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harmony and improvisation. This
opened my ears into the world of
Ellington and the infinite possibilities
of combining musicians and musical
elements, from the drive of ‘The
Flaming Sword’ to the mystery of
‘Sepia Panorama.’”—Steven Bernstein
“This album is sweet, soulful and
incredibly sophisticated for its time.
Along with the genius arranging and
compositional prowess of Ellington
and Strayhorn, there is a beautiful
and characteristic soloist
everywhere you turn. Yet despite
the virtuosity and compositional
sophistication, there is a remarkably
charming and relaxed feel to the
entire album.” —Jacam Manricks
11 Duke Ellington
Such Sweet Thunder
(Columbia/Legacy, 1956–’57)
“The greatest lesson that
composers/bandleaders can take
from Ellington is in writing to the
strengths and personalities of your
musicians. Nowhere is that more
evident than on this recording,
which brilliantly takes its inspiration
from a non-musical source, the
writings of William Shakespeare.”
—Gregg Bendian
“This is one of the greatest longform
jazz compositions. ... Johnny
Hodges gets to blow a Strayhorn
ballad, ‘The Star-Crossed Lovers,’
Ray Nance and Clark Terry have a
feature and Britt Woodman plays
the shit out of his trombone.”
—Andy Farber
“This album is a beautiful example
of the way Ellington wrote to his
players’ strengths, which is
something I’ve always tried to do.”
—Hazel Leach
12 Frank Sinatra &
Count Basie
Sinatra At The Sands
(Reprise, 1966)
“Arranged and conducted by
Quincy Jones. Well, what can I tell
ya? Ol’ Blue Eyes and the Count
together equals swing at its best,
doesn’t it?” —Paquito D’Rivera
“Pure unadulterated swing!”
—Dave Liebman
“A perfect mix of precision, grit and
grace. When my band plays Basie
half as well as Basie, I am a happy
man.” —Bob Sands
44 DOWNBEAT April 2010
“This is required listening for any big
band aficionado, or anybody with a
pulse for that matter. The Basie
band, conducted by Quincy Jones,
comes out swinging ferociously
from beat one (driven by the great
Sonny Payne on drums), and Frank
responds with one of the most
inspired vocal performance I’ve ever
heard.” —Alan Ferber
13 Kenny Wheeler
Music For Large &
Small Ensembles (ECM, 1990)
“What strikes me most about this
album is Wheeler’s sense of
melody and its paramount status in
his writing. There are long, beautiful,
flowing melodies that dance above
the orchestration and pull the
listeners through the pieces. They
are at once unpredictable and
familiar, even comforting at times.
Combine this with his use of the
amazing Norma Winstone within
the ensemble textures, and the
results are quite haunting.”
—David Schumacher
“Color and unique harmonic style,
anyone? This record definitely drips
of both. Each chart carries Kenny’s
voice so clearly, yet manages to
maintain variety while still being part
of a large suite.” —J.C. Sanford
“My all-time favorite: ‘The Sweet
Time Suite.’ Music that opens your
ears and heart right away. A unique
sound concept.” —Christine Fuchs
14 Dizzy Gillespie
The Complete RCA Victor
Recordings (RCA, 1937–’49)
“Probably my all-time favorite big
band for a number of reasons: the
energy, super-innovative, exciting,
edgy, fun, weird, swinging hard.
And this band sounds like New York
City, like car horns, skyscrapers,
nightlife. That’s why I’ve always felt
especially connected to this music.”
—Jason Lindner
“The translation of the revolutionary
musical language of bebop from
small group to jazz orchestra
[1946–’49] was brilliantly achieved
by Gillespie and these great
composers and arrangers. This is
the big band liberated from all
commercial and artistic/high art
constraints. And it worked—through
the unique personality and great
musicianship of Dizzy.”
—Mike Westbrook
DOWNBEAT ARCHIVES
15 Thad Jones
& Mel Lewis
Central Park North
(Solid State, 1969)
“I played ‘Groove Merchant’ and “Maria’s first album, and you can
‘Big Dipper’ every day for a year. feel the energy of the band wanting
Playing to Mel Lewis finally got to be a part of what this important
me into a band at Indiana
new voice in jazz arranging was
University in 1971.” —Jeff Hamilton doing at the time. Harmonies that
are complex but work—she knows
where the edge is, which appeals a
lot to me.” —Gary Urwin
“Thad Jones’ brilliant writing and
playing, Mel Lewis’ nonpareil
drumming and the way soloists
were encouraged made playing
with and hearing the band live a
very special pleasure.” —Mike Nock
“To this day, there isn’t one of
Thad’s charts that doesn’t sound
modern and contemporary. The sax
soli on ‘Groove Merchant’ is just
amazing. ‘Big Dipper’ is a very
interesting piece because it
showed how Thad transitioned
from Basie’s band to doing his own
thing. Unreal.” —John Allmark
16 Maria
Schneider
Evanescence (enja, 1992)
“Another step forward in the
evolution of big bands. Maria’s
music is all about orchestral
textures and colors (something she
got from Ellington and Evans). She
also continues the Thad Jones/Mel
Lewis example of seamlessly
integrating the solos with the
written material. Her compositions
are beautiful and finely crafted
while still retaining the spontaneity
and excitement of big band jazz.”
—David Springfield
“I love everything Maria has written
since this first album, but because
this was the first, it was new,
exciting, and incredibly beautiful.
The flowing modal harmonies, the
way solo improvisations are
Charles Mingus
integrated into the arrangement,
the brilliantly colored voicings ...”
—Hazel Leach
17 Woody Herman
Woody Herman 1963
(Philips, 1962)
“My preference is for big bands
with small group sensibilities as well
as the expected power of a large
ensemble. Woody loved to hear his
guys blow as long as they wanted
to. Sal Nistico is outstanding on
this.” —Joe LaBarbera
“‘The Swingiest Big Band Ever,’
when Sal Nistico was in the band
and they played ‘Sister Sadie’ and
Sal took the extended solos. He
was a legendary name I knew
growing up in Cleveland. I found
myself in Sal’s chair 10 years later.
That was one of the first heavy
challenges for me.” —Joe Lovano
“Having worked with Woody
Herman for seven years and
eventually becoming his chief
arranger and musical director, I
became familiar with every possible
edition of the band and its library.
Over the years, I heard accounts
from many players about all the
Herds, but it was the 1963 band
that became the stuff of legends.
That band was just plain scary. It
had all the swing and excitement of
the early Herds, but was now
drawing upon hard-bop vocabulary
both in its charts and with its
soloists.” —John Fedchock