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The UNT One O'Clock Lab Band: Lab 2016
ByThere was a time when these yearly scrapbooks consisted for the most part of facsimiles of jazz standards or tunes from the Great American Songbook. No longer. Nowadays, most of the compositions and arrangements are mapped out by students at UNT. This holds true on Lab 2016, all but one of whose selections were written and / or arranged by students (two of whom, Garrett Wingfield and Brian Horton, are members of the One O'Clock Band). The lone exception is the "bonus" track, Mackrel's crowd-pleasing "Lemon Juice," which was added as an encore, says director Jay Saunders, simply because there was enough room on the album for its inclusion.
Tenor saxophonist Horton wrote the funky New Orleans-accented opener, "Southern Comfort," the sultry ballad / waltz "Not Enough Sky," and arranged Donald Brown's upbeat "Theme for Malcolm" (set to reggae beats) while Garrett Wingfield redesigned Ornette Coleman's Mingus-like "Lonely Woman," Horace Silver's bop-centered blues "Quicksilver" and Thelonious Monk's typically unorthodox "Trinkle, Tinkle." Staying with the students, Aaron Hedenstrom composed and arranged the easygoing "Take Your Time," Brian Stark the flamenco-based "Alegrias de Solea," and Gregory Santa Cruz reframed Wayne Shorter's tantalizing tribute to pianist Bud Powell, "This Is for Albert" (although Powell's given name was Earl, Shorter's employer, drummer Art Blakey, insisted it was Albert).
While the One O'Clock Band is as sharp as ever, soloists reach their usual high standard as well, with incisive statements along the way from Horton ("Not Enough Sky"); altos Elliot Scozzaro (featured on "Alegrias de Solea") and Aaron Dutton; trombonists Jake Macary and Connor Eisenmenger, trumpeter Joshua Kauffman, guitarist Ethan Stalbaum, pianist Nicholas Olynciw, bassist Aaron Holthus, drummer John Sturino (shining brightly on "Lemon Juice") and, last but not least, baritone saxophonist Wingfield soloing with his brother, trumpeter Luke Wingfield, on "Lonely Woman" (and how cool is that, having brothers playing together in the One O'Clock Band; that probably hasn't happened often). Although there is no explicit mention of it anywhere, Lab 2016 was the last as director for Saunders who retired shortly afterward and handed the reins Alan Baylock, former chief arranger for the U.S. Air Force's flagship ensemble, the Airmen of Note. Saunders, it must be noted, did not leave with a whimper but a bang; yet another in a long line of explosive recordings by the intrepid One O'Clock Lab Band.
Track Listing
Southern Comfort; Lonely Woman; Alegrias de Solea; Quicksilver; Not Enough Sky; This Is for Albert; Theme for Malcolm; Trinkle, Tinkle; Take Your Time; Lemon Juice.
Personnel
Jay Saunders: director; Rigorberto Velez: trumpet; Nick Owsik: trumpet; Evan Templeton: trumpet; Luke Wingfield: trumpet; Joshua Kauffman: trumpet; Elliot Scozzaro: alto sax; Aaron Dutton: alto sax; Brian Horton: tenor sax; Brandon Moore: tenor sax; Garrett Wingfield: baritone sax; Kennedy Powers: trombone; Conner Eisenmenger: trombone; Jake Macary: trombone; Kenny Davis: bass trombone; Chris Sharpe: bass trombone; Nicholas Olynciw: piano; Ethan Stalbaum: guitar; Aaron Holthus: bass; John Sturino: drums; Nick Rothouse: percussion.
Album information
Title: Lab 2016 | Year Released: 2016 | Record Label: Unt Jazz
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