Showing posts with label Ralph LaLama. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ralph LaLama. Show all posts

September 29, 2010

Joe Lovano Nonet: Birth of the Cool & More - live at German Jazzfestival Frankfurt 2009

Photo Credit: Jimmy Katz

Joe Lovano, ts, alto-cl, aulochrome
Steve Slagle, as, ss, fl
Ralph Lalama, ts, cl
Gary Smulyan, bs, bcl
Barry Ries, tp
Larry Farrell, tb
James Weidman, p
Cameron Brown, b
Lewis Nash, dr

recorded live at 40th German Jazzfestival, HR Sendesaal, 
Frankfurt am Main/Germany, October 29, 2009

1. Streams of Expressions
2. Streams of Expressions: Cool (Pt.II)
3. Prelude/ Moon Dreams
4. Move

Streams of Expression, Lovano's 18th album for Blue Note Records, unites disparate themes from his own discography, not to mention jazz history as a whole.
Streams of Expression reunites Lovano with the great composer, conductor, and musicologist Gunther Schuller (their first collaboration was Rush Hour, Blue Note, 1995), and draws upon everything from the cool school to late-era Coltrane, offering a holistic take on jazz, present and future. The album is comprised of two extended, multipart pieces (Streams of Expression Suite, Birth of the Cool Suite) and three stand-alone tunes (Blue Sketches, Buckeyes, Big Ben) and features an augmented incarnation of Lovano's nonet from the albums 52nd Street Themes (2000) and On this Day . . . At the Vanguard (2003). Three of the tracks showcase Lovano in a trio setting, recalling his Trio Fascination series, regarded as a contemporary classic.

January 21, 2010

The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra & Hank Jones live at JazzBaltica 2009


Nick Marchione, Frank Greene, Terell Stafford, Scott Wendholt: trumpets
John Mosca, Luis Bonilla, Jason Jackson, Douglas Purviance: trombones
Dick Oatts, Billy Drewes, Rich Perry, Ralph LaLama, Gary Smulyan: reeds
Michael Weiss, piano; Martin Wind, bass; John Riley, drums
Special guest Hank Jones, piano (tracks 6-9)

recorded live at Große Konzertscheune Salzau, July 5, 2009

1. Mean What You Say (Thad Jones)
2. St. Louis Blues (W.C. Handy)
3. The Waltz You "Swang" for Me (Thad Jones)
4. Suite for 3: Scott (Bob Brookmeyer)
5. Las Cucarachas Entran (Jim McNeely)
6. Little Rascal On A Rock (Thad Jones)
7. Monk´s Mood (Thelonious Monk)
8. Lonely Woman (Hank Jones)
9. A-That´s Freedom (Thad Jones)
10. Cherry Juice (Thad Jones)

The 16-piece modern big band established by Thad Jones and Mel Lewis that continues its Monday night tradition at the world famous Village Vanguard night club. Their last new recording 'Monday Night at The Village Vanguard' receives a Grammy Nomination for the Best Instrumental Arrangement. (Bob Brookmeyer-St. Louis Blues) and a Grammy Award for the Best Large Jazz Ensemble.
At the JazzBaltica Festivel they met their old fellow from the early days of the band´s history, Thad´s brother, pianist Hank Jones, who played a couple of tunes with the band.