The shadow of composer/arranger Gil Evans looms large over this album which features new pieces by Gil Evans Competition winner Dale Wilson, as his pieces are performed here by the NDR Bigband-Hamburg Radio Jazz Orchestra. The six pieces here give homage to Evans’ patented muted horns and woodwinds, while Wilson also stirs things up by changing the tempos, dynamics and directions in exciting ways. There’s a hip groove that has a few mood swings on “Brother John’s Vision which includes a nice clarinet and tenor sax solo by Lutz Buechner amidst the woodwinds, while some bluesy guitar by Stephan Diez twangs around the brass harmonics on “Major Fete.” Drip dropping strings \, Dan Gottshall’s rombone and Ingolf Burkhardt’s growling trumpet work through the swaying gospel sections on “Chloe’s Lamma” and fluets create a cirrus cloud formation while Gary Husband chimes the ride cymbal on “August’s Moonshine.” Smart, but not cerebral-it’s a keeper!
In A Rhyme Records