Trombonist Marshall Gilkes teams up with the famous WDR Big Band for a rich mix of both modern harmonies and vintage grooves. The rhythm team of Simon Seidl/p, Paul Shigihara/g, John Goldsby/b and Hans Dekker/dr is strong enough to drive the horse team of 5 reeds, 4 trombones and 5 trumpet/flugelhorns as well as with Gilkes at the horn and arranging pen. Dekkar coaxes the band along for Johan Horlen’s rich alto on a forward looking “Easy to Love” while the saxes of Karolina St r assmayer/as and Paul Heller/ts ride the avalanche on the thunderous “Switchback.” The centerpiece here is a three part “Denali Suite” having Horlen’s soprano riding the anthem-like wave on “Part One,” Simon Seidl creating delicacies on “Part II” and the sections punching back and forth like middleweights on “Part Three.” The reeds create long Joseph Cotton-like shadows on “Portrait of Jennie” whle the leader is richly warm on “Always Forward” and the upbeat and bold “Puddle Jumping.”