Friday, July 01, 2005

Big deals

Other than Duke Ellington and Count Basie, I generally haven't been that big a fan of big bands. But Dave Holland's big band CD "What Goes Around" in 2002 prompted me to reconsider and then a Nat Hentoff column turned me on to Sherrie Miracle and the Diva Jazz Orchestra, an all-gal group that kicks butt on its CD "Live in Concert."

I've already mentioned the Buselli-Wallarab Jazz Orchestra's "Heart & Soul: The Music of Hoagy Carmichael" and Bob Brookmeyer's new big band disk "Get Well Soon."

My latest find is The Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, whose CD "Groove Shop" makes me smile from start to finish. They remind me of the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra, whose classic "Presenting Joe Williams" is a must have.

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