Jazz Articles

Andy Farber and his Orchestra: This Could Be the Start of Something Big

by Edward Blanco
November 13, 2010

Composer Andy Farber writes musical scores for television commercials and movies, but This Could Be The Start of Something Big is Farber's big band debut, showcasing his talents as a multi-reed musician and bandleader. Recorded in late 2009, after a two-year stint playing every Sunday evenings at New York's famed Birdland, the album features an eighteen-piece orchestra with legendary vocalist Jon Hendricks and veteran alto saxophonist Jerry Dodgion as special guests. Providing all of the arrangements, Farber produces an explosive ...

Andy Farber and His Orchestra: This Could Be the Start of Something Big

by Woodrow Wilkins
November 12, 2010

It's like strutting down memory lane. Andy Farber and His Orchestra present 14 big band pieces with This Could Be the Start of Something Big. A product of Long Island, Farber grew up listening to Art Blakey and Miles Davis. He began attending jazz workshops at the age of 10 and developed into a multifaceted woodwinds player. On this outing, he plays alto, tenor and baritone saxophones and flute. The ensemble features a full-size horn section and a ...

Andy Farber and his Orchestra: This Could Be The Start Of Something Big

by Dan Bilawsky
November 1, 2010

Whatever happened to big bands that swing? While the big bands of yesteryear provided music for dancing and a healthy appreciation for swinging soloists and hip arrangements, that isn't the case today. Many of the most popular--and critically acclaimed--large ensembles in modern times are winning fans with highbrow conceptualism and compositions that, as brilliant as they are, won't have anybody dancing anytime soon. Fortunately, a few venues in New York City are still happy to house some ...

Andy Farber and His Orchestra: This Could Be The Start Of Something Big

by Bruce Lindsay
October 30, 2010

The sight and sound of one of the classic big bands in full flight must have been something to behold. For those fans of big band jazz who never got to experience such a thing, as well as for those who did and remember it fondly, Andy Farber And His Orchestra bring the sound back with a bang on This Could Be The Start Of Something Big. Saxophonist Farber arranged and conducted all of the tunes, as ...

Sherman Irby Quartet: Live At The Otto Club

by Joshua Weiner
May 8, 2010

Live At The Otto Club is Sherman Irby's first live album with his quartet, and it would be hard to conjure up a more joyful example of seriously swinging jazz that sounds like a great lost classic from the heyday of hard bop. Though the liner notes seem to suggest that this was a bit of a pick-up quartet, it doesn't sound like it: the group, particularly Green on drums and Menci on piano, swing as one with Irby as ...

Sherman Irby: Black Warrior

by Mark Corroto
July 1, 2001

In today’s jazz scene, playing within the tradition can get you both overlooked and out of a major label contract. Alto saxophonist Sherman Irby is familiar with jazz conventions and is also launching his own label Black Warrior Records. Jazz’s present preoccupation with all things beats-and-groove related has cast away its young lions for jazz/rock fusion stars. With history repeating itself, can we now predict a Wynton-esque revival in 10 years?

Irby, now 33 years old, has an impressive resume ...