Fresh material in jazz orchestra formats…
Greg Yasinitsky plays sax and leads a 15 piece big band through a collection of his own songs and charts. The material is fresh and peppy, with excellent work of the various horn sections with just enough room for succinct solos that never overstay their welcome.
Drummer David Jarvis drives the band through modern waters on “Serpentine” and sets the stage for Yasinitsky’s tenor sax and Vern Sielert’s hot trumpet solo while the drummer rides the whip for the wagon train on “True North” and gets the band into a modal groove on “One-two Three.” The band sways like a “B” film noir as Brian Ward’s piano lurks around the block on “New York Confidential” and the soft “Missing You” has the leader’s tenor weave through the velvet harmonies. The band swaggers on the shuffling “ Gator Tail” and gets into a hip groove for “Sideways” with the fists pumping for “Partial Eclipse.” No wallflowers here; these guys flex some muscle!
Composer, arranger and conductor, David Caffey directs a confident 17 piece jazz orchestra along with some extra percussion for some added oomph. Lead alto saxist Wil Swindler leads the sax section through soft harmonies on a shadowy “Goodbye” while his soprano chugs along with Jim White’s drums on “Diversions.” Extra percussion make the Afro Cuban “Carnival Night” an exotic delight with marimbas provided by Mike Van Wirt and Michael Carp and the team shows bop chops during the crisp “Shawtime” featuring the trumpets of Brad Goode and Greg Gisbert vying for the stratosphere. Impressive material with creative ideas.