There must be something about Gustav Holst’s The Planets that draws in jazz orchestras, as this is the 3rd or 4th interpretation I’ve come across. Arranger/conductor Jeremy Levy leads an impressive 20 member big band that includes lots of Big Phat Band members such as Jeff Driskill/ts, Francisco Torres/tb, Andy Martin/tb, and Andrew Synowiec/g, creating a fresh and bold ensemble. The band sounds Kentonesque on the big and bold “Uranus” with dramatic drumming by Jamey tate, while the horns create a fog akin to the Hound Of Baskervilles on “Neptune”. Big and bold brass goes bel canto over the busy Latin percussion of “Mars” with Martin delivering a strong solo, while Alex Budman’s soprano on “Mercury” rides over the percussive swing. Pianist supreme Andy Langham is crystalline along with trumpeter Michael Stever on “Jupiter” and the team shuffles to the Buffalo side of “ Jupiter”. Stellar!