Florian Ross Octet: Tunes & Explorations

Florian Ross is a German-born composer, arranger and jazz pianist who has a fondness for releasing albums with double names which began with his debut release Seasons & Places (Naxos Records, 1998). He has continued with that "idée fixe" in almost every year in which he has delivered a release. This year is no exception; the latest incarnation is Tunes & Explorations, an octet session given over (with one exception) to the exploration of some well-known compositions from the Great American Songbook. The construct of the session was to keep the original intent of these compositions but to build vibrant, modern arrangements around the original melodies.

Although Ross does not play in this band, he has penned the arrangements and conducted this tight-sounding octet, which is made up of first-rate German-based musicians, several of whom have been involved with Ross in previous recordings. The opening track, and the only Ross original of this session, is "Baking Magels." It is a funky, hard-swinging chart which cooks right along, giving Belgian guitarist Eliott Knuets a chance to dance up and down the fretboard. The segue is the wonderful Jimmy Van Heusen number "It Could Happen to You." In this softly-swinging rendition, Ross has constructed an intricately creative piece which takes full advantage of the skillful work of Canadian trombonist Craig Brenan.

Fats Waller's classic "Honeysuckle Rose" is reworked by Ross, and offered as a "homage" to his father. Trumpeter Bastian Stein and tenor saxophonist Matthew Halpin both have a surefooted relationship to the material, and so deliver crisply fluid solos. The wonderfully evocative " If I Should Lose You" by Ralph Rainger is presented principally as a tour de force for German pianist Leon Hattori, acknowledging that he is a player of both logic and discovery. The supporting arrangement reflects Ross' expansive vision of the composition.

The rarely-played Bill Evans number "Fun Ride" was first released by Evans on a 1962 Riverside album entitled Loose Blues along with sidemen Zoot Sims, Jim Hall, Ron Carter and Philly Joe Jones. Taken at the same tempo as the Evans original, the number dashes along with guitarist Knuets as the lead voice, with a couple of stellar solo interjections from trumpeter Stein and tenor saxophonist Halpin. The album closes with the Horace Silver flag waver "Sister Sadie." On the album Woody Herman-1963, tenor saxophonist Sal Nistico came to prominence with his extended solo on the tune. In Ross' chart, German baritone saxophonist Niels Klein checks all the boxes. It has been generally acknowledged that the origin of jazz music was in the United States. It is also clear with this release that American classics can be interpreted by European jazz musicians which will have international appeal.

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