It’s not just what you say, but the way that you say it. Here are some well arranged albums.
Trumpeter and composer John Blevins brings together a full team of Drew Williams/ts, Brad Mulholland/wwinds, Nick Grinder/tb, Marta key, Jeff McLaughlin/g, Marty Kenny/b, Nathan Ellman-Bell/dr and John Doing/cong for 8 rich and soulful originals. Sanchez’s Fender gives the album a vintage CTI soul jazz vibe as Williams blows smoke rings on”Little Dickens” while Blevins gets misty eyed on”Breathe.” The leader has a clear and sensitive sound akin to Kenny Dorham, and rides the bass pulse like a marathon jogger on “ Identity Their” while he sighs out shadows on “Unaware.” The team sounds pretty nifty with Mulholland’s flute on the grooving “Nascent” and Grindr’s ‘bone strides easy with Ellman –Bell on “Hear.” Lots to like here. Is he coming to town?
Arranger Mark Masters teams together Gary Foster/as, Jerry Pinter/ts-ss, Gene Cipriano/ts, Adam Schroeder/bs, Ed Czach, Putter Smith/b, Kendall Kay/dr, Ron Stout/tp and Les Benedict/tb for a tribute to a pair of variant arrangers, namely Charles Mingus and Gerry Mulligan. What they both had in common was a love of the sax and sense of swing, and all of the songs are ample in both. Of the Mingus pieces, the team is loose and alive as Pinter sears through “ Monk, Bunk and Vice Versa,” Foster and Smith bop with delight on the hip “Peggy’s Blue Skylight” and Benedict valves his bone on the lazy blues of “Eclipse.” The reeds meld with delight during the Mulligan pieces like on lovely “Wallflower” and the they swing like spring on “Birds of A Feather.” Schroeder’s bari evokes thoughts of Jeru on the charming “Strayhorn 2.” Not a moment of ennui and tons of vibrant fun.
Pianist and composer Joel LaRue Smith does some deft arranging of material that is both original and taken from the jazz lexicon in this tribute to his father. The team of Charles Langford/as, Carlos Averhoff Jr/ts, Jeff Galindo/tb, Takehide Watanabe/tb, Flavio Lia/b, Tiago Michelin/dr and Wilson Corniel/perc fill the atmosphere with latin loves, even taking Miles Davis’ famed “Nefertiti” through the salsa puree machine with Langford’s alto floating over the groove. The team shows much energy on “Manteca” and the percussion is off to the dog races on “”La Ruta Alterna” and “Reverence.” Smith’s piano work changes gears like a Masserati on the former while his spotlight on “The Promise” is a delicate homage. Lots of soul and spice here!
Tenor saxist Kirk MacDonald wrote the pieces and Joe Sullivan put together the arrangements for this 2 cd collection of originals in a big band setting. The 6 member sax section includes Pat LaBarbera on tenor, while the 5 trumpets and 5 ‘bones make for a big frame and the rhythm team of Lorne Lefsky/g, Nancy Walker/p, Neil Swainson/b and Barry Romberg/dr drive the band trhough the flexible tunes. Most of the songs are between 10-14 minutes with plenty of solo space. The drums drive hard on the hectic “The Power Of Four” and the team snaps to attention on “Kirks’ Blues.” Muted horns work well on the moody ”Shadows” while guitar and trumpet gallop along on “Symmetry” and La Barbera floats over the nimble groove on the post bop “Common Ground.” Sophisticated with swing.