Sean Imboden Large Ensemble: Uncharted Realms

Saxophonist and composer Sean Imboden's Large Ensemble springs forth from America's heartland—more specifically, the thriving capital city of Indianapolis, Indiana. The ensemble is indeed large—18 members strong—and Imboden gives every one of them serious work to do on the group's second recording, Uncharted Realms, unraveling a series of colorful and adventurous charts written with the ensemble's skill-sets in mind.

Even though there are solos—impressive ones at that—on each of the album's five numbers, Imboden's primary focus is on the ensemble writ large, and his elaborate arrangements emphasize the nimble and decisive interaction between brass, reeds and rhythm. The aftermath rather resembles Gil Evans or Maria Schneider on steroids. Imboden, much like the legendary Stan Kenton, loves to hear the explosive sound of an orchestra's all-out power, and writes accordingly.

While the full ensemble announces the first three numbers, the rhythm section the last two, brass and reeds share the melodic and harmonic assignment on every one, starting with the intense and chorale-like "Flowing Currents," whose soloists are Imboden (tenor sax) and guitarist Joel Tucker. The far-from "Gentle Giant" showcases trumpeter John Raymond and more yeomanly work from the orchestra, after which "When You Look Beyond" unveils its gentler nature, at least for several moments, to underscore strong solos by Tucker and Imboden.

Although there is ample room in the spacious and handsome "Balcony" for trim solos by trombonist Zachary Granger and Imboden (on soprano sax), it is the full ensemble that governs the leader's bold and dynamic arrangement, as is true on every number including the seductive finale, "Follow the Kite," whose rhythmic pulse, even though strong, is readily eclipsed by an awesome trumpet soli and more sizzling flare-ups from brass and reeds, reclaiming its initiative only during a sharp and eloquent piano solo by Christopher Pitts.  

Those who relish the sound of a large ensemble in full flight will find much to admire in these Uncharted Realms, whose scope and secrets have been adeptly unearthed and redesigned by Sean Imboden, a composer and arranger who definitely deserves to be more widely seen and heard.