Customer Reviews

Art of the Big Band

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Some Bob Mintzer fans may disagree with me but even though the Big Band ensemble here includes superb sidemen, an excellent technical recording/sound quality and an interesting rendition of Glenn Miller's "Moonlight Serenade" as well as some other very fine moments throughout especially on the festive "Brazilian Affair", the great Big Band workout on "Christopher Columbus", the smooth "Easy Living" and the jumpin' title track, the overall CD lacks a touch of adventure making the overall feel a bit stiffer with "safer" material than you would want to hear in order to make 1991's "The Art Of The Big Band" worthy of a "classic" 5-Star rating.

1988's "Spectrum", is 5-Star Mintzer Big Band at its best from top to bottom. That is more like it with a bit more adventure to spice it up to substantiate continued enjoyable interest even more over and over.

Still however, "The Art Of The Big Band" is absolutely worth having in your collection.

I've had to listen to this cd three times to fully appreciate everything that is going on......to grasp an appreciation of the arrangements, the great section work, overall ensemble, and the soloists. I believe the first two times, there were too many distractions around me......this band you have to really listen to get the full enjoyment. The band of Bob Florence is different than this ....but they share certain aspects of being venturesome in the compositions and the arrangements. Likewise, they also have great personnel.

I have concluded there isn't a single track that I don't like! "Brazilian Affair " is a bright thing that is a good showcase for pianist Phil Markowitz and the ensemle sound.
"Christopher Columbus" is nothing short of fantastic especially with the horn work by Robinson and Bargeron. There's a gorgeous arrangement of "Easy Living" that's an excellent vehicle for Maestro Mintzer. Outside of the original Miller arrangement of "Moonlight Serenade" I've never really heard another band arrangement that I liked........till now! And it goes on like that throughout the whole album.

I had heard Mintzer arrangements in other bands as well as his compositions and I'm glad I finally picked up one of his cds that appears to be representative of his big band work.

This is one of my favorite Big Band albums, of anyone, ever. Minter's improvising is so beautiful, yet musically forceful. The highlight of the album, for me, is Christopher Columbus. Scott Robinson's solo is a work of genious! It is one of the greatest tenor sax solos ever in a big band format. Truly inspiring and moving!