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21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
EXTRAORDINARY!, January 17, 2000
This review is from: Evanescence (Audio CD)
There are a few recordings out there that have significantly impacted my appreciation of jazz. One is "Kind of Blue" by Miles Davis, another is "Giant Steps" by John Coltrane, and this recording. I was first introduced to the music of Maria Schneider while at a convention in Rochester, NY. The Eastman Jazz Ensemble performed the first track, Wrygly. I was so impressed and inspired with the piece that I ordered the cd within a few days after returning home. The musicians are phenominal, and Maria's writing is intriguing. The influence of Gil Evans, one of her teachers, is very prominent. It is without a doubt my favorite big band cd to date. If you like the sound of contemporary big band writing you DEFINITELY need to get this recording. If you like the recording, buy the study score. You may need it for that jazz composition class someday..... :)
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Evanessential!, December 13, 2000
This review is from: Evanescence (Audio CD)
Maria Schneider is an incredibly talented composer and band leader, having worked with and inspired by Gil Evans, as the title indicates. At the time of this brilliant (debut) recording she was not even 32 years old! Leaving age aside and just focusing on the music leaves one very silent: her compositions and arrangements contain such rich and subtle musical textures, making repeated listenings a very worthwhile experience. The soloists are superb: Rich Perry and Rick Margitza on tenor sax, Greg Gisbert and Tim Hagans on trumpet deserve special mention. The most beautiful example of Maria Schneider's art and absolute highlight of this album is the last cut on the album, "Last Season": the song starts with the very melodic theme stated very softly, after which Tim Hagans' trumpet solo opens up the piece, leaving Tim Ries on soprano sax the moving climax with full backing of the orchestra, closing the piece by returning to the initial theme. "Last Season", as most other songs on the album, is a complex piece, but at the same time has an emotional and imaginative quality that is rarely found (Vince Mendoza is one of very few she might be compared with). It is worth the purchase of this CD alone. But there is so much more beauty to be enjoyed here! Compared to her other two recordings to date, this is still my favorite ánd the one to start with. I also found out that this album appeals to non-regular jazz listeners, despite its intricate compositions.
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fabulous, April 14, 2002
This review is from: Evanescence (Audio CD)
Having stumbled across the music of Maria Schneider by complete accident I was completely taken by the sound of the Jazz Orchestra that she is able to conjour up. The harmonic and rhythmic interplay of the opening track 'Wyrgly' is quite astounding and extremely inspirational to me, an aspiring young Jazz composer. Having listened so intently for a while I also stumbled across the full score of the work - to see and hear the magic that she creates just takes the appreciation and respect of her music that much further. There are more great contemporary Jazz Orchestras out there and are well worth hunting for. Big Band ensembles are very much a part of contemporary Jazz, this album proves that. If you like Maria Schneider you may like the UMO Jazz Orchestra (fantastic Finnish ensemble) & Jens Winther (Austrian composer with NDR Big Band).
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