The Jim Widner Big Band: Out of This World

Trombonist Paul McKee leads the parade with genial arrangements of the title song and "Alone Together, preceding alto saxophonist Dave Pietro's softly lyrical "Embrace and Michel Legrand's poignant "You Must Believe in Spring, solicitously scored by trumpeter Vern Sielert. Brett Stamps brings out the best in Sammy Cahn/Jule Styne's "Time After Time, while Scott Whitfield does the same for the Vernon Duke / Ira Gershwin classic, "I Can't Get Started. The intrepid "Horizon Under and sumptuous ensemble piece, "Poetry, were written and arranged by lead alto Kim Richmond, who also framed the session's requisite flag-waver, "When You're Smiling.

The "hair-raising soloists cited earlier include trumpeters Clay Jenkins (showcased on "Alone Together ), Dave Scott and Allen Beeson; trombonists McKee, Stamps and Whitfield; flutist Pietro; saxophonists Richmond, Chip McNeill and Pete Gallio; pianist Chip Stephens, bassist Widner and drummer Gary Hobbs. That's a notably impressive troupe of high-wire artists, and every one of them is sharply focused and securely balanced. Although he doesn't solo, guitarist Bob Borgstede is a reliable cornerstone of the rhythm section. A note in the album's booklet reads, "In loving memory of our guitarist, Bob Borgstede (1979-2007). Bob Borgstede died last May of pancreatitis. He was twenty-seven years old.

We'll never know how much hard work, patience and tenacity it takes to keep this—or any other big band—intact and moving forward in a time of vanishing venues, ludicrous compensation and splintered audiences. Widner has hung in there for more than a decade, one result of which is that, on occasion, we are able to taste and appreciate the fruits of his labors, even if we must travel Out of This World to experience the pleasure.

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