In 2007, two trumpet players from the Satoko Fujii Orchestra New York thought it might be a good idea to form their own, smaller ensemble to probe deeper into the contrasts in their approach to the same instrument in a way not really possible within a big band. Those trumpeters, Herb Roberston and Dave Ballou, added a top-notch rhythm section with bassist Drew Gress and drummer Tom Rainey and viola, the MacroQuarktet was born.
The moment when the MacroQuarktet truly born was their first performance at NYC’s The Stone on June 30, 2007, and that was captured on tape. The resulting document Each Part Whole went out of print some time ago and this music became unavailable on any platform.
Luckily, Out of Your Head Records has stepped in to re-issue the concert; The Complete Night: Live at the Stone NYC not only re-releases the Each Part Whole but also a second disc of previously unreleased material from the second set.
The embed above is of the opening number from the first set, “Neuroplasticity.” This isn’t the first time the world has heard this performance, but it’s the first time it’s available for streaming. That the two had first played together professionally in Fujii’s orchestra is instructive, because this song — divided up into three parts — often sounds just what you might expect a minatuarized version of the SFONY to sound like. It’s episodic, brash and, at times, studious. But never boring.
Both horn players share the same sense of abandon though their styles differ. Gress and Rainey don’t miss a single cue and stay in sync, especially remarkable considering this is the band’s first gig; there’s a reason why these two are among downtown NYC’s best at what they do.
By the way, Dave Ballou and Herb Robertson play in the Satoko Fujii Orchestra New York to this day. When these two get together, good things happen regardless of how many other musicians get together with them.
The MacroQuarktet’s The Complete Night: Live at the Stone NYC is set for release on May 1, 2020.
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