Customer Reviews

Giant Steps

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

 

 

Woody's first album for the new Prestige-Fantasy label, this was an instant Grammy winner! Great playing by another group of future all-stars, the showpiece tune on this one is Tony Klatka's GREAT arangement of Chick Corea's "La Fiesta." Great tunes, like you would expect from Woody, all arranged and played to perfection. Nobody ever played a ballad better than the Herman band, and Leon Russell's "A Song For You" just wraps you up in the music, as Bill Stapleton's lovely flugelhorn solo helps build the chart to a swelling conclusion. There is also Eddie Harris' "Freedom Jazz Dance," Bobby Troup's "The Meaning of the Blues" and the Coltrane great on the title tune "Giant Steps." Want more? Check Woody's lyrical playing on Thad Jone's "A Child Is Born!" And the "kicker," pianist Alan Broadbent's original "Be-Bop And Roses" (WOW!) Yes, it's a great album.....

As has been pointed out in several of the earlier reviews, this album won a Grammy in 1973 for the best large jazz ensemble performance. It also placed 38th on Billboard's jazz albums for 1973.

Woody Herman's longevity in the big band business certainly was no fluke because he always kept pace with the times and gave a start to many musicians who have become well known in their own right. This versatility and the enthusiasm of the players which was inspired by the band's leader was a key to this success.

This 1973 recording featured such side men as Bill Stapleton on trumpet, trombonist Jim Pugh and tenor saxist Frank Tiberi. Greg Herbert, another excellent reed man, also has some outstanding solos on piccolo on "La Fiesta", flute on the Latin tinged "Think On Me" and displays some good tenor on the title cut and "A Child Is Born". Unfortunately this promising career was cut short due to death from his involvement with drugs while on a European tour with Blood, Sweat and Tears five years later.

Andy Laverne plays electric piano which was popular during the '60s and '70s.I always enjoyed that sound with small groups, but not particularly with the large bands......just a personal preference. I had forgotten about this album until I played it the other day and realized what excellent music it contained.

Chick Corea's "La Fiesta" was so popular that it seemed to me every college marching band played it during half time at their football games. My personal favorites on this cd are "The Meaning Of The Blues" showcasing trombonist Jim Pugh, the catchy latin rhythm of "Think On Me" written by a very under rated pianist, George Cables, Bill Stapleton's arrangement of Coltrane's "Giant Steps", the excellent treatment of "A Child Is Born" and the small group sound of "Be-Bop and Roses" written by another pianist, Alan Broadbent.

As you can tell by the titles and their composers, this is a very eclectic mix performed very well as evidenced by the album's awards. It is a welcome addition to any jazz lover's library.

This album, I believe, marked Woody Herman's triumphant return to Big Band jazz in the 70s. It won for him a Grammy. If you listen to it, you'll understand that it was no sentimental award but richly deserved on musical merit. Interesting melodies, beautifully arranged, by a Herd that knew how to cook.

This is the best CD that Herman created to feature a more modern style of jazz in the 1970's. Every track on this CD shows off the amazing skill of Herman's "Herd" La Fiesta is a fast beat composition of Chic Corea, which is definatly the highlight of the CD, and everything else all the way down to Be-Bop and Roses are all great works of the Herman Band. If you like Woody Herman, you will like this album.

This is the best CD that Herman created to feature a more modern style of jazz in the 1970's. Every track on this CD shows off the amazing skill of Herman's "Herd" La Fiesta is a fast beat composition of Chic Corea, which is definatly the highlight of the CD, and everything else all the way down to Be-Bop and Roses are all great works of the Herman Band. If you like Woody Herman, you will like this album.

Nice album, band sounds great but as with all of the later albums Woody is struggling. Anyone that can run a Big Band for that long deserves not just a listen but a medal though!
Some really nice tunes and a wonderful arr and rendition of Meaning of the Blues.
All in all a good album to have in the library.