The Tony Gairo-Gary Rissmiller Jazz Orchestra: Treacherous

In what seems a celebration of his arrival home, "Treacherous" begins with a burst from the brass that exclaims, "I made it!" The signature piece of this album comes with a heavy big band arrangement that's loud, exciting and very alive. "Elusivity," composed in stages, is a delightful chart with tempo changes showcasing a fine woodwind section. Gairo is prominent on a scorching soprano solo, while pianist Skip Wilson hits those keys on a chorus that sets up Rissmiller with a forceful drum solo.

The music becomes a bit more challenging and complicated on the next two tracks. "Deadlines, Distractions and Diversions" tends to move rather quickly in a hard bop style that not everyone may appreciate. "Portrait of My Wife (In Many Colors)" slows down the pace in a quiet, melancholy fashion. The beat picks right up on "Between The Pipes," another stellar big band tune that the ensemble plays with power. This beast of a performance, my pick for the best track, is marked by several outstanding solos.

There are no standards on this recording, but if I didn't know "Poke and Hope" was a Gairo piece, I would have thought it was an Ellington composition. This nice ballad with a little muted horn and a clarinet excursion by Gairo has the old soft swing feel of an Ellington tune. The bookend number to the title cut, "Revisited," is a red-hot chart which packs a punch. These ten minutes of hard-swinging, foot-stomping blistering big band music include a slew of solos, of which the best is from Paul Kendall's steaming baritone.

This largely unsung group of professional musicians from the Bethlehem, Pennsylvania area makes quite a statement with Treacherous. Excellent charts by Gairo and inspiring and lively performances by the band lead me to believe that this will not be the last we will hear from this new East Coast phenomenon on the big band scene.

Comments