Better known for basketball and Joseph Smith, Utah’s BYU has suddenly put itself on the map with Steve Lindeman coming from Indiana University to team up with BYUS’s director of director of jazz studies (Ray Smith) and produce an impressive big band release.
The BYU Synthesis is actually an impressive outfit, and material like “Lavender Flowers On Her Table” and “Meet Me When The Stars Come Out” have some adventurous harmonies and direction changes that are reminiscent of Bill Holman. A vocal track with Kelly Eisenhour , “Llavame ya al Mundo de las Maraivillas” melds exotic sounding horns, while “Take a Jake Break” evokes an Ellingtonian feel with a jaunty groove and rich brass snarling away. Some impressive tenor work by Ben Nichol on “Long Gone” as well as Daniel Burt on “Lavender…” are worth noting, but the emphasis here is on the wondrous and sophisticated arrangements. This band’s got ears!
Jazz Hang Records
www.jazzhangrecords.com