Posts tagged big band
RAW: The Basie/Sinatra Show @ The Prom
Mar 7th
The Mike Stewart Big Band are as grand as they ever have been.
Seriously tight, the 17 piece-band plays some jazz classics from the Count Basie songbook. They are then joined by the swinging Luke Thompson, whose rehearsed vocals are simply Sinatra. Personal highlights included I Got The World On A String, Come Fly With Me and crowd sing-a-long I Did It My Way.
For many it was a nostalgic trip down memory lane at The Promethean, but for a few it was about discovering these golden oldie jazz tracks.
Not as cheesy as expected, but still a fantastic set.
Kryztoff Rating: 4K
>> Check out more interviews, videos, feature articles and polished previews in our latest Fringe Guide, http://www.kryztoff.com/fringe
RAW: Sam Eads Big Band – Queens Arms
Feb 21st
It was a hugely ambitious project to bring together 18 young musicians for a big band recital based on in-house composers and then Maynard Ferguson classics but Sam Eads and his band pulled it off on debut at the Queens Arms on Friday night and pulled it off easily.
The first set was mostly compositions of prodigious talent Daniel Clohesy. These gave sax player, Jason McMahon and trombonists Nick Pietsch and Jimmy Bowman (amongst others) a chance to strut their stuff supported by the work horses, Joel Prime (percussion), Polly Thomas (drums) and Marty Houlebek (bass). The second set of Maynard Ferguson standards featured a bearding Eric Santucci taking control on trumpet in a display of bluster and confidence that returned the trust placed in him by Eads to hold this portion of the show together.
Over the whole hour, the sax quintet were the stars with McMahon ably supported by Andrew Crago, Alex Mussolino as well as Clohesy.
This was a great sound and great fun as well as high inspiration to see so many young players pulling together in a venture like this. With a little more polish – not too many of the penguin suits fitted or their shoes polished – Adelaide will be blessed if they can play for us regularly.
Kryztoff Rating – 4K
>> Check out more interviews, videos, feature articles and polished previews in our Fringe Guide, http://www.kryztoff.com/fringe