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Gordon Lee and the Gleeful Big Band: Flying Dream
ByGordon Lee and the Gleeful Big Band's Flying Dream bubbles over the top of the pot with superb arrangements.
It's all built on what came before. This set sounds like the child of a mating of a large ensemble Mingus effort, a la Mingus Mingus Mingus (Impulse!, 1963) and a Maria Schneider Orchestra sound, with the late great tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson Big Band CD (Verve, 1996) serving as a first cousin.
Especially noteworthy is pianist Lee's writing for the lower registerbass trombone and baritone saxophonethat adds a very satisfying "beef" to the musical stew he's concocted.
The soloiststoo many to mentioncook throughout, but Gordon Lee (on piano) doesn't step out in front often enough; he is a succinct and authoritative instrumentalist, and a fine songwriter as well. Nine of the tunes are originals, from the bossa nova-ish "Wait for Her" and the soaring Maria Schneider-esque "Flying Dream," to the dark, churning, classical-sounding (Mahler?) "Bitter Wind," and into the Ellingtonian reed section sound on the one non-original, "Where or When."
Flying Dream is an engrossing listen, each spin revealing new layers of big band writing.
Visit OA2 Records on the web at www.origin-records.com .
Track Listing
Vicious Cycle, Flying Dream, Sentimental Fool, Now What?, Tobacco Monkey, Winter Comes, Bitter Wind, Wait for Her, Where or When, Alternative Blues
Personnel
Gordon Lee
pianoGordon Lee--composer, conductor, piano; Carlton jackson--drums; Andre St. James--contrabass; Charley Gray--electric bass; Rich Cooper, Randy Mueller Dave Mills, Farnell Newton--trumpets; Stan Bock, Keller Coker, Lars Campbell--trombones; Michael Powers--bass trombone; Gary Harris, Tom Bergeron--alto sax and flute; Renato Caranto--tenor and soprano saxes; Tim Jensen--tenor sax, clarinet, flute; Robert Crowell--baritone sax
Album information
Title: Flying Dream | Year Released: 2004 | Record Label: OA2 Records
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