BOB BROOKMEYER NEW ART ORCHESTRA
New Works [Celebration] (Challenge)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

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On this Challenge release, trombonist/composer/conductor Bob Brookmeyer is in charge of a nine piece brass section, a half-dozen reeds and five rhythm players. Every piece of the New Art Orchestra is used in service to the music's best advantage, and the result is some of Brookmeyer's best music. For those familiar with the undisputed king of the valve trombone, that's saying quite a bit.

The first half of the program is devoted to a suite based on Brookmeyer's 1994 composition for baritone sax great Gerry Mulligan. Mulligan's role is assumed here by Scott Robinson, whose bari holds its own in the shadow of the master. The remaining players are mainly young and European, with 13 Germans, one each from Belgium, Norway and the Netherlands, and a pair of Americans. That's not surprising, since Brookmeyer has largely lived and worked in Europe for the last decade. It's not surprising, either, given the body of his work, that he holds enough esteem to attract some of the best young players in international jazz.

One of the best things about New Works is a chance to examine Brookmeyer's skill in arranging for a large ensemble. The music is never busy, and the sound is never crowded, no matter how many pieces are playing. Instead, shifting curtains of sound, each possessing it's own texture, are pulled across an aural stage, providing backdrops for Brookmeyer's melodies and the soloist's improvisational skills.

This is an excellent and important release.

Track List:

Celebration Jig * Celebration Slow Dance * Celebration Remembering * Celebration Two And * Idyll * Duets * Cameo * Boom Boom

© 2000 - Shaun Dale