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5.0 out of 5 stars
Begian entrances !, June 9, 2003
This review is from: Trance (Audio CD)
I purchased the Jamie Begian album "Trance" after hearing him perform at the jazz educators conference in Toronto, in January 2003. Comprising all original material, Begian draws from some of the great big-band composers of the second half of the 20th century, including Pete Rugolo, Gil Evans, Hank Levy, Bob Curnow, Stan Kenton, et.al. And his crackerjack band does a stellar job on some pretty complicated charts.
The purchase was done on a whim, the enthusiasm of the moment, etc., and it was a few weeks before I dragged it out of my briefcase and played it. All the energy and visceral thrills I experienced in the "live" performance are here in this studio recording. A life-long fan of Kenton and his ilk, I can say that the Begian band should appeal to anyone who likes the complex melodies, voicings, and structures of folks like Evans, Levy, Rugolo, etc. No band since Kenton's has had this impact on me.
Even if you're not a Kenton fan, it's hard to believe a lover of big band Jazz would not find something to treasure in Begian's "Trance."
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