Big Band / Swing - CD Reviews (348)
The Paul Cacia Jazz Orchestra is a fine gathering of jazz musicians, and the music performed is excellent. If you want to hear a jazz orchestra in top form and one of the b…
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An exceptionally tasteful outing for this Washington D.C. big band. The arrangments are allow for well-structured solos. Steve Fidyk is an excellent big band drummer playin…
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Channel One Suite is a live 1985 performance by Buddy Rich and His Band at One Pass's King Street Studios in San Francisco. It serves as a final document to the grea…
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If they chisel a fifth face into Mt. Rushmore, it ought to be Ms. Bley’s. Now that I got your attention with that rah-rah bit of hyperbole, I must say that Carla Bley has i…
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Pops stands for pleasure and this is an entertaining CD. The orchestra's arrangers have provided crowd-pleasing charts of swing favorites from "String of Pearls" to "Sweet …
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There’s no doubt from the downbeat of the first tune on Hittin’ The Blue Notes--that tune being "Just Friends"--that this is a drummer’s project. In the same way tha…
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If you like Big Band with a distinct flavor of the 1920s era arrangements, you will fall in love with this lively collection of tunes. There are 20 songs in the collection.…
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Colores del Fuego," the first of four Gary Urwin originals on this CD, should be its title. There's so much fire and color here, provided by this creative arranger/composer…
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If one likes or needs to note a "timeline" or "continuum" - where there’s a defining composer/stylist and there’s folks carrying on the tradition (i.e., Albert Ayler -> Pet…
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First-Rate Brass Band Defies StereotypesFirst off, there are two things about The Saint Louis Brass Band that need to be said: this isn't really jazz, and …
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The Contemporary Jazz Orchestra is a 16-piece ensemble comprised of many of San Francisco's Bay area top notch jazz musicians playing the charts from some of the best co…
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29 Sep
Live! Rich Wetzels Groovin Higher Jazz Orchestra by Rich Wetzel's Groovin Higher Jazz Orchestra
Best big band CD I have heard in ages! This CD has a depth of sound and a true live gig quality while delivering the intensity that guys like Wayne Bergeron and Rich Wet…
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Described as the best kept secret in Washington State, this remarkable big band lets us all in on the secret, introducing itself to a wider audience with a performance that…
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Oh dear. It appears time's up for Terry... Maybe volume 6 was just one volume too far for our friends in the Dream Band and a brave attempt to swing into our hearts just…
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The SWR Big Band produced a stunning compact disc featuring the music of Bob Florence a short time ago. Demonstrating the sheer professionalism of this awesome group, the a…
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Some music just brings that blissful look to your face, .... that joyful feeling one gets when the happy experiences of childhood come bubbling up, forcing the corners of y…
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A nice blend of big band with straight-ahead/classic motifs makes this a fine listening entry for the jazz audience. Excellent performances make this a CD you will enjoy ow…
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Bruno Raberg was born in Sweden and currently resides in the Boston area. Having previously released four recordings, Chrysalis represents a diverse selection of originals …
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Urban Landscapes is exactly what it purports to be. Newyorkestra Big Band offers a variety of original sketches of the Great City. The band gives us pause to glimpse New Yo…
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Swingville Records was launched by Bob Weinstock, the founder of the Prestige label, in 1959 in order to document the music of the original generation of swing musicians, w…
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