Customer Reviews

Cross Country Suite

5 star:		(6)
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This music brings back many memories and I thank the family for doing the work necessary in reissuing the CD. It is a great listen!

First heard this at a jazz concert at Northwestern University. Blown away by the virtuosity of the clarinetist and the changing moods of the piece. Nelson Riddle was not only an outstanding orchestrator for the singing greats of the era, but this prize-winning piece of music has indeed captured the various moods of our wonderful land.

I've been listening to jazz of virtually all descriptions for well over 50 years and, if I haven't heard most of the major recordings of the past 90 years, at least I can say that I am aware of them. Well... this one came (courtesy of an interview with Buddy DeFranco on www.jazzwax.com) as a complete surprise - never heard it, or heard of it (didn't help that it was probably never issued in Europe, maybe because the programme for the suite was considered too American).

Ask me for a knee-jerk reaction to the names (a) "Nelson Riddle" or (b) "Buddy DeFranco" and my answers would probably be (a) "great arranger for top-ranked popular singers like Sinatra or Cole" and (b) "technically brilliant clarinet virtuoso often guilty of putting the music at the service of his technique". OK, even I will admit to being wrong on occasion - Riddle's originals are fully worthy to stand on their own and may be best described as big-band jazz (plus symphonic embellishments) by way of outdoors-Americana courtesy of Aaron Copland and - occasionally - big city stuff a la Gershwin. These set off DeFranco's playing perfectly and at no time does his technique overstep the mark.

This is as good as it gets - recommended enthusiastically.

part with is a CD-R of this album that the late arranger's daughter Rosemary made for me after I told her how much
I love her father's music------if I didn't thank you I do now and bless you for sending it to me----and when I heard it it confirmed what I always suspected: that Nelson Riddle was an accomplished composer. Who knows? He may have been up there with John Williams and John Barry had he been able to complete his musical studies (both Barry and Williams also started out as arrangers).
"Cross Country Suite" is a marvelous album and I plan to purchase the official release (made posible by the Riddle
family!) and keep it alongside the copy I already have. It is a fine musical work and well worth having and I reccomend it highly.

The combination of Buddy DeFranco on clarinet with Nelson Riddle's compositions and his orchestra are a perfect match. This is a suite or concert meant to be listened to in its entirety. No flaws in this performance.

I am extremely well pleased with this CD and the individual offering it.It has exceded my expectations!!