Who have I been listening to lately?

Someone asked me that a couple of weeks ago, so here's the answer...

I've been checking out a variety of things lately as I gather information and inspiration for a new project. Lately I've really enjoyed listening to smaller-sized jazz ensembles, like the New Jazz Composers Octet. You have to think differently to write for a smaller group such as this - although it's easy to get more subtlety, it's way harder to get those big ensemble moments. This NCJO chart, "The Turning Gate," succeeds on both counts.

How about the Dave Holland Octet? Dave is a world-renowned bassist and composer; you can check out his exceptionally cool website. Over the last couple of years he's been active with a big band and an octet. Here's the octet performing "How's Never" at this year's Detroit Jazz Festival. Even his big band is a bit smaller than standard, with six brass, four saxes, and vibes instead of piano in the rhythm section: here's "Upswing."

Most of the time I'm arranging something; composing is a lot more work! So I'm studying these pieces and others like them as I try to get more into a composer's frame of mind. Bob Brookmeyer is always in a composer's frame of mind, whether he's writing or performing on valve trombone. I don't hear many school jazz ensembles playing Bob's stuff; it can be very demanding on the chops, and most of his work requires mature soloists to pull off. "Get Well Soon" is from a recent recording by his New Art Orchestra. I first heard this band on their recording "New Works," and much of this CD is taken up by the three-part "Celebration" suite which he wrote for Gerry Mulligan several years ago. I think I kept that CD in my car for six months and listened to it every day!

Lately I've also been quite into the Yellowjackets. Not a straightahead jazz group to be sure, unless your definition of "straightahead jazz group" means a band that plays with passion, eclecticism, and swing (even on straight-8th tunes). A local band teacher (thanks Tadd!) wanted to commission a piece from me, and during our discussions of material he suggested I check out the Yellowjackets' "Mint Jam." So that's been in my car for the last six months. Here's a poorly reproduced video clip of one of the cuts from that recording, "Tortoise and the Hare." That's written by the keyboardist, Russell Ferrante, and if you haven't checked out tenor player Bob Mintzer before, you should. He's also a composer/arranger, and you can really hear him composing while he plays - his lines are that logical.

That's a good cross-section of stuff. There's a lot of great improvisation in these recordings, but my focus is more on the tunes themselves and on how the writers turned them into great ensemble pieces. I hope to get my new project off the ground in 12-18 months...