Act Your Age

Gordon Goodwin, Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 30, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Immergent
• ASIN: B001CW7M88
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #28,195 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfection, Fire, and Fun..., September 1, 2008

By 

Giovanni C. Washington-Wright (Dallas, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Act Your Age (Audio CD)

Well, "Swingin' For The Fences" used to be my favorite BPB record. Not any more. Gordon and the band have far exceeded my expectations with their newest effort, "Act Your Age". Just when I thought I'd heard everything Gordon could do with the band, he surprised me... again. He is absolutely unapologetic about how he writes and I love him for it. Gordon is living proof that even genius evolves and a beacon for anyone that has ever tried to write a chart (and different styles). Unless you have tried, I don't think you have anything to say. Now, the music...

"Hit The Ground Running" - This is a great opener. Right away, the band gets things poppin' with this Tower Of Power-inspired funk, which has their signature sound all over it. This is one of two Eric Marienthal features on the record, and he sounds great.

"Watermelon Man" - I love Herbie Hancock. He was originally slated to be a guest on this tune, but had to back out due to other obligations. It's OK, though. Gordon plays a burnin' piano solo is his place. This tune is one of my favorites on the record. It's a Thad Jones-style shuffle and swings HARD all of the way to Wayne Bergeron's double-D's at the end. Note: the brass section's tutti lip trills on this are AWESOME!

"September" - Another favorite. I'm a HUGE Earth, Wind, & Fire fan. Gordon really nailed this chart. He manages to stay true to the original version of it while putting his own stamp on it. I went into this tune very skeptical and came out loving it. Also, outstanding contributions by Patti Austin and Lee Ritenour.

"Yesterdays" - You should buy the album for this tune alone. Wow. Art Tatum is one on my heroes, and Gordon is crazy about him, too. The "ghost" of AT sitting in with the BPB is too much to take. This track is a cut above - musically and technologically. It should at least get a nod for "Best Instrumental Arrangement" from the Grammys.

"Senor Mouse" - This tune is another show-stopper. I love Chick Corea (another hero), therefore I love "Senor Mouse". It's always great to hear Chick's music in a big band setting. Gordon's chart, Chick's performance, and the BPB's performance are all brilliant.

"Punta Del Soul" - A nice, mid-tempo contemporary tune. Lee Ritenour and Dave Grusin sound great here. Gordon's respect and admiration for both of them shines through on this chart. He is very true to Grusin's original tune.

"Act Your Age" - The title cut is awesome. This is the other Eric Marienthal feature... and he burns. Also, kudos to Nathan East - who plays his butt off on bass. He totally give this tune the necessary groove, fire, and sass it needs.

"Chance Encounters" - One of two of my most favorite tunes on the album. Gordon shows a totally different side of himself here. This tune is all about muted brass, unison flutes, bass clarinet, and vibes. It's a totally retro tune in the Oliver Nelson bag. Sheer genius. A great soprano solo by Gordon, as well.

"Backrow Politics" - An all-out, boogaloo trumpet section feature. Everyone sounds amazing on this. Solo order: Summers, Savant, Fornero, Bergeron. These guys are going for it - lobbing grenades at each other. Savant quotes "Rhapsody In Blue" at the end of his solo. Wayne even quotes part of his solo from "Horn Of Puente". Priceless.

"East Coast Envy" - My other very favorite tune. A dark, hipster, and sly acoustic funk / swing. I've never heard Gordon do this before. Excellent solos from Brian Scanlon and Andy Martin. Second chord of the solo changes: E7#9/Eb... NICE!

"El Macho Muchacho" - This is a BPB signature samba. Great tune. Outstanding solos from Andrew Synowiec and Brian Scanlon.

"Gumbo Street" - A superb contemporary New Orleans second-line chart. I don't think I've ever heard anything like it. Great tenor solo by Gordon... and Andy Martin... WHEW! He really knocks his solo out of the park!

"Floating Home" (bonus track) - This is a reggae jam tune. The band is just unwinding and having fun on this track, but still sound great. Great plunger trumpet solo by Wayne Bergeron.

Let me mention two more unsung heroes: Bernie Dresel and Tommy Vicari. Bernie lays down FIERCE grooves on this record - all different styles... and thanks to Tommy Vicari you can hear the paint drying in the studio. This album is EXCELLENT and you really should buy it right away. It's kind of bittersweet for me, though. My champion, "Swingin' For Fences", has been dethroned. Also, I'm still waiting on NARAS to wake up and give Gordon a nod for "Best Large Jazz Ensemble". He's been turning out superior records (and not very quietly) for years now. This one ought to do it.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant., December 31, 2008

By 

Josh Rosen "Junior" (Plymouth Meeting, PA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Act Your Age (MP3 Download)

I first downloaded the bonus track "Floating Home" free off of here. I was delighted by the fusion of styles that blended so perfectly into one another without any sense of awkwardness. When I purchased the album shortly afterward, I was enthralled by its variation and simplicity of content. Nevertheless, its general feel is wonderful; the best part about this album, I believe, is that it not only can be used as entertainment music (that is, as the focus of your attention), but can also be used as ambient sounds, especially when working. Individual tracks are also excellent, such as "Señor Mouse," featuring Chick Corea - an excellent guest appearance; "East Coast Envy" and its wandering bass line are a treat; "Yesterdays," which was deservingly nominated for Best Arrangement, features the Art Tatum "re-performance," which is astonishing in its own right. Goodwin's decision to perform with this is a statement of the fact that even as revolutionary musical technologies are invented and displayed, people will never get tired of a good original album, especially when as tasteful and near-perfect as this one.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars As Good As It Gets, October 21, 2008

By 

socalliss (california) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Act Your Age (Audio CD)

I went with my roommate to a Big Phat Band show recently and was completely blown away. These guys are absolutely incredible musicians! I hoped that their energy would translate to their albums and it 100% did. Act Your Age had me hooked from the first song. You start off toe tapping and then by the end of the album you're dancing around your living room (okay, maybe that's just me). But still! That says something about the joy and talent that just drips from Gordon and his band. I highly recommend this CD to anyone that loves fun, feel-good music, even if you're not typically a "jazz" fan. Act Your Age is one of those awesome genre-spanning albums. This is my first BPB purchase and definitely not my last! Time to go buy more albums!