This debut recording by composer/conductor Fabial Mantwill boldly states that there’s a new and fresh wind blowing in the big band scene. This nine song album includes a 12 pieces string section, a seven member horn section, vibes, harp, guitar , bass and drums as well as guests Kurt Rosenwinkel’g, Nils Landgren/tb, Ben Wendel /ts, Marco Doctor/perc, and we might as well throw in the Tanzanian Kids Choir for good measure. Oh, did I mention that Mantwill also plays the tenor and brings in her voice for extra measure?
Usually, we tend to peg big bands as sounding “like” Ellington, Kenton, Basie or Schneider, but this one’s songs have so many different movements and moods, it’s impossible to pin down. For example, “Ophelia” includes Mantwill’s ethereal voice, wondrous strings and rich acoustic guitar work by Charis Karantas before the dynamics and drama change moods like a sudden hurricane. A mix of Kurt Rosenwinkel’s guitar and the Tanzania Kids Choir melds with both vocal and instrumental percussion on the brooding, soulful and ultimately joyful cantoral “Sasa Ndio Sasa”. Elegaic horns and pulsating drums supplied by Marc Michel and Marcio Doctor surround Konstantin Doben’s flugelhorn on the rich “Kumbukumbu” while reeds bop with delight on the sensuous bolero guided by Thomas Kolarczyk’s bass and Daniel Buch’s bass clarinet on “Triology”.
There’s a genteel fragrance to the melding of Milena Hoge’s harp, Doben’s flugelhorn and Tilmann Dehnard’s alto flute on the delicately balanced “Melodie D La Riviere”, but the team can also pain with bold and broad strokes with festive and earthy percussion driving Wendel’s tenor sax on the street party of “Festival at High Noon”. You may not be able to dance to it, but you’ll sure want to sit down and soak it in. Get her on tour!!!