Maria Schneider & NDR Bigband: Hamburger Jazztage 2006/ JazzBaltica 2009

Maria Schneider, arr, cond
Thorsten Benkenstein, Ingolf Burkhardt, Claus Stötter, Reiner Winterschladen: trumpets
Dan Gottshall, Klaus Heidenreich, Stefan Lottermann, Ingo Lahme: trombones
Fiete Felsch, Peter Bolte, Cristof Lauer, Lutz Büchner, Frank Delle: reeds
Stefan Diez: guitar; Vladyslaw Sendecki: piano
Guests: James Genus: bass; Gary Husband: drums; Marcio Doctor: percussion

recorded live at Fabrik, Hamburg, October 5, 2006 (tracks 1-2)

recorded live at Große Konzertscheune Salzau, July 4, 2009 (tracks 3-5)

Tracklist:

1. Three Romances Part 1: Choro Dancado
2. Three Romances Part 2: Pas De Deux
3. Allegresse/ Danca Ilusoria
4. Scenes From Childhood
Part 1: Bombshelter Beast/ Part 2: Night Watchmen
5. Part 3: Coming About

Maria Schneider’s music has been hailed by critics as “evocative, majestic, magical, heart-stoppingly gorgeous, and beyond categorization.” Born in Windom, Minnesota, Schneider arrived in New York City in 1985 after studies at the University of Minnesota, the University of Miami and the Eastman School of Music. She immediately sought out Bob Brookmeyer to study composition, and at the same time became an assistant to Gil Evans, working on various projects with him. She became widely known through the orchestra she founded in 1992.
'Concert in the Garden' and her orchestra's latest album, 'Sky Blue' (on which 'Cerulean Skies' was recorded) were both awarded 'Jazz Album of the Year' by the Jazz Journalists Association and the DOWNBEAT Critics Poll. 2008 and 2009 brought further honors as she and her orchestra were awarded “Best Composer, Best Arranger and Best Big Band” from both the Jazz Journalist Association and the DOWNBEAT Critics Poll.