Conductor, arranger and producer Brent Fischer literally takes the baton from his noted father Clare Fischer on this ambitious interpretation of Mussorgsky’s “Pictures At An Exhibition”. There have been many attempts to put new wine into these wineskins, even by fusion rock band Emerson, Lake and Palmer. This one is impressive in that Fischer leaves no part of the sumptuous opus untouched, bringing in famed Angelenos such as Larry Koonse/g, Carl Saunders/tp, Ron Stout/tp. Andy Martin/tb, Scott Whitfield/tb and Kristen Edkins/sax, to name just a few.
The pieces included an easy swing of “Promenade” as well as a noirish “Gnome” with Whitfield’s h orn. Mike Stever adds a muted horn on the hip “Promenade II” while the team bops out a Brazilian “Garden” . The reed section of clarinets and bassoon swing like Goodman on “Landscape” and “Chicks” while the trumpets give a chorale during “Promenade IV”. There’s a fun samba to “Bazaar” and the rhythm team gives a hip minor blues to “Contrast”. A stroll through a bopping art gallery.