Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Mike Holober and the Gotham Jazz Orchestra: Thought Trains
Mike Holober and the Gotham Jazz Orchestra: Thought Trains
ByHolober put together a group of first call players, including Ron Carter on bass; Tim Riesrecently of Maria Schneider Orchestra fameon saxophones and clarinet; Charles Pillow (Maria Schneider Orchestra also) on soprano and tenor saxophones and flute and clarinet; and John Riley on drums.
The bandworking off of Holober's tunes and arrangementshas a bold, upbeat, almost brash feel to it, right out of the station on the eleven and a half minute "Jump Down, Spin Around," that features no less than four inpired solosPat Halloran on trombone; Joe Gordon on alto sax; Scott Wendholt, trumpet; and Tim Ries on soprano saxin front of the unwaveringly concise rhythm laid down by Carter, Riley and Holober. Brilliantly arrangedI love the way Holober pulls the band back for Tim Ries' soprano solo and rolls on for an interlude with a piano/reed duet.
The title tune murmurs in on a finesse mode, John Riley's shuffling drums leading into a swirling ensemble section followed by Tim Ries cooking tenor sax, with Holober sounding very crisp and succinct behind him.
And so goes the entire set. It's hard to figure why it took so long to come out; Thought Trains was recorded in '96. Probably Holober's fine small ensemble outing, Canyon (Sons of Sound, '03), gave him the pull to get this one out into the light of day. One door opens, another one opens...
Track Listing
Jump Down Spin Around, Big Sky, Waltz Medium, Thought Trains, Form x Mood, Let's Get Nice, Heart of the Matter, I Can See My Desk From Here
Personnel
Mike Holober
pianoDave Pietro
saxophone, altoJon Gordon
saxophone, altoTim Ries
saxophoneCharles Pillow
saxophoneSteve Kenyon
saxophoneTony Kadleck
trumpetScott Wendholt
trumpetCraig Johnson
trumpetJoe Magnarelli
trumpetBruce Eidem
trombonePete McGuinness
arrangerNathan Durham
tromboneLeise Anshuetz
french hornDave Gilmore
guitarRon Carter
bassJohn Riley
drumsPat Hallaran
tromboneAlbum information
Title: Thought Trains | Year Released: 2004 | Record Label: Sons of Sound
< Previous
Concert in the Garden
Comments
Tags
Mike Holober and the Gotham Jazz Orchestra
CD/LP/Track Review
Dan McClenaghan
Sons of Sound
United States
Thought Trains