All About Jazz

Home » Articles » CD/LP/Track Review

ADVERTISE | FOR PROS
176

Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra: Live at MCG

Woodrow Wilkins By

Sign in to view read count
Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra: Live at MCG
slideshow
It's not easy to top a live performance by a big band at the Manchester's Craftsman's Guild. The Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra continues the tradition of creating some of the grooviest, swinging jazz to hit the CD racks in recent memory. And that says a lot, considering what's out there. With Live at MCG, the band celebrates its 20th year in grand fashion.

The group goes old-school on this outing, revisiting compositions by such renowned composers as Hoagy Carmichael, Horace Silver, Sonny Stitt, and Thelonius Monk, among others, as well as some original tunes composed by band members. The set opens with Carmichael's "Georgia, which features Rickey Woodward on tenor sax. John Clayton, one of the orchestra's founding members, goes bowing on bass for the mellow "Nature Boy. While first three tracks are excellent, the band doesn't really get to open up until the fourth title: "Lullaby of the Leaves, with a trio arrangement by pianist Tamir Hendelman. This eight-minute swingfest features solos by Hendelman and trombonist George Bohanon.

The swinging continues with textbook big band offerings of "Silver Celebration, a lively tribute to Horace Silver penned by bassist Clayton. This one is highlighted with a sparkling trumpet solo by Gilbert Castellanos, complemented by a let's-get-mellow solo by Bohanon. Things mellow considerably with the elegant "Mood Indigo. This Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, and Barney Bigard classic features Ira Nepus on trombone and Charles Owens on tenor sax. Monk's "Evidence follows with solos by guitarist Randy Napoleon and tag-team action by trumpeters Castellanos, Sal Cracchiolo, Clay Jenkins, and Bijon Watson.

Recorded during four days of residency in Pittsburgh, Live at MCG is a straightforward example of what happens when nineteen competent musicians come together as one during a live performance. This CD is sure to get many plays by jazz lovers in general, and especially those who enjoy the sounds of a large band that has plenty of firepower in its horn section, supported equally well by the rhythm section.

Track Listing: Georgia; Jody Grind; Nature Boy; Lullabye of the Leaves; Silver Celebration; Captain Bill; Mood Indigo; Evidence; Eternal Triangle; Squatty Roo.

Personnel: John Clayton: conductor, arranger, bass; Jeff Clayton: alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, alto flute, flute; Jeff Hamilton: drums; Keith Fiddmont: alto saxophone, clarinet; Rickey Woodard: tenor saxophone, clarinet; Charles Owens: tenor saxophone; Lee Callet: baritone saxophone, bass clarinet; Bijon Watson, Sal Cracchiolo, Eugene "Snooky" Young, Clay Jenkins, Gilbert Castellanos: trumpet; Ira Nepus, George Bohanon, Ryan Porter: trombone; Maurice Spears: bass trombone; Tamir Hendelman: piano; Randy Napoleon: guitar; Christoph Luty: bass.

Title: Live at MCG | Year Released: 2005

Tags

Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra CD/LP/Track Review Woodrow Wilkins Michael Bloom Media Relations United States Live at MCG

comments powered by Disqus

Music & Tickets

Shop for jazz at Amazon
Shop at HDTracks for high definition downloads
Shop for jazz at CD Universe
Shop for concert tickets at Ticketfly
Shop for tickets at Ticketmaster
Shop for tickets at TicketWeb
Shop at Hifi Man

CD/LP/Track Review
Live Reviews
CD/LP/Track Review
Read more articles

Related Articles

Read Murals CD/LP/Track Review
Murals
by Dan McClenaghan
Published: May 20, 2018
Read Cosmic Language CD/LP/Track Review
Cosmic Language
by Chris May
Published: May 20, 2018
Read More Songs About Error And Shame CD/LP/Track Review
More Songs About Error And Shame
by Friedrich Kunzmann
Published: May 20, 2018
Read Jubilation! Celebrating Cannonball Adderley CD/LP/Track Review
Jubilation! Celebrating Cannonball Adderley
by Glenn Astarita
Published: May 20, 2018
Read Earth CD/LP/Track Review
Earth
by Chris May
Published: May 20, 2018
Read Vegir CD/LP/Track Review
Vegir
by Mark Sullivan
Published: May 19, 2018
Read "Kisaragi" CD/LP/Track Review Kisaragi
by Karl Ackermann
Published: July 17, 2017
Read "From Beyond" CD/LP/Track Review From Beyond
by Mike Jurkovic
Published: March 16, 2018
Read "Lyn Stanley – The Moonlight Sessions, Volume 2" CD/LP/Track Review Lyn Stanley – The Moonlight Sessions, Volume 2
by C. Michael Bailey
Published: September 12, 2017
Read "The Questions" CD/LP/Track Review The Questions
by Dan Bilawsky
Published: March 20, 2018
Read "Proverbe" CD/LP/Track Review Proverbe
by Karl Ackermann
Published: June 15, 2017
Read "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To" CD/LP/Track Review You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
by Dan Bilawsky
Published: February 24, 2018