Bill O'Connell's Chicago Skyliners Big Band: Play It Again, Sammy

For those who can't get enough Basie, especially Basie""style charts written by quintessential swingmeister Sammy Nestico, Play It Again, Sammy may be just the ticket. The disc's subtitle is "The Count Basie / Sammy Nestico Years, and much of the material on offer has been recycled from an earlier LP (and later, CD), Basie Straight Ahead, by Chicago""area drummer Bill O'Connell's first""class big band (actually two bands, as tracks 1""6 were recorded in 1997, tracks 7""14 five years earlier sans the Freddie Green""style rhythm guitar that was so integral a part of the Basie ensemble's makeup). O'Connell has added two (unnamed) new charts by Nestico and Rick Hirsch's earnest tribute, "Play It Again, Sammy, to bring the playing time to a more reasonable (but still relatively meager) 49:06. Recording quality in both instances is splendid, with Dave Ivaz's rhythm guitar lending the more recent selections an indefinable magnetism that is lacking in those from '92. Aside from that, O'Connell's ensembles give Nestico his due with taught, always""swinging interpretations that invoke the Basie band's indomitable spirit but never devolve into mere impersonation. On the other hand, there is only so much that one can do with compositions and arrangements that are so closely identified with one of the era's most celebrated big bands, as Nestico's charts assuredly are, and much of what is presented on Play It Again, Sammy is so familiar that the more knowledgeable Basie fan may regard them as bordering on wearisome while those who are not as well""acquainted with the remarkable Basie / Nestico connection may find them thoroughly enjoyable, which they are on their own terms. As we said, O'Connell's Skyliners always play well, and those whose ears and record libraries are capacious enough to accommodate yet another album in the Basie / Nestico tradition should warmly welcome this one.

Contact:Blue Birdland Records, 915 Christa Court, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007; phone 847""352""2455. web site, http://members.aol.com/ChiSkyBB (also available from Kendor, Marina Music and Otter Distributors).