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Art Lillard's Heavenly Band: Reasons To Be Thankful

By Michael P. Gladstone
March 15, 2006
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File this one under: Swingin' NYC Big Band! Drummer, bandleader and composer Art Lillard has been leading versions of this organization over the past nineteen years and has produced in Reasons To Be Thankful an upbeat and impressive album that exposes several talented and underappreciated musicians in the Big Apple. The thirteen selections are all Lillard originals, save for one by guitarist Mark McCarron, who also contributes several fine guitar solos throughout the album.

Lillard also shows a good sense of balance by including several vocals throughout the course of this session, thus providing a well-rounded presentation. They include a nice job by jazz cabaret singer Mary Foster Conkllin on the Latinized "Nonchalant" and especially the Jon Hendricks-inspired work of Miles Griffith on two tracks. His vocal on "Swingin' The Blues Away," combined with Bob Mover's alto solo, is one of the album's highlights.

Lillard's sense of dynamics emerges with the opening "Bluez Organ Man," which has an overlay of Caribbean percussion. Altoist Bob Mover, whom I haven't heard from in decades, provides a solid contribtion on "The Fast Track," as does tenorist David Peterson on "Conclusion Jump." Lillard also gets some noted guest participation from pianists Mike Longo and Arturo O'Farrill.

Track Listing

Bluez Organ Man; The Fast Track; Swingin

Personnel

Art Lillard

drums

Art Lillard: drums, leader; Jan Leder, Jeff Schiller, Mauricio Smith, Jay Collins: flute; Kyle Whelan: soprano saxophone; David Valdez: alto saxophone; David Peterson: tenor saxophone; Justin Mullens, Erik Jekabson: trumpet; Michael Boschen, Phil Arnold: trombone; Mark McCarron: guitar; Mike Longo, Arturo O

Album information

Title: Reasons to be Thankful | Year Released: 2006 | Record Label: Summit Records

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