Big Bands haven’t died; they just tend to live longer in the studio. So, if you ever have a chance to see one perform, grab the opportunity. Here are some worth seeing and hearing.
Grace Fox leads a 16 member XX team of musicians that specialize in bold colors and soulful pulses. There is a sanctified “The Gospel” that sways to the preaching sermon of trumpeter Kellin Hanas with strong dynamics richly painted in primary colors on “Right On Red” with Zhane Brown’s trombone sliding safely into second. Naomi Nakanishi brings a delicate piano to the panoramic “Sterility” featuring Jade Elliott’s sax, and she veers around the quirky patterns of the fusion “Sterility”. Confident tones.