Best known for his work with the big bands of Buddy Rich and Buddy DeFranco, John LaBarbera forms a big band that includes brothers Joe/dr and Pat/ts-ss along with all star guests including Steve Wilson/as-fl, Clay Jenkins/tp, Ryan Keberle/tb, Rufus Reid/b and Renee Rosnes/p-key for a hard hitting mix of originals and modern jazz covers.
There’s a soulful title track that has Pat tapping into his inner Coltrane on the swaying “Grooveyard” while his soprano sways with Rosnes on “For Iola”. A salsa’d ‘Coro Para Thiago” features Juan Ruiz and Sam Sadigursky on woody clarinets, while Andy Gutauskas’ baritone adds fun to “Sweetness”. The team gets modal on the urgent “Tranesome” with Pat’s tenor and Rosnes’ piano digging in deep, and the kinetic “Mandator Blues” features some beautiful alto work by the indefatigable “Steve Wilson”. This band of brothers has a punch!