The Jazzmania Big Band

The Jazzmania Big Band: New Impressions

by Jack Bowers
June 25, 2003

The Jazzmania Big Band, writes leader Peter Guidi, “represents the highest level of the Muziekschool Amsterdam’s Jazz department and contains some of the best young Jazz talents in The Netherlands.” No doubt about that. The players are indeed young (as the group photo in the album’s booklet attests) and remarkably talented -- the ensemble is taut and agile, the soloists bright and enterprising, and the youthful energy fairly leaps from the speakers.

Best of all, Jazzmania chooses wonderful music, combining ...