The Fully Celebrated Orchestra: Marriage Of Heaven And Earth

But wait there’s more.

The Fully Celebrated Orchestra not only has the energy jazz vibe down; they dig their roots from former ‘punk’ new thing jazzmen, Ornette Coleman and Duke Ellington. Their Coleman influence has been a guiding theme since the band was formed in 1986. Two Prior recordings for the Silkheart label bare out the harmolodics foundation. While those outings with saxophonist Jim Hobbs, drummer Django Carranza, and bassist Tim Shanko were trio sessions, this live recording from Cambridge, MA in 2001 adds cornetist Taylor Ho Bynum. Thus the classic Ornette piano-less quartet references is in full effect. Taylor Ho Bynum is a marvelous cornetist with an outwardly directed post-bop sensibility. He harmonizes (or is it harmolodic-izes?) nicely with Hobbs and in places blows pregnant cornet blats and simple muted horn lines.

With their groove on, they segue nicely into an Ellington inspired track. Penned by Hobbs, “Ol’ Sow Rooted ‘em Up” opens with an Ornette attitude, then swiftly becomes a swing number with a walking bass line, plunger cornet and heavy gloss. A reminder that the Ellingtonian era of the 1930s was as new and fresh as the revolution of 1960s music. Other tracks include the African patterned playing of Hobbs on “The Kelpi” and a stodgy “Jaya” that creeps along in a ceremonial moody pattern.

Marriage Of Heaven And Earth is fifty minutes of searing and heavy music from this very exceptional band. And this disc is only their first set!

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