While it’s economically difficult for big bands to tour, the studio is still filled with great sounds. Here are a couple recent releases.
Guitarist and arranger Peter Hand leads a large ensemble that includes big names like Don Braden/ts-fl, Ralph Lalama/ts-cl, Valery Ponomarev/tp, and Harvie S/b. The team shows bop chops with crisp drumming by Steve Johns on “Yardbird Suite” with some serene sax section work on the Latin “Island Of The Heart.” Hand gives a nice solo teamed with the soulful voice of Camille Thurman on “If You Could See Me Now” and some Bartokian strings join with Braden’s tenor on the boppy “Hand Painted Dream.” Warm section work glistens on the leader’s “Once Upon A Time” and the nice tribute to John Coltrane during “Mr. PC/Cousin Mary”. Impressive charts and directions.
Tenor saxist and leader Michael Zilber delivers two different big bands, one from the East Coast and the other from San Francisco on this two disc set. The “East” team has some nice mysterious work on the Wayne Shorter piece“Fall” with bold brass punching away on “Joshua”. Tough tenors go gunning on “The Breckerfast Club” and an elegiac “Fantasia on Trane Changes” is a lithe delight. The “West” Team has some searing sax work on the tribute to Shorter on “Weather Wayne” and lovely floating alto saxes for “St. Paul” with a clever use of brass on The Beatles’ “Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” Nothing to dance to, but lots to imbibe.