Sean Nelson's New London Big Band: Social Hour

"For as long as I can remember, I've wanted to have my own big band—an epic jazz orchestra of 17+ musicians," writes trombonist Sean Nelson in the liner notes to this set named for the 17-piece New London Big Band's home base, The Social Bar + Kitchen in New London, Connecticut.

Nelson, also a member of the United States Coast Guard Band, contributes half of these dozen tunes (and arranges "When You Wish Upon A Star"). His compositions reach across and into the broad sound that 17 voices afford, and particularly flatter guitarist Doug Maher, whose forty years of performing experience began as guitarist with the Jazz Ensemble of the U.S. Army Band, The Army Blues, and trumpeter Haneef Nelson (no relation), who studied trumpet under Donald Byrd and music theory and ensemble classes under Max Roach at the legendary Jazzmobile in Harlem.

The leadoff title track jumps right out of the box with the band swinging high, hard and hot. Nathan Lassell's cymbals and snare drum power "Social Hour" from behind, the powerfully yet sweetly voiced horn ensemble drives it from out front, and Haneef Nelson drops a dizzying cameo in his solo. Haneef Nelson also wrote the long and lean big-band blues stroll, "Blues from the News," which his opening trumpet calls to order like morning reveille. Nelson's trumpet cuts through the mellow, hazy-blue accompaniment like Freddie Hubbard wielding a scalpel but with juke joint swagger roughing up its edges, too. Guitarist Maher drops a few sugary licks that stick like cotton candy in between the call and response horns and Lou Bocciarelli's bass solo.

Maher's blues guitar stirs some thick sweetness and spice to cook the leader's "Brisket and Beans," and the alto sax duel between Erik Elligers and Tyler Wilkins and Lassell's solid backbeat keeps it smoking and hot. "Let There Be Light" somehow broadens the sound of this 17-piece band with a hypnotic tabla rhythm (Rob McEwan) plus harp (Megan Sesma), tárogató (an Eastern European wind instrument, played by Cedric Mayfield), and wordless vocals (Megan Weikleenget) that rise and writhe like a dancing spirit in the night. Maher's two solos bridge jazz and rock with careful but sure steps and both genuinely shine.

Leader Nelson helps himself to some spotlight, too. He takes on the mythical "Chupacabra" in an Afro-Cuban groove kicked in the rhythm by Chris Smith's steel pans and additional percussion. Mid-song, all the instruments peel off except for harp, percussion, and the leader's trombone, and the three voices swirl together to create a new sound darker and more sinister than the sum of their individual voices.

But "Freaks in Mayberry," featuring Nelson's electric trombone, throws the knockout punch in what could be described as heavy prog-metal big band rock. "Freaks" hit the street with Nelson's electric trombone snarling and sneering as steely blue and hard as tungsten; then drummer Lassell counts off and drops the band into a 4/4 stomp. Cedric Mayfield's tenor sax solo on top of Lassell's drums echo the epic Wayne Shorter / Steve Gadd workout on the title track to Steely Dan's Aja. But Nelson's electric trombone freakout is the primary vehicle driving this wild ride.

Comments