This is a demo disc (less than 25 minutes long) of another of Germany’s many “school bands,” this one devoted for the most part to the tried–and–true repertoire of the swing and early bop eras. The charts are pleasant but uncomplicated, the tempos generally too sluggish (and dare I say square?) for the material (it’s hard ...

126

Article: Album Review

Clare Fischer's Jazz Corps: Untitled

by Jack Bowers
January 1, 1999

And now, as John Cleese used to announce on the BBC’s Monty Python comedy series, for something completely different. Well, perhaps not completely, but at least different enough to arouse one’s curiosity and engage his/her attention. Clare Fischer, best known for his Latin–leaning compositions and arrangements for groups of various sizes both foreign and domestic, ventures ...

155

Article: Album Review

Scott McCloud Trio: Untitled

by Jack Bowers
January 1, 1999

Here’s a fast–paced blowing session by a trio (and sometimes a quartet) of eager young neo–boppers from Charlotte, North Carolina, who redeem in spontaneity what they may lack in seasoning or finesse. While the vocabulary hasn’t yet fully matured, one has the feeling they are at least engaging in a series of impromptu conversations whose scope ...

Album