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GOD I LOVE BIG BANDS


Bilbo
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Some marvellous recommendations for Big Band listening:

Bob Mintzer – Camoflague
Duke Ellington – And His Mother Called Him Bill
Kenny Wheeler –Music For Large And Small Ensemble
Dave Holland – Overtime
Dave Murray Latin Big Band – Now Is Another Time
Dave Grusin – West Side Story
Loose Tubes – Delightful Precipice
Miles Davis/Gil Evans – Miles Ahead
Count Basie – w. Manhattan Transfer - Vocalese
Mingus Big Band – Live In Time
Michel Camilo – One More Once

Anyone got any more?

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Dave Grusin doing Westside story,
It has been getting some serious pounding on my CD player of late.

Gordon Goodwin big band - Swingin' for the fences
Gordon Goodwin big band - XXL.
are both worth checking out.

Garry

Edited by lowdown
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yes for one more once, that album blew me away.

can't think of many better examples, though anything off of complete birth of the cool is brilliant - boplicity is such a beautiful piece of music. i know its not exactly a big band - a thirteen piece i think.

also some of maynard fergusons stuff ventures into big band territory - his version of birdland is worth listening to.

another yes for seeing it live - as with all music. have had many a night of joy at various swing dancing clubs.

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Some great toons mentioned above, guys. If I could add a couple more to the list:

Buddy Rich - Birdland
plus
The album 'It Might As Well Be Swing' - Frank Sinatra with Count Basie

Alex already beat me to it with Sinatra/Basie 'Live at The Sands' and also Jaco's 'Invitation' :)

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For the people who like FS...
The album LA is my lady - is superb.
There is a studio DVD of the session, well worth a watch,
With the great Ray Brown on Bass.
There is some very serious players on show.

Garry

Edited by lowdown
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Don't ever mention mindless noodling again! This is exquisite (the Maria Schneider Orchestra)

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJPFVF2j3ok&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJPFVF2j3ok...feature=related[/url]

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I had the great fortune to play in a big band for a couple of years when I was in my late teens.

All the other guys in the band were aged between 60-80 and had such amazing stories to tell as they had been playing in various bands for years. I totally admire people that can score arrangements for an entire 16 piece band.

Some of the 'younger' ones are still playing but there is little doing round my way now.


I wish I had had the chance to play upright with these guys. I did manage to get a convincing tone with dead strings and plenty of muting. I played upright with a junior orchestra but that was only up until I was 18 as I used the school's upright.


Anyway, I digress.


My favourites were Satin Doll, Tangerine & Caribbean Clipper although I did also like most of the Glen Miller and Count Basie stuff, especially Bones For Basie.

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Maria Schneider is great. I also love pretty much everything Gil Evans ever did.

Also recommended for left-of-center big band stuff:

Colin Towns Mask Orchestra (yes, THAT Colin Towns of Ian Gillan fame)
George Gruntz Concert Jazz Big Band
Geir Lysne Listening Ensemble
and - of course, coming from me - the Vienna Art Orchestra (although they sound a bit stiff and formulaic these days. I much prefer the earlier material).

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I have a particular fondness for my dad's "the big 18" record. Don't know if anyone else has heard of them. Also Claude Bolling is pretty good.
My love of jazz is influenced by my dad. While his brother was listening to the stones and beatles, he grew up listening to his dad's big band records. Stuff like Tommy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, Jimmie Lunceford, the Duke, Benny Goodman etc.

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I have a great VAO cd of arrangements of Strauss tunes - brilliantly mad. And I also really rate their guitarist Alegre Correa as a composer (his Terra Musica cd is a real favourite).

I have not been able to hear a lot of Maria Schneider music as her cds are so hard to find (and v. expensive on Amazon). I really rate what she does (although I think her first teacher. Bob Brookmeyer, resonates in her arrangements more than Gil Evans)

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Around 76-77 I was taking double-bass lessons and my teacher at the time advised me to buy 'The Bob Haggart Bass Method' which I duly did.
I learned that Haggart was a founder member of the Bob (brother of Bing) Crosby Orchestra and Bob Crosby & The Bobcats (1935).

Years later (mid-80's) I got to see Bob Haggart & Yank Lawson -- aka The Worlds Greatest Jazz Band! -- play the University of East London and I was able to chat with Bob after the gig. Of course, I brought the book along with me and he was happy to sign it for me. He was a real gentleman, probably about 70-something at the time. He died in 1998.

There's a tune going round at the moment being used on a TV/radio ad (can't remember which one) called 'Big Noise From Winnetka'. Features someone whistling through their teeth over a bass line. This was originally a hit for Bob Haggart and drummer Ray Bauduc back in the late 30's. And I bet you thought Drum 'n' Bass was a more recent thing! :)

Check out the 'sticks on strings' near the end:
[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4vlmYd9KYY"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4vlmYd9KYY[/url]

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[quote name='bilbo230763' post='452167' date='Apr 2 2009, 09:48 AM']Some marvellous recommendations for Big Band listening:

Bob Mintzer – Camoflague
Duke Ellington – And His Mother Called Him Bill
Kenny Wheeler –Music For Large And Small Ensemble
Dave Holland – Overtime
Dave Murray Latin Big Band – Now Is Another Time
Dave Grusin – West Side Story
Loose Tubes – Delightful Precipice
Miles Davis/Gil Evans – Miles Ahead
Count Basie – w. Manhattan Transfer - Vocalese
Mingus Big Band – Live In Time
Michel Camilo – One More Once

Anyone got any more?[/quote]


any stan kenton

the atomic mr basie

for me the duke is king

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