Rob Parton's Ensemble 9+: Relentless

After many years in the Windy City, most notably as the leader of the JazzTech Big Band, trumpeter Rob Parton wanted a change of scenery, which brought him to the University of North Texas, where he joined the faculty in 2019. And of course, that meant he now had the opportunity to work with lots of premium large-ensemble talent, as the college has been an incubator for big-band jazz for decades. Many of Parton's colleagues from UNT and other stalwarts of the Dallas-Fort Worth jazz scene are featured on Relentless, his initial offering from a group he calls Ensemble 9+.

With a combination of smart arrangements of well-chosen repertoire and tight-as-a-drum ensemble work, this release sparkles throughout. The first track, "Open for Business," makes a definitive statement with its up-tempo pacing and strong melody, composed by DJ Rice, who also plays trombone on the album. A number of other originals, most penned or arranged either by Parton or associates from his Chicago days, maintain interest from beginning to end. Mike Tomaro's "Ray's Idea" is another fast-swinging tune, again with superb ensemble orchestration, as is Parton's "No Response," while "Shorter Images," composed and arranged by Ron Ruvio, takes things in a more tempered direction, letting the piece's poignant theme do the heavy lifting.

The standards are quite compelling as well. The infectious Afro-Cuban bounce of Freddie Hubbard's "Straight Life" offers Parton a chance to demonstrate his formidable trumpet chops, while Wayne Shorter's "Ping Pong" is given a superlative big-band treatment, as well as a scintillating solo from tenor saxophonist Shelley Carrol, whose well-structured and impassioned solos are highlights on a number of tracks. A down-and-dirty bass opening from Lynn Seaton kicks off Billy Strayhorn's "Intimacy of the Blues," and the grooving arrangement from Thomas Matta is sure to keep toes tapping.

Once again demonstrating his knack for finding and utilizing outstanding musical talent wherever he happens to be, Parton has produced another winner with Relentless, and fans of big-band jazz should rejoice accordingly.

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