George Stone
The Real Deal
Self Published
2010

Every once in a while the stars align, the wheel of fortune spins precisely and listeners are the happy recipients of a big band album that is remarkably engaging and spectacular from start to finish; in other words, The Real Deal. This is one of those unique and memorable occasions, one in which leader George Stone George Stone
has not only recruited a squadron of superlative sidemen (and guests) but has given them exemplary music to play, some of it written and all of it arranged by Stone himself.

As for the tenor of the music, Stone's breezy opener, "D-Bop," and robust finale, "Straight Ahead," set the compass securely to "swing" and erase any doubt about his purpose. Sandwiched between are three buoyant originals by Stone, a quartet of familiar standards, Louie Bellson Louie Bellson
1924 - 2009
drums 's "Peaceful Thunder" and Sonny Rollins Sonny Rollins
b.1930
saxophone ' "Doxy." Guest trombonist Bob McChesney Bob McChesney

trombone is astute and eloquent on Ray Noble Ray Noble
1903 - 1978
composer/conductor 's "The Very Thought of You," trumpeter Bobby Shew Bobby Shew
b.1941
trumpet a mirror image on "When Sunny Gets Blue." Two more guests, tenor Donny McCaslin Donny McCaslin
b.1966
saxophone and soprano Chris Vadala Chris Vadala

saxophone , shower sparks before trading well-aimed volleys on "Doxy," and McCaslin is showcased with Stone, guitarist Larry Koonse Larry Koonse
and drummer Dave Tull on Cole Porter Cole Porter
1891 - 1964
composer/conductor 's "I Love You." Guitarist Steve Gregory Steve Gregory
, sitting in for Koonse, spars with alto Gene Burkert Gene Burkert
on Stone's Basie-inspired "Count Me Out."

Stone's electric piano introduces "Doxy," and he moves to trumpet to complement Burkert with a persuasive solo on "Straight Ahead." Tenor Bill Liston adds trenchant statements on "D-Bop," "Peaceful Thunder" and Duke Ellington's "I'm Beginning to See the Light" (the last with trumpeter Charley Davis}, while Burkert, Stone and tenor Brian Scanlon shine on Stone's even-tempered salute to Jeru, "Mulligan's Nest." Tull, Stone, Koonse and bassist Trey Henry Trey Henry
comprise a perceptive and powerful rhythm section, and it goes without saying that the ensemble, with such luminaries as Davis and Wayne Bergeron Wayne Bergeron

trumpet leading the trumpets and blue-chip players in every other seat, is razor-sharp and clean as the proverbial whistle (as is the album's lucid and well-balanced sound).

Stone's band, which has remained more or less intact since it was formed better than a decade ago, has recorded at least three earlier albums, each of which has much to recommend it, but with all due respect to them, this latest session is The Real Deal and as such is warmly endorsed.

Fred Hess Big Band
Into The Open
Alison Records
2010

Into The Open, Colorado-based composer / arranger / educator / tenor saxophonist Fred Hess Fred Hess
b.1944
sax, tenor 's second album as leader of his own big band, opens strongly with four numbers tucked firmly in a straight-ahead pocket, encounters a brief unmelodious pothole or two on the sometimes spasmodic "Alison's Dream," but quickly recovers its equilibrium on an adventurous "Journey to Sentosa." A second sonic aberration, the offbeat tone poem "Baby Clefs Birthday," precedes the session's 15 minutes-plus finale, "Ninth House," a picturesque albeit sometimes strident homage to the music of John Coltrane John Coltrane
1926 - 1967
saxophone .

This is by way of saying that Hess clearly achieves his goal of "looking back and thinking forward," as he did with the album's precursor, Hold On, recorded in January 2009, one year before into the open. While Hess is a modernist, he doesn't conceal his fondness and admiration for the big-band tradition, building on the legacy of such giants as Bill Holman Bill Holman
b.1927
band/orchestra , Gerry Mulligan Gerry Mulligan
1927 - 1996
sax, baritone and others on the straight-arrow "Sooz Blooz," "Home Base" and "Norman's Gold." Hess wrote and arranged all of them, as he did everything else on the album save for "See You (Illuma Soma)," which blends a pair of lovely melodies written, respectively, by Jean Bardy and Dennis Goodhew. As noted, every theme is enticing and plain-spoken aside from short-lived sections of "Alison's Dream" and much of "Baby Clefs Birthday," whose singular themes depict an excursion to a park, a "dark cloud of menacing crickets," the abduction of Baby Clef by a robber, his apprehension (complete with "Dragnet" theme) and a discussion of the episode by family and friends at a favorite coffee house. That's a lot to swallow in less than four minutes, and so is the music.

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