Are big bands still alive and well? The current economy makes it difficult for a big ensemble to tour around and make a living, but one-off or short termed projects such as this one still attempts to keep the flame burning.
Bassist Christian McBride puts together a team of heavy hitters on this session that mixes standards with originals. The 18 piece orchestra includes names like Steve Wilson/as, Ron Blake/ts, Loren Schoenberg/ts and Nicholas Payton, and McBride’s charts mix clever harmonies with supercharged excitement. Blake, one of jazz’s unsung studs, sounds superb on “Shake ‘N Blake” with his old school tenor sound. A nifty and seductively sublime “Broadway” features some nice harmonies, while Wilson is spotlighted on “Brother Mister.” Melissa Walker’s vocals on a trio of tunes is a nice change of pace, with “A Taste Of Honey” particularly sweet. Sparks fly on the multi-themed “Science Fiction” and “In A Hurry,” making you wish this band could last longer than just this one disc.
Mack Avenue Jazz