Directed by Dick Oatts, the venerable Vanguard Jazz Orchestra gives tribute to the jazz orchestra that essentially set the standard for all followers, the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra. Essentially created in order to give a bit of complexity and modernity to Count Basie’s band, Jones and Lewis swung like the Count, but with a bit of adventurous harmonies thrown in
This album celebrates that vision, with some of the best of today’s artists in the mix, including “Gary Smulyan/bs, Rich Perry/ts, Terell Stafford/tp, Adam Birnbaum/p, David Wong/b and John Riley/dr as part of the 16 piece band. The team swings like Basie on the more economical “Interloper” and the fun “Don’t Git Sassy “ while Perry glows on a glorious read of “Easy Livin’”. The sections bop hard on the double timed “My Centennial” with Smulyan searing on the bari while Oatts sows wild on the alto for “Back Bone”. Riley’s brushes sashay with Wong under the woodwinds on a sly “61 & Rich’it” and Stafford glows on his aria of “A Child Is Born”. Swingin on a star.