Jazz Articles about Metropole Orkest

About Metropole Orkest

Album Review

Vince Mendoza/Metropole Orkest: Olympians

Read "Olympians" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
April 4, 2023

Eight-time Grammy-winning composer/arranger Vince Mendoza, born and raised in Norwalk, CT, has enjoyed great success overseas--in Europe, to be more precise--since releasing an album with Germany's WDR Big Band in 1994. The following year, Mendoza began collaborating with the Dutch Metropole Orkest and in 1998 was named its principal guest conductor. Olympians is Mendoza's third recording with the massive, string-laden Metropole. He has recorded other albums with the London and Czech Symphony Orchestras. Here in the U.S., ...

Album Review

Vince Mendoza Metropole Orkest: Olympians

Read "Olympians" reviewed by Richard J Salvucci

by Richard J Salvucci
March 16, 2023

Many years ago Dizzy Gillespie recorded an album called The New Continent (Limelight, 1965). Whether it was commercially successful is hard to say, but it featured an all-star cast of Los Angeles session players. The recording made a deep impression on some listeners because it was creative, dynamic, exotic and simply enjoyable. Good compositions (by Lalo Schifrin), arrangements and musicians will do that, even if the result is a bit different than mainstream jazz. Or mainstream Gillespie. ...