Danish Radio Big Band: XL-LX

Subtitled, “Plays the Music of Marilyn Mazure-Clarla Bley-Palle Mikkelborg-Carl Nielsen-Miho Hazama”, this album celebrates the 60th anniversary of the venerable Danish Radio Big Band by playing five commissioned pieces from as many composers. The five vinyl record box set is collated by various suites and moods. The five part “Sparkles” includes Stravinsky-esque complexity in “Inurion” and earthy rock moods with some tropical abstractions on ”Sprinkles” and “Magic 7”. The ambitious eight part “Roller Coaster” features various soloists from trombone to a gentle clarinet and sonata’d piano and bass. The six part “The Mind Behind” is somber and mystical, with muted brass and Asian harmonies., with a four piece “Reflections for Clarinet and Jazz Orchestra being quite lyrical, including puffy clouds of brass and Latin pulses. Lastly, the three part “Suite Electus” is quite Coplandesque in its tone, grandiose on “Nereus” and hinting between pop and elegiac on the last two parts. The most impressive aspect of this boxed set is that the width and breath of the ensemble sounds comfortable in each setting. Aging well!

www.storyvillerecords.com

Leave a Reply