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"Lone Wolf" Finds Plenty to Chew On

by Jack Bowers
With Betty sidelined by a bad cough, it was up to me to seek out local jazz events in February, and I managed to find a couple of pretty good ones, starting February 7 at the University of New Mexico's Keller Hall where SuperSax New Mexico performed for the third time in Albuquerque. As you may ...
Buddy Rich: In a Zone of His Own

by Jack Bowers
One of the channels that came with my Dish Network package is Classic Arts Showcase, which is a treasure trove of film clips documenting classical, ballet, folk, pop and other forms of music that one is unlikely to see anywhere else (although some footage is presumably available on YouTube, which more and more seems to encompass ...
R3: Special Big Band / Gull Lake Jazz Orchestra / Empire Jazz Orchestra

by Jack Bowers
R3: Special Big BandR3Summit Records2012 The R3" in this Brazilian-based band's name refers to brothers Rafael, Renato and Roger Rocha who together comprise its heart and soul. The Special" pertains to just about everything else on this impressive debut album. Indeed, there could be even more R's" in ...
35th Paradise Valley Jazz Party

by Patricia Myers
35th Paradise Valley Jazz PartyMusical Instrument MuseumPhoenix, AZApril 21-22, 2012A kaleidoscopic history of jazz was delivered during three sessions of the 35th annual Paradise Valley Jazz Party, from post-bop, ballads and blues to a swinging recreation of the Quintet of the Hot Club of France.Peak moments that elicited the ...
Caution: Brief Column Ahead...
by Jack Bowers
This may be one of the shortest columns I've written in fourteen-plus years at All About Jazz. The fact is, not much has happened this month in our little corner of big band jazz, and there is almost nothing to report. About all we can do is look forward to events on the horizon: Jazz Under ...
Stan Kenton-UW Eau Claire / Kirk MacDonald Orchestra / Kansas City Jazz Orchestra

by Jack Bowers
Stan Kenton Orchestra/UW-Eau Claire Jazz Ensemble 1Double Feature, Vol. 3Tantara Productions2012 Volume 3 in Tantara's ongoing two-CD series of Double Features, encompassing heretofore unissued music by the Stan Kenton Orchestra and guests, covers parts of five Kenton concerts spanning the years 1971-77 on Disc 1, and presents ...
Stan Kenton-NOVA Jazz Orchestra / Baker's Dozen Big Band / Danny D'Imperio and the Bloviators

by Jack Bowers
Stan Kenton Orchestra / NOVA Jazz OrchestraDouble Feature, Vol. 2Tantara Productions2012 One of the more difficult aspects of reviewing Tantara's series of impressive salutes to Stan Kenton and his music is knowing where to begin. As on Volume 1 of the label's Double Feature (with Volume 3 ...
H2 Big Band / Tempest Little Big Band / Deutsch Oper Berlin Big Band

by Jack Bowers
The H2 Big BandYou're It!Jazzed Media2010 Big-band album of the year? There have been a number of worthy aspirants in the first half of 2011, and now comes another strong contender: the Denver-based H2 Big Band, whose debut recording, You're It!, is a paragon of straight-ahead blowing pleasure ...
Take Five With Dave Schiff

by AAJ Staff
Meet Dave Schiff:Dave Schiff, a 20 year veteran of the Navy Band Jazz Ensemble The Commodores," is a powerful and versatile woodwind jazz instrumentalist who has traveled the world working with top entertainers and jazz legends such as Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, Don Menza, and Dizzy Gillespie.Smooth jazz, straight ahead, funk... you ...
Rick Holland–Evan Dobbins Little Big Band / Empire Jazz Orchestra / Heart of Carolina Jazz Orchestra

by Jack Bowers
The Rick Holland--Evan Dobbins Little Big BandTrilbyRPO Productions2010 Five years after a sensational opening act (In Time's Shadow, 2006), trumpeter Rick Holland and trombonist Evan Dobbins have returned for an encore, Trilby, marshaling as before their irrepressible Little Big Band. As was noted of that earlier recording, ...