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Rowan University Lab Band: Collaboration
ByThese student bands come along and they can fool you into lowered expectations. You know right off the bat that the group is not comprised of seasoned professionals. But last year's Romances by The University of Miami Concert Band, which featured four Maria Schneider compositionsthree of them previously unrecordedcured this listener of any lowered expectations. It's a marvelous recording that introduced a big chunk of Schneider's masterpiece, Concert in the Garden to the music world.
Collaboration has that "concert band" feeling, too, with three saxophones, four brass, bassoon, flute, French horn, percussion and rhythm section. The playing here is consistently top notch, and the arrangementsmostly by multiple reedman Denis DiBlasio, Director of Jazz Studies at Rowanweave the textures and brush the odd combinations of colors with a deftness and sparkle that rival the sounds on any big band set out there. Freddie Hubbard's "Little Sunflower" features perhaps the prettiest arrangement on the disc, a mix of light (flute) and dark (French horn, flugelhorn) colorations in front of a rich harmonies. Jobim's "Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars," with its beautiful, smooth, woody bassoon solo (Pam Levecchia) stands out as well.
"Capriole," composed and arranged by George Genna, Professor of Jazz Piano, reminds me of a cool (post Birth of the... ) workout, with its back-and-forth baritone sax/alto sax conversations. And I can't say enough about the inclusion of the vibraphone (played by Behn Gillece) here. As on Dave Holland's recent work, the vibes give the collaborative sound on Collaboration a beautiful luminescent undertone.
Miles Davis' "All Blues" closes the show, a phenomenal live version with dark blue solos by Maeve Royce on cello and Jim Rattigan on French horn. It's a gorgeous, deep indigo take on the classic tune.
An excellent set! Seasoned professionals these may not be, but wonderfully talented musicians they most definitely are. Collaboration can sit on the shelf and alongsideand play on the stereo before, after or in betweenthe best big band sounds out there.
Track Listing
Cherokee; Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars; Capriole; Jackson Square; I Doug Where the Mapp Said "X"; Joe Beam; Dizzy; Little Sunflower; Linus & Lucy; Walkin' in the Rain; Dig; All Blues (66:13).
Personnel
Denis DiBlasio, director; Jonathan Barnes, Nick Fernandez, trumpet, flugelhorn; Dave Lackner, alto sax; Kara Milici, tenor sax; Owen Sczerba, baritone sax; Bradley Chwastyk, euphonium; Scott Van Brug, trombone; Allison Mersiowsky, piccolo, flute, bass flute; Amanda Smith, French horn; Pam Levecchia, bassoon, contra bassoon; Adrian Nikolica, piano; Chris Arter, guitar; Maeve Royce, bass (cello on "All Blues"); Chris Pastin, drums; Behn Gillece, vibes, percussion. Special guest -- Jim Rattigan, Jazz French horn.
Album information
Title: Collaboration | Year Released: 2004 | Record Label: Dreambox Media
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