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Fred Ho AndThe GreenMonster BigBandCelestial GreenMonsterMUTABLE/BIG RED MEDIA001AAA 1 /2The cover to thisalbum says it all. Or most of it, anyway. Onemight be given a pass for mistaking the title ofthis album for the man himself, who graces itsfront: Fred Ho is one musical monster who justhappens to be green. Green from head to toe butnot green in the sense of being wet behind theears. Rather, the man’s resume with big bandmusic is quite impressive, and Celestial GreenMonster is just another chapter in what’s been asuccess-filled run since the 1980s when heformed the Afro Asian Music Ensemble.The baritonist leader of the 18-memberGreen Monster Big Band uses his band as aninstrument expressing his personal and professionalvigor. It’s an outsized personality, at leastwhen it comes to playing a music that evokesthe bold colors of a Stan Kenton band with occasionalEllingtonian subtle nuances. Indeed, thisis music written and performed as large forms,weighted heavily by the 16-minute“In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” and thesprawling “The Struggle For ANew World Suite,” which clocks inat over 38 minutes. Featuringaltoists Bobby Zankel and JimHobbs, along with tenorists HafezModirzadeh and SalimWashington, the band also includesan assortment of trombonists andtrumpeters, all ably supported by arhythm section of keyboardist Art Hirahara,bassist Wes Brown and drummer RoyalHartigan.While the inclusion of pop fodder“Spiderman Theme” and “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” are novel touches, ultimately they detractfrom the more significant “Liberation Genesis”(from 1975), “Blues To The Freedom Fighters”(1974) and the “New World Suite,” all of whichwere written by Ho. The contrasts between theplayful covers and Ho’s music point, in part, tohis more significant political and philosophicaldrives, e.g., the theme undergirding the “NewWorld Suite” entailing the message: “The modernworld worships the gods of speed and quantity,and of the quick and easy profit, and out ofthis idolatry monstrous evils have arisen.”Needless to say, the music is at times dense,multi-layered, most often intense, driven byalternating rock and swing rhythms, with manysolos and many moods (dig Brown’s funky electricplaying amidst the slithering horns on “NewWorld Suite”). And, apart from the titles, itcould mean anything. “Liberation Suite,” forexample, begins with an a capella saxophonicdiscussion that combines both lyricism and theoccasional atonal shriek only to be followed bysmooth-talking choruses of horns that set thestage for some very fine medium-tempo swing,punctuated by solos (e.g., Ho’s beefy baritoneplaying is both fleet and full of feeling) andmore choruses. Like an augmented, more polishedSun Ra Arkestra, “Freedom Fighters”weaves in and out of, well, being “in” and “out,”stylistically. It’s a trait that suggests The GreenMonster Big Band is not only a conversant band,but a band that seems to creep, crawl and cavortas an 18-legged one. —John EphlandCelestial Green Monster: Spiderman Theme; In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida (In The Garden Of Eden); Liberation Genesis; Blues To TheFreedom Fighters; Struggle For A New World Suite. (73:26)Personnel: Fred Ho: baritone saxophone; Bobby Zankel, Jim Hobbs,alto saxophone; Hafez Modirzadeh, Salim Washington, tenor saxophone;Stanton Davis, Brian Kilpatrick, Samir El-Amin, trumpet; TaylorHo Bynum, cornet; Robert Pilkington, Marty Wehner, RichardHarper, trombone; Earl MacIntyre, David Harris, contrabass trombone;Art Hirahara, piano, keyboard; Wes Brown, electric, acousticbass; Royal Hartigan, drums; Abraham Gomez-Delgado, HalehAbghari, vocals (2); Mary Halverson, electric guitar (2).»Ordering info: mutablemusic.com