More on Large Band Jazz

[TomR]

There is a thread below where there is a discussion about enriching the TP catalog with a bit of large band jazz- we have had some fantastic small combo releases but no large band jazz. I suggested Duke Ellington's Live at Newport as a possibility. The other night I had a desire to hear Paul Gonsalves' "interval", as Duke puts it in his intro (27 wailing choruses) and put on my Columbia CD of this on my system, and heard some of the most incredible jazz atrociously reproduced - compressed, flattened, sucked out.....this recording is a treasure, and deserves first class treatment. So this is another plea to look at this one when the guys get out their gin and tonics to figure out Series 3.

Tom

[ironbut]

Hey Tom,
I'm sure I gave my 2 cents in the thread you mentioned (I think that's been my job since day one,.. no matter how little I know on the subject right?). But since you've started this new thread, I would love to have a TP of some great big band jazz.

To me, big band is just plain fun to listen to. I have to admit that when I began listening to more jazz, it was the small combo stuff that interested me the most. For me, big band had been mistakenly associated with swing which in my mind at the time, was associated with the orchestrated background music of jazz singers which was associated with Percy Faith which was the stuff that my mom used to listen to while she was doing the housework (and how in the world could that music be any good!).
But, now that I've listened to more big band (swing or otherwise), I enjoy it very much.

I think that in the previous "Big Band" thread I suggested "Gerry Mulligans,.. Concert Band" on Verve which is excellent. But perhaps you're right about the Ellington. I really love what a well recorded "live" album brings to the table and most releases of this kind of performance is way too processed sounding.
So, yes, I think I'll have to go with the "Live at Newport" release too.

[TomR]

The latest issue of Stereophile has a really interesting article authored by John Marks about a new book called "Ellington at Newport" and recommended the remastered version of the CD, which, by the way, has the recording of the actual concert, while the original release was actually done in a studio the following day and made to sound like a live recording. The remastered version sounds MUCH better than the original, and the live playing is that much hotter than the studio. More music too, and Gonsalves is miked in a much more impactful fashion. His solo is still a killer, and boy, would this make a great release in series 3. (I bought the book, too, but haven't read it yet)

[mikel]

if you're going to try and do an Ellington big band, i'd rather do one with better sonics to begin with; such as 'Blues in Orbit' or 'Jazz Party In Stereo'. or maybe Basie's '88 Basin Street'. all those are phenominal recordings and performances. the first 'Big Band' recording needs to have superior sonics so as broad a spectrom of Tape Project members as possible will enjoy it.....'Big Band' can really get 'in-your-face' agressive when the recording is less than pristene. you sorta need to 'get' big band first to enjoy those more vintage recordings.

and the first big band Tape Project tape must be stereo.

[TomR]

Hmmm....Just finished listening to my LP of "Blues in Orbit" - good, even great music, but not absolutely vital like "Ellingtion at  Newport". Will spin "Jazz Party in Stereo" later.