Yeah, I know…you think of a big band from Denmark and say to yourself, “sterile, unswinging and stiff.” Let me tell ya-Denmark is SVINGING! They are one of the top three readers of this website, right along Israel and the Bay Area. Besides, to stay together for 50 years, as this jazz orchestra has done, you’ve got to be doing something right, and this 5 disc set shows they’ve passed the test of time.
What Storyville has basically done here is take selected highlights from albums that the DRBB performed on since the 60s on various labels, mostly on Storyville itself as well as Stunt and Hep. They come across sort of like a European version of The Tonight Show Band-the best studio studs around with great tone, a great collection of charts and an ability to adapt to whomever the guest artist is that they are serving.
To mention every album would take forever, but some of the strengths of the band are evident in that they can work with a 1966 Stan Kenton with some wonderful solos by Rolf Billberg on “Stella By Starlight” while the whole band can rollick on “Malaguena.” A local lingo-ed take of “Music Maestro Please” with Lise Reinau and Otto Brandenburg is a bopping hoot, while Ben Webster growls like a well fed lion on “Cry Me A River” and “Old Folks.” That combo was a match made in Ducal heaven!
Thad Jones gets the band strutting in 1978 at the Montmartre International Jazz Fest with some hip charts, and Ernie Wilkins builds a sonic frame for Michael Hove’s alto on “Day Dream.” Even Georgie Fame gets int the act, and he’s cooler than hot on “I Put A Spell On You” and “City Life.” Some sophisticated sounds are created when Eliane Elias and Bob Brookmeyer come together on “So In Love” and Phil Woods bops with delight on a Jim McNeely chart called “Tripple Metamorphosis.” The band can even do samba as Brazilian vocalist Silvana Malta sounds wonderfully steamy on “Suingando” and “Back to Brazil.” Artsy pianist Martial Solal modernizes up on some 1999 McNeely charts like “DRJO No. 1, and Latin Lover Michel Camilo caresses the ivories on a passionate 12 minute “Why Not.” Through it all, the music, like the best of referees, is never overly noticed; you only appreciate the sounds and grooves they create. Sometimes they feel like vintage Woody Herman, other times the saxes are reminiscent of 70s Basie, but through it all, they keep the toes tapping and the head bobbing…for 50 wonderful years. Consider this set an invitation to check out the individual albums, especially the Webster encounters.
Storyville Records