By Dee Dee McNeil
August 27, 2023
MEHMET ALI SANLIKOL & WHATSNEXT? – “TURKISH HIPSTER” – Dünya Records
Mehmet Ali Sanlikol, vocals/Turkish instruments/ney/duduk/berimbau/zurna/ rebab/saz/electric saz/kasik/woodblock/bendir/tambourine/synthesizers/keyboards/Fender Rhodes/composer/ lyricist/ arranger/clavinet/guitar/piano; Antonio Sanchez, Bertram Lehmann & George Lernis, drums/percussion; Fernando Huergo, bass; Phil Sargent, guitar; Utar Artun, piano/Fender Rhodes; Anat Cohen, clarinet; Miguel Zenon, alto saxophone; Mark Zaleski, alto saxophone/flute; Aaron Kaufman-Levine, & Lihi Haruvi, alto saxophones; Bill Jones & Wayne Bergeron, tenor saxophone; Rick DiMuzio & Aaron Henry, tenor saxophone/clarinet; Melanie Howell Brooks, baritone saxophone/bass clarinet; Kathy Olson, baritone saxophone; Mike Peipman, Jeff Claassen, Dan Rosenthal, Doug Olsen & Jerry Sabatini, trumpet/flugel horn; Chris Gagne, Bob Pilkington & Garo Saraydarian, trombone; Angel Subero, bass trombone; Brian O’Neill, vibraphone/kudum/ cymbals; Raydar Ellis, spoken word.
From the first strains of this innovative music, I start dancing. That’s a good sign. I love to dance, and I enjoy tracks that inspire dancing. Although Mehmet Ali Sanlikol plays with tempos and genres on this, his seventh album as a bandleader, his is the kind of music that draws you in and holds you tightly. The first song, “A Capoeira Turca” features Anat Cohen on Clarinet and showcases a rich tapestry of orchestral arranging and unexpected tempo twists and turns in the production. While listening to this unique album, you will hear a taste of Turkish folk music, a hint of Brazilian influence, a pinch of the 70s Turkish psychedelic rock music and a huge swig of orchestral jazz. To top it off, they add African rhythms all stirred into his ethnic stew, with a liberal shake of American Hip Hop. This original music was specifically composed for jazz orchestra. That is the clothesline that holds all these various cultural influences, dangling together and flapping beautifully in the breeze. This is jazzy World Music at its best.
“I grew up as a classical pianist, played in progressive Rock bands in my teens, came to the United States when I was eighteen and studied jazz piano and composition, only to rediscover my roots seven years after my arrival. The process of that rediscovery involved intensely studying traditional music from Turkey for over a decade, which also included learning how to play several traditional instruments. In the end, I came to internalize several different musical languages, … I now consider myself to be a successful musical translator,” Mehmet Ali Sanlikol states in his liner notes.
That pretty much says it all! On this project Mehmet Ali plays twenty instruments. A composition called “The Boston Beat” features spoken word rap by Raydar Ellis and surprises this listener with a very contemporary musical track, embracing Hip Hop and still incorporating the Turkish perspective. The lyrics celebrate Boston musicians and the city’s musical legacy, along with calling out names of players. Just when you’re getting comfortable with orchestrated rap music, Mehmet Ali Sanlikol switches to his own cultural roots during a tune called “Estarabim” where you hear a lyric sung in Turkish with all those rich minor chords that cradle melodies inside the arrangement and play like a prayer or a chant. Antonio Sanchez is the drummer on both of these unique compositions and adds zest and energy.
“Turkish Hipster” is just that, with his music swinging like a pocket watch, from tempo to tempo, psychedelic to Rock, from orchestrated Jazz to Turkish folk culture, and all of it played beautifully with a great deal of unexpected hypnotic, creativity and culture.
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DAN BONSANTI AND THE 14 JAZZ ORCHESTRA – “ISLANDS” – Independent label
Dan Bonsanti, producer/arranger/orchestrator; RHYTHM SECTION: Randy Bernsen, acoustic guitar; Lindsey Blair, guitars; Mark Egan, Will Lee, Nicky Orta, & Tim Smith, electric bass; Jamie Ousley & Dennis Marks, acoustic bass; Mike Mainieri, vibraphone; Peter Erskine, Lee Levin, & Mike Harvey, drums; Richard Bravo, percussion; Mike Levine & Joe Davidian, piano. REEDS: Ed Maina, alto saxophone/flutes; Ed Calle, tenor & soprano saxophones/flutes; Peter Brewer, tenor saxophone/flute/clarinet; Mike Brignola, baritone saxophone/flutes/bass clarinet; David Liebman, soprano saxophone; TRUMPETS: Brett Murphey, Jason Carder & John Lovell; TROMBONES: Dana Teboe, Major Bailey, & Dante Luciani. Dan Bonsanti, tuba emulation.
Dennis Marks opens the initial piece titled, “Man From Tanganyika” walking his bass boldly across my listening room. When the rest of the orchestra joins him, the rhythm section creates a strong blues feel with Ed Maina’s flute taking the first lead solo, offering great expression and lyricism. The song was composed by the late, great McCoy Tyner and Dante Luciani offers a stellar trombone improvisation. Dan Bonsanti’s arrangement supports all of the soloists with harmonic horn parts that bounce like a musical trampoline. The title tune follows. “Islands” was composed by Mike Mainieri, and it’s introduced to us by Mike Levine’s piano and features bandmate and composer, Mainieri on vibraphone with Ed Calle blowing his heart out on tenor saxophone. This is a great tune, melodic and it happily swings up a jazzy path at a slow tempo.
Dan Bonsanti has dedicated this project lovingly to his brother Neal Bonsanti, who passed away this year. Neal was a great inspiration to his brother, and he was a founding member of the 14 Jazz Orchestra. I was surprised to learn that some of this amazing work was recorded remotely when band members were dispersed to various spots around the country. It’s such a seamlessly smooth and beautifully recorded piece of music, that it sounds as if everyone is in the same creative studio space. This miracle is thanks in part to the talents of brilliant engineer, Mike Levine who is also a pianist and composer. Dan Bonsanti was formerly a working saxophonist and has performed with notable big bands including Stan Kenton’s Orchestra, Jaco Pastorius’ Word of Mouth Orchestra, and Doc Severinsen’s band. Although he is no longer performing, Dan’s arranger skills are in great shape, with every tune on this album well-played and pleasing to the ear. Bonsanti shares arranging credits on several of these tracks with Mike Levine and the late Tom Boras. Bonsanti has great admiration for the work and genius of Chick Corea. He includes Chick’s tune, “Bud Powell” that features notable solos by Mike Levine swinging strongly on piano and a soaring alto saxophone solo by Ed Maina. Jason Carder’s muted trumpet solo soaks up the spotlight during his impressive appearance at stage center. This is a band of seasoned musical veterans who are united in their shared love of playing great jazz. The tune selections are perfect, and the Dan Bonsanti arrangements and conductor skills accentuate the importance and mastery of performing great jazz orchestra music. “Part of me” is “All of Me” turned upside down, but absolutely recognizable. When they mention that they have created a fresh melody to change the face of this song, I must disagree. Clearly, I can hear the original composition in the chord changes. Still their Bossa Nova arrangement is executed and played with genuine spirit and South American gusto. The listener will enjoy every single cut on this album. “When She Loved Me” is dedicated specifically to Dan’s brother, Neal Bonsanti who originally was scheduled to play oboe and English horn solos during this arrangement of the Randy Newman composition from the Toy Story 2 film that was nominated for an Oscar in 2000. Instead, Bonsanti re-orchestrated the piece to feature Ed Calle on tenor sax, with Mark Egan on Electric fretless bass and Randy Bernsen on acoustic guitar.
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DANIEL HERSOG JAZZ ORCHESTRA – “OPEN SPACES FOLK SONGS REIMAGINED” – Cellar Music
Daniel Hersog, conductor/composer; Dan Weiss, drums; Kim Cass, bass; Frank Carlberg, piano; Kurt Rosenwinkel, guitar; REEDS: Ben Kono, oboe/soprano saxophone/flute/clarinet; Ben Henriques, alto & soprano saxophones/clarinet; Noah Preminger, tenor saxophone; Tom Keenlyside, flute/alto flute/piccolo/tenor saxophone; Scott Robinson, baritone saxophone/bass clarinet/flute. TRUMPETS: Derby Byrne, Michael Kim, Brad Turner & Jocelyn Waugh, trumpet/flugelhorn. TROMBONES: Jeremy Berkman & Andrew Poirier, trombones; Jim Hopson, trombone/Euphonium; Sharman King, bass trombone.
Every song on this album tells a story of history, of country, of cultural folk heritage. The concept that Daniel Hersog developed was born during the pandemic, while he was locked down and had nothing but time to reflect. As he revisited songs he had memorized and sung as a child, a concept began to grow inside of Hersog. Why not reinvent these familiar musical gems with jazz orchestration to celebrate the music he sang around a campfire, in his living room, or in the elementary school classroom? So, that’s how this project came to be.
Gordon Lightfoot composed “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” in 1976. It tells the story of a cargo ship, carrying an iron load while sailing on Lake Gitchie Gumee. The ship fell prey to nature’s wind and restless water. The Michigan hurricane winds took the ship down in November of 1975 along with a crew of 29 sailors. The orchestration of this song highlights that tragedy with musical ferocity.
Although a bit of the material that Daniel Hersog reimagines has origin in Hersog’s native Canada, half of the music on this unique album are original compositions inspired by American folk music. Interpreted by his 17-piece orchestra, “Open Spaces” features soloists who bring their A-game to the project like Frank Carlberg, whose piano solo on this first song is tenacious and mind-blowing. Noah Preminger’s tenor saxophone epitomizes the melody and the storm that took that ship down. He paints pictures with his horn. This arrangement conjures up the violence of the sea and the storm, capturing the historic moment when the cargo vessel sank.
The next song settles us down. It’s an original composition by Daniel Hersog and asks us, “How Many Roads?” Daniel’s composition was influenced by Bob Dylan’s popular tune, “Blowin’ in the Wind.” The arrangement takes a sharp left turn when it’s steered from folk to a jazzy blues piano solo by Frank Carlberg. The horns project a collage of harmonics, flashy like a computerized screensaver on my listening room walls. The harmonies are rich and create a radiant backdrop for the soloists to emerge and solo. Popular traditional tunes like “Shenandoah” and “Red River Valley” may remind you of your own childhood. The jazz influences on these folk songs are like neon paint that spruces up an old oil portrait and glows in the dark.
Canadian folk songs are also eternalized in Hersog’s orchestrations. He has composed and arranged “I Hear” based on the French-Canadian folk tune titled, “J’entends to Moulin” featuring Preminger’s bright tenor solo, but also an emotional soprano saxophone improvisation by Ben Kono is compelling, and Brad Turner’s trumpet demands my attention. At the end of the song, drummer Dan Weiss steps forward to spotlight his percussive skills.
Daniel Hersog is a respected and a vital trumpet voice, a composer, arranger, educator, and orchestra conductor. His talents are obvious and sparkling on this “Open Spaces” album. When Hersog’s not touring, you can catch him featured at the Vancouver International Jazz Festival or performing regularly in his Vancouver hometown, performing at Frankie’s Jazz Club or Pat’s Pub.
A 2016 graduate of New England Conservatory, Hersog won the school’s prestigious Gunther Schuller Medal. He is currently Director of Jazz Studies at Capilano University in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
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BUSELLI/WALLARAB JAZZ ORCHESTRA – “THE GENNETT SUITE” – Patois Records
Brent Wallarab, arranger/conductor; Mark Buselli, trumpet/orchestra co-founder; Luke Gillespie, piano; Jeremy Allen, bass; Sean Dobbins, drums; SAXOPHONES: Greg ward, soprano & alto; Amanda Gardier, alto; Tom Walsh, tenor/flute; Todd Williams, tenor; Ned Boyd, baritone; TRUMPETS: Clark Hunt & Jeff Conrad, lead; Scott Belck, mark Buselli, John Raymond & Jeff Parker. TROMBONES: Tim Coffman, lead; Andrew Danforth & Demondrae Thurman; Rich Dole, bass trombone.
In the midwestern town of Richmond, Indiana the Starr Piano Company built a recording studio in its piano factory and called it Gennett Studios. Some of the most iconic music of the 1920s was recorded there and Brent Wallarab, a composer, and Indiana University Professor, vowed to capture that music history that reflected when jazz was just a baby. This amazing two-disc set of orchestral music accomplished that task with flying colors.
The Buselli/Wallarab Orchestra celebrates the music of Louis Armstrong, Joseph “King” Oliver, Bix Biderbecke and Tom Delaney on Disc One. Wallarab has refreshed the arrangements and his masterful orchestra plays these classic blues compositions, infusing them with their full, rich modern sound. The Gennett Suite is divided into four movements. The first movement (Royal Blue) traces those early creative jazz musicians that composed ‘The New Orleans Rhythm Kings” and the brilliance of a young Louis Armstrong. Wallarab makes the transition, smoothly moving from “Tin Roof Blues” to a more contemporary classic, “Chimes Blues” that recognizes the contribution of King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band that once starred Louie Armstrong. The second part of this suite tributes cornetist, Bix Beiderbecke who played his Midwest cornet with his own kind of soul and as an Iowan, he challenged the Southern New Orleans style. On “Davenport Blues,” the orchestra co-founder and master trumpeter, Mark Buselli is featured. He adds spice and soulful beauty to the piece. His trumpet solo made me shout out loud, “Yeah” inside my listening room.
On the second disc, the third movement celebrates awesome composer, Hoagy Carmichael. Back in the early 1920s, Hoagy was a struggling songwriter. It seems particularly appropriate to feature Carmichael and Bix Biderbecke together, since they were very close friends. You will enjoy his “Riverboat Shuffle” featuring Todd Williams on tenor saxophone, but the wonderful arrangement of Carmichael’s famous “Star Dust” number that really surprised me. Hoagy first recorded “Star Dust” at Gennett in 1927 and conductor/arranger Wallarab was committed to making his orchestra arrangement one that would be fresh, challenging and appropriately modern, not just another arrangement of the revered standard jazz song. Consequently, Wallarab has woven classical ‘samples’ into his arrangements, like rappers sample old school R&B and pump it into their music. Wallarab’s classical samples weave like sparkling golden threads throughout his specialized arrangement, using inspiration from Chopin, Debussy, and Federico Moupou beneath the outstanding alto saxophone sweetness of Greg Ward. Wallarab also threw into the mix dissonant chord changes that struck like lightning and spurred Ward’s saxophone improvisation forward in a fiery way. Luke Gillespie, on piano, is particularly sensitive and challenging on piano. I loved every little thing he played during this presentation and Jeff Conrad also added his memorable lead trumpet to the mix. On Carmichael’s “Riverboat Shuffle, Part 2” Todd Williams thrills me on tenor saxophone. He plays with so much soulful emotion that his horn drags me into the tune and away from everything else I was doing. Also, that walking bass by Jeremy Allen will not be ignored, as he locked into a tight, swinging step with Sean Dobbins on drums. Speaking of swinging, Jelly Roll Morton’s “King Porter Stomp” does just that. The horn arrangements dance and Jitterbug around my ears with a very effective solo from Rich Dole on bass trombone.
This album of music joins hands with the historic music of the past, fingers entwined with the current wonderful jazz music of today, like a very special prayer.
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HARRY ALLEN ORCHESTRA – “WITH ROSES” – Triangle 7
Harry Allen, tenor saxophone/arranger/conductor; John DiMartino, piano; Mike Karn, bass; Lucy Yeghiazaryan, vocals; Warren Vache & Freddie Hendrix, trumpet; John Allred, trombone; Grant Stewart, tenor saxophone; Aaron Kimmel & Bryan Carter, drums; Peter Anderson & Will Anderson, clarinet; Dan Block, bass clarinet; Steve Kenyon & Kathleen Nester, flute.
Harry Allen has recorded over seventy albums as a bandleader and even more as a tenor saxophone sideman. Even the pandemic couldn’t stop him. During the lockdown, he produced three CDs from his home studio. On his recent album release, Allen has recorded ten original songs, featuring composer Roger Frankham’s work with co-writers Bruce Brown, Roger Schore, and Mark Winkler. Allen and Frankham collaborated before, when Harry arranged three of Roger’s songs for an album her recorded with pianist, Mike Renzi. One reason Harry and Roger work so perfectly together is Harry Allen’s belief that an arranger should respect the songwriter’s intention.
“When I’m working with a song, I like to look at the sheet music, because you can see what the composer was thinking. I may change some small things around, but I try to stay true to the original,” Harry explained.
The Harry Allen Orchestra swings hard when they open with “It All Catches up with You in the End.” Vocalist, Lucy Yeghiazaryan introduces us to the catchy lyrics of Bruce Brown. Then the orchestra takes the tune and runs with it. Allen arranges “Be the One” in 5/4 time. This time both words and music are written by Frankham, and Allen’s arrangement features Dan Block on bass clarinet. I think the title should have been “There Are Monsters Out There.” That’s the line that quickly catches the listener’s ear. “The Maestro” is another tune played Straight-ahead and is a swing-dancers prayer, with a dynamic tenor saxophone solo. The shuffle tune called “That Far Away Fella” has a muted trumpet in the background that captivated my ear. John DiMartino gives us a spirited piano solo and the trumpets are king. The title tune has lyrics penned by Mark Winkler, who is sending roses in apology for making someone cry. On this project, each original song is creatively arranged, and this album is the perfect showcase for these composers and lyricists, with the awesome assistance of some very gifted musicians.
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CHUCK OWEN & THE WDR BIG BAND with SPECIAL GUEST: SARA CASWELL – “RENDERINGS” – MAMA Records
Chuck Owen, arranger/composer; Billy Test, piano/organ; Philipp Bramswig, guitar; John Goldsby, bass; Hans Dekker, drums. WOODWINDS: Johan Hörlén, Karolina Strassmayer, Gabor Bolla, Olivier Peters, Paul Heller & Jens Neufang. TRUMPETS: Wim Both, Andy Haderer, Rob Bruynen, & Ruud Breuls. TROMBONES: Ludwig Nuss, Raphael Klemm, Andy Hunter, & Mattis Cederberg. SPECIAL GUEST: Sara Caswell
The German-based WDR Big Band is world renowned as a force of jazz and creativity. The title of this album encompasses Chuck Owen’s personal musical perspective for this album.
“I was trying to come up with a title and I thought of a rendering as being something that you’re taking and putting a different spin on,” Chuck Owen recalled.
Although the busy Central-Florida-based arranger had a full plate of music, gigs, and educational commitments when he was approached by Karolina Strassmayer, WDR’s evocative alto saxophonist, and asked to arrange one of her songs. For a brief second or two, he hesitated.
“I was flattered and honored to be asked, but I quickly became aware that it had been a long time since I had taken on arranging anyone else’s music,” Owen recalled in his liner notes.
It was that complimentary request by Strassmayer that led Chuck Owen to this impressive recording project with the WDR Big Band. Despite his teaching responsibilities, and an international conference he was producing, once he heard Karolina’s beautiful tune, he accepted the challenge. Before his pen could begin splattering the notes across music paper, COVID raised an ugly head, challenging the world as we knew it with its unexpected, deadly presence. The shut-down of daily activities probably gave Owen’s the time he needed to expand the one-song project into arranging an entire album for the WDR Big Band.
This inspired work is the result of that one-song-project, and it unfolds with palpable beauty and energy starting with the very first song. It’s a Chuck Owen original titled “Knife’s Edge.” The horns blast, as though announcing some royal dignitary’s arrival at the palace. The drums of Hans Dekker roll and propel the groove forward. Paul Heller steps boldly into the spotlight on tenor saxophone to soak up all the attention. Soon he is challenged by the trumpet of Andy Haderer, and they proceed to have a dynamic instrumental conversation. The drums become the catalyst to invite Dekker to stage-center. They roll out like a vivid, red carpet and the percussionist struts upon it with brilliant improvisation and energy. Chuck Owen is a magnificent arranger, and this composition showcases how he builds a tune’s intensity. “And Your Point Is?” is a more laid-back composition by Owen. It settles the listener down in a warm, cozy way and Billy Test’s organ brings a fresh element to the piece with just a little bit of the blues peeking a shy head around the corner. The surprising and wonderful addition of a tuba to this arrangement calls attention to the talents of Mattis Cederberg.
Karolina Strassmayer’s original composition, “Of Mystery & Beauty” follows and of course, that song was the first project to inspire this entire musical challenge. The arrangement by Owen is quite other-worldly, starting like a space journey into the unknown and featuring the double bass of John Goldsby and later in the piece, the exquisite violin of Special Guest, Sara Caswell. Caswell and Strassmayer are beautifully matched as they soar past one-another in the music universe, two shooting stars featuring Strassmayer playing her saxophone and Caswell her violin. The blend is quite intriguing. Caswell’s violin brilliance is quite audacious and mind-bending. While listening to the John Goldsby tune, “Fall Calls” I have to pause to see who is featured on saxophone. It’s Strassmayer again and I think to myself, this woman deserves an album on her own. The WDR Big Band plays one of Chick Corea’s compositions, “Arabian Nights” with the infusion of a rock guitar solo by Philipp Bramswig that lifts this arrangement into the fusion era. Chuck Owen brings his own furbelow to this project, but these master musicians bless his notes to life.
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THE BIX CENTENNIAL ALL-STARS – “CELEBRATING BIX!” – Turtle Bay Records
Mark Shane & Dick Hyman, piano; Howard Alden & Matt Munisteri, guitar; Greg Cohen, bass; Vince Giordano, bass/bass saxophone; Joe Ascione, drums; Jon-Erik Kellso, Randy Reinhart & Randy Sandke, cornet; Dan Barrett, trombone/cornet; Harvey Tibbs, trombone; Dan Levinson, clarinet/alto & C-melody saxophones; Pete Martinex, clarinet/C-melody saxophone; Scott Robinson, clarinet/tenor & C-melody saxophones; Jack Stuckey, clarinet/alto saxophone; James Langton & Barbara Rosene, vocals; The Manhattan Rhythm Kings (Marc Kessler, Brian Nalepka & Hal Shane), vocalists.
If Ragtime music and memories of the 1920s and 1930s thrill you, this album is sure to please. It is a celebration of Bix Beiderbecke’s recording career, even though it only lasted six and a half short years. Bix was only twenty-eight years old when he died in 1931. The idea for this updated release of the Beiderbecke music came from Scott Asen, the owner of Turtle Bay Records. This label specializes in showcasing the best contemporary jazz players who are interpreting tunes of yesteryear. This is a merger between reedman, Dan Levinson, and the record owner. Levinson not only rearranges some of these old tunes, but he plays clarinet, alto saxophone, and C-melody sax on the project. Levinson was the perfect candidate to co-produce this album since he had already recorded an album of Bix music. They use vocalist Barbara Rosene on the tune, “Just an hour of Love.” Also taken from his original project were “Riverboat Shuffle” featuring cornetist Jon-Erik Kellso. He reinvents “Davenport Blues” as an example of Bix as a composer of blues-infused jazz music, and this song sounds like something Ma Rainey might have sung.
This is a two-disc record set that captures a place in time when the American artform of jazz was blossoming. This new and expanded 20th Anniversary Edition of the Bix Beiderbecke music is a tribute to an important jazz contributor who died way too young. This product was released on September 1, 2023.
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SANTIAGO BIG BAND featuring MARCOS FERNANDEZ & AFRO LATIN JAZZ ORCHESTRA featuring ARTURO O’FARRILL – SANTIAGO BROOKLYN SANTIAGO – Zoho Records
THE AFRO LATIN JAZZ ORCHESTRA: Arturo O’Farrill, piano/composer/arranger; REEDS: Larry Bustamante, Alejandro Aviles, Jasper Dutz, Adison Evans, Roman Filiu, & Ivan Renta. TRUMPETS: Steven Bernstein, Seneca Black, Walter Cano, Bryan Davis, Kali Rodriguez-Pena, Rachel Therrien, & Adam O’Farrill. TROMBONES: Abduirahman Amer, Mariel Bildsten, Rafi Malkiel, James Rogers, Earl McIntyre, Ben Barnett. RHYTHM: Andrew Andron, Vince Cherico, Keisel Jimenez, Carlos Maldonado, Bam Rodriguez, Arturo O’Farrill.
THE SANTIAGO BIG BAND (Cuba): Marcos A. Fernandez, piano/composer/arranger; Jose Angel Martinez, Acoustic bass/bass guitar; Rayner Bonner, drums/timbal/guiro; Modest Brave, congas; TRUMPETS: Angel “Caballito” Beltrán, Alain Gragoni, Raoni Sanchez. ALTO SAX: Ivan Alejandron Sanchez Guardiola, Julio César, & Gonzalez Simon. TENOR SAX: Rey Amaury Burgos, Juan Chacon Gonzalez, Goodridree Carbnilla. BARITONE SAX: Braudelis Rodriguez Sierra, Yormanys Soto Diaz. TROMBONES: Sergio Luna, Jorge Ortega, Andreas Arcia & Ismael Olivera. CUBAN PERCUSSION: Jasiel Rodriguez, Ernesto Hernandez, Requinto, Osiel Sauquet, & Damian Busqueta. SOLOISTS & SPECIAL GUESTS: Eglis Ochoa, Maracas Jorge Manuel, ,Raoni Sanchez, Alain Dragoni, Ivan Acosta, Fernando Dewar, Carlos Miyares, Cesar Lopez (all Cuba); Rafi Malkiel, Rachel Therrien, ^& Adam O’Farrill.
The Brooklyn neighborhood that Arturo O’Farrill knows and loves, is the one rooted deeply in the history, culture and dynamics of local people, local artists, and people who have blossomed from this New York artistic hotspot. Arturo can feel the spirit of a place. He transmits that emotional and spiritual connection through his music. When he met Marcos Fernandez in Santiago, Cuba something magical and deep rooted happened between the two men. The city of Santiago is often called “The Real Cuba” because it has historical roots that are planted deeply in African culture.
Once they met, Marco and Arturo took turns playing their hearts out at the piano. That was where their friendship was born, and a desire to make music together was soon discussed. This project is the consummate blending of two master musicians, their love of big bands and orchestra concepts. This music blends musicians from various cultures like musical chairs. The players take seats in the other ensembles as specials guests. During the height of the pandemic, Marcos and his musicians recorded in Santiago and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra recorded in their homes. Guest soloists from each group were featured on each other’s recordings and finally, after many months, this unique recording was produced. Not only did musicians blend, but Zoho Music and the EGREM label partnered. This was a historic union, an American record label, (popular for their Latin Jazz music releases) joining creative forces with a Cuban company, rich in cultural legacy music. This journalist was thrilled to listen.
The brief introduction to his album is a combination of excellence featuring both Arturo O’Farrill and Marcos Fernandez on piano. Although the duet is just 1:45 minutes long, it is dynamic. One of my favorite tunes was the O’Farrill composition, “Pitbull Mambo” performed by the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra. The title tune, “Santiago Brooklyn Santiago” composed by both Marcos Fernandez and Arturo O’Farrill quickly becomes another favorite.
I love the piano solos that showcase each of the composer’s piano mastery and are meant to reflect the culture of both Santiago, Cuba and Brooklyn, New York. It is full of energy and encourages me to dance to the swinging Latin beat and the hot percussive enticement. Marcos Fernandez has composed “Dialogo” and it’s Latin Jazz, but quite contemporary. This too is a favorite of mine.
As Arturo O’Farrill said in his press package, “This recording is a statement of faith in the beauty of both nations” and it’s also exposing the unending musical possibilities that bridge all languages and world cultures. Music brings people together. It heals, it entertains and just makes your heart happy.
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QUARTET SAN FRANCISCO, GORDON GOODWIN’S BIG PHAT BAND, TAKE SIX – “RAYMOND SCOTT REIMAGINED” – Violinjazz Recordings
Jeremy Cohen, executive producer/co-producer/violin/viola/founder, QUARTET SAN FRANCISCO; Joseph Christianson, violin; Chad Kaltinger, viola; Andrés Vera, cello; Meredith Clark, harp; TAKE 6: Claude McKnight, Mark Kibble, Joel Kibble, Dave Thomas, Alvin Chea, & Khristian Dentley. GORDON GOODWIN’S BIG PHAT BAND: Gordon Goodwin, piano/tenor saxophone solo; Ray Brinker, drums; Don Williams, timpani, tom-tom; Wade Culbreath, marimba/vibes/xylophone/cowbell; Joey De Leon, congas/bongos; Andrew Waddell & Justin Smith, guitar; Kevin Axt, bass; Sal Lozano. alto saxophone; Bret McDonald, alto saxophone/piccolo/clarinet; Brian Scanlon & Thomas Luer, tenor saxophone; Jay Mason, baritone saxophone/bass clarinet; Wanye Bergeron Aaron Janik, Dan Savant & Daniel Fornero, trumpet; Andrew Martin, Charlie Morillas & Francisco Torres, trombone; Craig Gosnell, bass trombone; Wade Culbreath, xylophone/vibes/marimba.
As a child, Jeremy Cohen (this project’s producer, violinist, and founder of Quartet San Francisco, was fascinated by Carl Stalling’s incorporation of classical music into the Warner Brothers cartoon soundtracks Cohen watched on television. That began his stellar journey into the world of music.
Raymond Scott wrote music that was widely used in the Merrie Melodies cartoons that featured Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and his pals. Jeremy Cohen found himself mesmerized by the Scott music. Cohen began visualizing this music in real life situations, because the music was descriptive of what the cartoons were doing, and it pulsated in Cohen’s head.
Once Cohen picked up the violin, he never put it down again. He also played trombone and string bass. This album is the culmination of Raymond Scott’s original music in cartoons that began Cohen’s journey and the fifty years that followed him on his musical path. It is interpreted by the jazz vocal group, Take 6, by Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band and Cohen’s Quartet San Francisco. If you close your eyes while you listen, you can see the cartoon characters living and breathing this music onto film and television screens across the world. This music depicts situations and emotional journeys of those cartoon stories we idolized as children.
Cohen’s unique album includes several short interviews with Raymond Scott, in the man’s own voice from audio historian files. Although Scott never actually wrote music for animation, the animators found his compositions perfectly fit the actions of their cartoon characters.
“Scott knew how to bring musical shape to emotions,” Jeremy Cohen explained in his press package.
Raymond Scott, born Harry Warnow on September 10, 1908, died on February 8, 1994, and was celebrated as an American composer, band leader, pianist, record producer and even an inventor of electronic instruments. He is celebrated in this unique production. Carl Stalling adapted his music and used Scott’s compositions in over 120 Bugs Bunny, Parky Pig and Daffy Duck cartoons. This is a tribute to Raymond Scott’s legacy and his contribution to the love of violin, classical music and America’s own classical music called ‘Jazz.’ Bravo to Jeremy Cohen for bringing this important work to our attention.
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