Better known for helping shape the Blue Note Records hard bop sound as a producer in the 1960s, pianist Duke Pearson also led his own big band before succumbing to the ravages of multiple sclerosis at age 47. You May Also Like: Glenn Zaleski – Fellowship (2017) M.A. Bakker –Read More

The crashing brilliance of “The Best Is Yet To Come,” courtesy of Frank Sinatra and the Count Basie band, came to mind on this, the fifth anniversary of Something Else! Reviews. You May Also Like: No related posts.

The star of the show on Gerald Wilson’s brilliant ‘Legacy’ remains his adopted hometown of Chicago.

In most big bands, the guitarist functions as nothing more than a member of an expanded rhythm section — and for a while it seems like Richard Nelson (even though it’s his band, and all) had fallen into the same role on his forthcoming album You May Also Like: HenryRead More

By Mark Saleski Subtitled “Works for Jazz Orchestra,” this album showcases the arranging talents of Earl MacDonald as well as a stellar cast of cohorts. I have to be honest here and say that big-ish bands are not usually my thing. That is, unless they’re doing something “odd” (see: CarlaRead More

Stan Kenton would have been 100 this year and, in many ways, he’s as misunderstood now as he was in his own time. You May Also Like: 14 Jazz Orchestra, Jazzrausch Bigband + Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra: Big Bands on Different Paths

by Mark Saleski There are two things that can be counted on when cracking open a new Carla Bley Big Band record: 1. many, many interesting and twisty passages of musical architecture and 2. volume. Oh yes, the horn section is enormous You May Also Like: Riverside [Dave Douglas, ChetRead More

On this special edition of Something Else! Reviews’ One Track Mind, we hand the reins over to Orrin Evans You May Also Like: Bill Evans – Another Time: The Hilversum Concert (2017)

by Nick DeRiso Turns out, it actually does mean a thing, even if it ain’t got that swing. For something like 80 years now, that old Duke Ellington cliche worked as the clarion call of big band music, but its mantra has also become its curse. You May Also Like:Read More

Photo from After Midnight’s gigsalad.com web page by Nick DeRiso Clarinetist Roger Campbell has turned an enduring passion for swing legend Benny Goodman into a sizzling six-piece jazz project called After Midnight. It’s perhaps no surprise, then, that a new live effort finds him slithering his way through “Memories ofRead More