Live At The Ironwood

Reviewed: 2018-01-02
Genre: Jazz
FCCs: none
Review: one of Canada's top large jazz bands returns with a superb live performance that showcases the energy of the band. A combination or original compositions & old chestnuts, with an occasional vocal.
If You Like: Count Basie Orchestra, Christian McBride Big Band
Track Review (favorites denoted by*):
*1/ Prime Time (5:47) - horns start mello then swing out> swinging uptempo full band> false stop> full band swing with trumpet up front> crescendo end
2/ Oddball (7:30) - horns start. band staggers in midtempo jam> sax solo> full band romp> quick stop
3/ Look To The Rainbow (4:47) - piano starts> slow tempo jam with female vocal> quick fade
The Alberta Suite
I *4/ The O.E. Blues (5:40) - horns start> uptempo full band jam quickly slows to midtempo> piano solo swings uptempo> trombone solo> full band swing. crescendo end
II 5/ North on 93 (6:23) - drums start> midtempo full band jam> trumpet solo> full band midtempo jam> crescendo end
III *6/ Dark Sky (6:03) - piano starts> slow tempo full band jam swings to midtempo> sax solo swings into uptempo full band jam & slows again to fade
IV *7/ Turning Home (6:30) - full band starts in uptempo jam> trumpet solo> sax solo> uptempo full band jam> crescendo end
8/ Georgia On My Mind (5:25) - horns start> uptempo full band jam with female vocal> full band break> muted trombone solo> uptempo song> fade
*9/ It Don't Mean A Thing (4:08) - horns start> uptempo jam with female vocal> full band swings> uptempo song> trumpet solo> song> double crescendo & end
*10/ I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good) (7:12) - horns start> uptempo full band jam> clarinet solo> piano solo> uptempo full band jam> quick fade
11/ When I Fall In Love (5:10) - horns start> full band midtempo jam> trumpet solo> midtempo jam> crescendo end
*12/ Sing, Sing, Sing (5:51) - horns start> uptempo full band swinging jam with female vocal> uptempo jam> drum solo> uptempo jam> crescendo end