Customer Reviews

King Cobra

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

 

 

Herman was always known for keeping up with the times. This CD is typical Herman with added instrumentation. If you are a Herman fan or new to big band jazz you will like it. The arrangements are to perfection as Woody would have demanded.

I dutifully bought this CD because I own all of the other OJC releases of Woody Herman's Fantasy output. It's not the best of the series ("Thundering Herd") and it's not the worst ("Herd at Montreux"). It's so-so. Despite the good performances, the energy level of this band seems uncharacteristically low, perhaps due to the material. It's no coincidence that the least awkward tracks are also the least dated.

Dave Stahl plays some amazing lead trumpet though, playing the unison passages sometimes two octaves higher than the rest of his section. Yeah, it's excessive, but the he's down far enough in the mix for it not to sound like a Maynard record.

Does anyone think OJC will ever reissue the last album in the series ("Children of Lima")? If so, I'll dutifully buy that one too.

Chick Corea's "Spain," opening with Frank Tiberi's beautiful bassoon and the flute of Gary Anderson. Then picking up the tempo with a great Dennis Dotson flugelhorn solo towards the end. And John LaBarbera's "Toothless Grin" featuring the tenor sax of Gregory Herbert (I played this chart in jazz band).

The other "Pop charts" weren't as catchy and sort of sappy. This was an one of those albums where Woody followed a musical trend, rather than lead one.