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Saturday Night Jazz 07.25.15

snj_0725_part_2.mp3
Part 2

Heard on this program: “Village Dawn” from the recently-issued CD Trumpet Summit Prague. This epic recording features the powerful, confident playing of a trio of trumpeters: American players Randy Brecker and Bobby Shew, and Jan Hasenöhrl, founder of the Czech National Symphony Orchestra. They join forces with the CSNO and St. Blaise’s Big Band, all under the peerless direction of Vince Mendoza, in a 2012 concert at Smetana Hall.

The trumpeters open Thad Jones’ “Three and One” with round robin volleys followed by unison lines and tight three-part harmonies. Vince Mendoza’s arrangement then has Hasenöhrl gearing up for an agile exchange with drummer Martijn Vink, followed by the big band’s return, underscored by the orchestra.  Brecker steps in for a solo before the three recombine to restate the melody.

Shew is center stage on a lush version of Kurt Weill’s “Lost in the Stars”; his flugelhorn, whether stating the moody melody or sailing in flights of improvisation, is a thing of beauty, expertly cushioned by the large ensemble.  Brecker is featured on two of his own songs:  the album-opening “Village Dawn”, with its hopscotching melody and a bold solo spiced with high-speed runs and high-register forays; and the hard-swinging “Creature of Many Faces”, offering solo space for several other players.  The program also offers Mendoza’s own “Rhumba Alias” and a freewheeling version of Ellington’s “Caravan.”

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