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Billboard
- November 20, 1999
…the
true star of this stellar recording is the arrangements themselves, which
feature individual solo statements displayed within a tersely structured
environment. The band swings with
gleeful abandon, as energetic bop inspired solos dance within the more
traditional big-band melodies. Far
from a nostalgia act, this 16-piece orchestra is the real deal, a living
testament to the beauty and artistry of big-band music.
CD
NOW – CMJ NEW MUSIC REVIEW
The
Vanguard Jazz Orchestra is a Monday night tradition in New York City's venerated
Village Vanguard. This current project explores the legacy of the late bop
trumpeter Thad Jones, a co-founder of the Vanguard Orchestra…It's a very
swinging and sophisticated large band, which is hard to find these days.
LOS
ANGELES TIMES – December 5, 1999 – By: Don Heckman
…the
music continues, as it has for more than three decades, primarily as an
expression of Jones' remarkable composition and arranging skills, brilliantly
performed by an ensemble of Manhattan's most adept jazz players. The works
included--Jones' lovely waltz "Quiet Lady," his multi-sectional
"Central Park North" and his technically demanding "Fingers"
among them--have been recorded by earlier installments of the Jazz Orchestra.
But these refreshingly alive new interpretations, with brilliant soloing from,
among numerous others, tenor saxophonist Rich Perry, trombonist John Mosca and
pianist Jim McNeely, powerfully underscore Jones' still not fully acknowledged
compositional brilliance.
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