Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Phil Kelly & The NW Prevailing Winds: Convergence Zone
Phil Kelly & The NW Prevailing Winds: Convergence Zone
The opener, "Damp Brown Places"—a sendup of "Camp Town Races"—sets an immediate tone for the recording: clean lines and brightly polished, meticuolously-crafted arrangements; propulsive swing; and a sound that brings Doc Severinson's Tonight Show Band to mind. No surprise there, since Kelly has written for Doc's band, in addition to writing and arranging stints for trombonist Bill Watrous's NYC Big Band.
"Cuzn Bubba Luvz Ewe" and "The Refrigerator" bring some funk into the mix, while "Sweet Georgia Upside Down" swings with a sweet Ellingtonian brass/reed mix. The arrangement on "Bella Luce" is reminscent of Robert Farnon's work on the late trombone master J.J. Johnson's great but underappreciated Tangence CD (Gigantes, 1995), with some subtle but beautifully-done string programming.
Too many great solos to mention—two or three on every song; and listen to the way the limber rhythm guys adjust to the shift from ensemble to solo accompaniment throughout.
A highly polished sound, well-crafted arrangements: a bright, swinging set of big band jazz.
Track Listing
Damp Brown Places, Cuzn Bubba Luvs Ewe, Subztatoot Shuffle, Sweet Georgia Upside Down, Bella Luce, You and the Night and the Music, Yada Yada, O.T.B.S., Kathy's Waltz, The Refrigerator
Personnel
Phil Kelly
composer / conductorTrumpetes and flugelhorns--Brad Allison, Jay Thomas, Paul Baron, Vern Seilert; saxes/woodwinds--Bill Ramsay, Travis Ranney, Pete Christlieb, Jim Coile, Gary Smulyan; trombones--Andy Martin, Gary Shutes, Dan Marcus (tuba), Nelson bell (bass trombone); rhythm--John Hansen--piano, Chuck Deardorf--bass, Gary Hobbs--drums; rhythm on "Bubba" and "Refrigerator"--Pat Coil--piano, Paul Leim--drums, Craig Nelson--electric bass ("Bubba"), Gerald Stockton--electric bass ("Refrigerator"); Sting Programming--Matt Bennett
Album information
Title: Convergence Zone | Year Released: 2003 | Record Label: Origin Records
About Phil Kelly
Tags
PREVIOUS / NEXT
Become a Sustaining Member
Since 1995, All About Jazz has championed jazz as an art form and supported the musicians who create it. Over three decades, it has grown into one of the world's leading jazz resources, serving hundreds of thousands of readers, musicians, presenters and industry professionals each month.
Help Build the Future of All About Jazz
Your support helps us continue building All About Jazz for the next generation—expanding our editorial coverage, preserving jazz history, developing new community features and creating better ways to discover the music and the people behind it.
Become a sustaining member for as little as $20 per year and you'll immediately enjoy an ad-free experience along with access to subscriber features and future articles for a full year.
Together, we're not simply sustaining All About Jazz—we're building its future. Thank you for being part of the journey.
