Vanessa Perica Orchestra: The Eye is the First Circle

In a review of Love Is a Temporary Madness, the debut recording by Australian composer/arranger Vanessa Perica, the observation was made that "Perica's impact in the realm of big-band jazz should be anything but temporary." Perica's second album, The Eye Is the First Circle, has added an exclamation point to that assertion.

Again, each of the album's seven numbers was written and arranged by Perica. And again, she has shown that she deserves to be in the front ranks among contemporary big-band composers. While it certainly helps to have an orchestra as proficient as this one, Perica makes the most of their talents with charts that test every section's alertness and ability to adapt no matter what the mood or tempo. In that respect, she is firmly aligned with the great big-band masters on whose shoulders she stands: Ellington, Strayhorn, Holman, Nestico, Mulligan, Wilkins, Rugolo, Brookmeyer, Paich, Oliver Nelson, Shorty Rogers and so many others—without sounding a great deal like any of them.

The opening title song sets the tone for what is to follow, with brass and reeds producing a persuasive prologue for alto saxophonist Carl Mackey and drummer Ben VanderWal . The tempo—but not the intensity—slows on "What a Time to Be Alive," whose admirable soloists are trumpeter Mat Jodrell and pianist Andrea Keller. Tenor Jamie Oehlers is showcased on the richly textured "Hill of Grace" (with Keller dazzling in support), alto Julien Wilson on "Meet Me at Phoenix Street," a shimmering ballad into whose pinnacle he pours lavish emotion.

Swing takes center stage on "Song for Cleo," with Vanderwal and his section mates (Keller, guitarist Theo Carbo, bassist Sam Anning) preparing the runway for alto Tessie Overmyer and—after a pleasing downshift in tempo— trombonist Thomas Voss. "Still We Rise" is a lustrous anthem, underlined by Keller's tasteful piano, an earnest solo from trombonist Jordan Murray and several impressive passages spotlighting the ensemble. The temperate "Love and War," featuring trumpeter Paul Williamson, rings down the curtain on a splendid sophomore outing by Perica—who continues to impress—and her talented Jazz Orchestra.