for today.
As a further incentive to get your paws on this doubler, the essays in the booklet are themselves masterpieces.
Wonderful. Lance
Available June 9 (sadly not on Gennett who shut up shop in 1947/48) on Patois Records.
Movement 1 (Royal Blue): Tin Roof Blues (in two parts); Chimes Blues; Dippermouth Blues.
Movement 2 (Blues Faux Bix): Davenport Blues; Jazz Me Blues; Interlude; Wolverine Blues.
Movement 3 (Hoagland): Stardust; Riverboat Shuffle (in two parts).
Movement 4 (Mr Jelly Lord): King Porter Stomp; Grandpa's Spells.
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