The Rodger Fox Big Band: Reimagined! The Roger Fox big Band Plays Sir Dave Dobbyn

On Reimagined!, New Zealander Rodger Fox's superlative big band takes a fresh look at the music of Sir Dave Dobbyn, one of that country's most honored and beloved musicians. Although Dobbyn has spent his celebrated career in the fields of pop and rock, his evocative compositions lend themselves well to light and swinging interpretations by Fox's seventeen-member ensemble and more than half a dozen well-known guest artists from the U.S.

Even so, there is enough heavy backbeat on most numbers to betray their non-jazz origin, and those rhythms are deftly managed by the band's resident timekeeper, Lance Philip, or guest drummer Gregg Bissonette (on four numbers). Speaking of guests, Wayne Bergeron's peerless lead trumpet enhances "A Bridge on Fire" and "Walking in Light," while trombonist Francisco Torres—who arranged "Magic (What She Do)"—and guitarist Larry Koonse solo on "Welcome Home," guitarist Josh Smith on "Love You Like I Should," bass trombonist Bill Reichenbach on "Bridge," tenor saxophonist Bob Sheppard on "Outlook for Thursday." Fox, a superb trombonist in his own right, is showcased (muted) on "Walking in Light" and solos with tenor Oscar Laven on "Magic."

Besides Torres, the perceptive arrangers include Thomas Faure, Vaughn Roberts, Reggie Watkins, Torsten Maass, Alan Baylock, Daniel Hayles, Lauren Ellis, Callum Au and the RFBB's lead alto, Bryn van Vliet, each of whom imbues Dobbyn's music with garden-fresh liveliness and warmth. Van Vliet is an admirable soloist, as are Laven, baritone Frank Talbot, trumpeters James Guilford and Jack Harre, trombonists Kaito Walley and Damian Forlong, guitarist Deane Hunter and pianist Anita Schwabe who have all those bases well-covered.

Listening to Reimagined! is akin to hearing Beatles songs performed by other groups, wherein some aficionados who were never fans of the Beatles may recognize that the music itself isn't really that bad—in fact, much of it, once the Beatles have been removed from the equation, is quite pleasing. The same holds true for Dobbyn's music, which is laudable on its own terms but even more so when enlivened by the high-powered RFBB.

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