The Art of the Big Band

The Art of the Big Band Artist: Bob Mintzer
Label: Digital Music Prod
Category: Music



Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1


UPC: 089672047926
EAN: 0089672047926
ASIN: B000003DDI


Release Date: 1991-07-01

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Listmania:

  1. Best of Matt Finders
  2. Favorite Bob Mintzer

Tracks:

  1. Without A Song
  2. Brazilian Affair
  3. Christopher Columbus
  4. Easy Living
  5. Art Of The Big Band
  6. Moonlight Serenade
  7. Elvin's Mambo
  8. Weird Blues
  9. Paul's Call
  10. But Not For Me

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Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Very Good - But Not Exactly ***** Star Stellar.......2005-01-23

Some Bob Mintzer fans may disagree with me but even though the Big Band ensemble here includes superb sidemen, an excellent technical recording/sound quality and an interesting rendition of Glenn Miller's "Moonlight Serenade" as well as some other very fine moments throughout especially on the festive "Brazilian Affair", the great Big Band workout on "Christopher Columbus", the smooth "Easy Living" and the jumpin' title track, the overall CD lacks a touch of adventure making the overall feel a bit stiffer with "safer" material than you would want to hear in order to make 1991's "The Art Of The Big Band" worthy of a "classic" 5-Star rating.

1988's "Spectrum", is 5-Star Mintzer Big Band at its best from top to bottom. That is more like it with a bit more adventure to spice it up to substantiate continued enjoyable interest even more over and over.

Still however, "The Art Of The Big Band" is absolutely worth having in your collection.

5 out of 5 stars The Art Of Big Band Appreciation.......2002-06-05

I've had to listen to this cd three times to fully appreciate everything that is going on......to grasp an appreciation of the arrangements, the great section work, overall ensemble, and the soloists. I believe the first two times, there were too many distractions around me......this band you have to really listen to get the full enjoyment. The band of Bob Florence is different than this ....but they share certain aspects of being venturesome in the compositions and the arrangements. Likewise, they also have great personnel.

I have concluded there isn't a single track that I don't like! "Brazilian Affair " is a bright thing that is a good showcase for pianist Phil Markowitz and the ensemle sound.
"Christopher Columbus" is nothing short of fantastic especially with the horn work by Robinson and Bargeron. There's a gorgeous arrangement of "Easy Living" that's an excellent vehicle for Maestro Mintzer. Outside of the original Miller arrangement of "Moonlight Serenade" I've never really heard another band arrangement that I liked........till now! And it goes on like that throughout the whole album.

I had heard Mintzer arrangements in other bands as well as his compositions and I'm glad I finally picked up one of his cds that appears to be representative of his big band work.

5 out of 5 stars Minter at his best~!.......2000-09-09

This is one of my favorite Big Band albums, of anyone, ever. Minter's improvising is so beautiful, yet musically forceful. The highlight of the album, for me, is Christopher Columbus. Scott Robinson's solo is a work of genious! It is one of the greatest tenor sax solos ever in a big band format. Truly inspiring and moving!

5 out of 5 stars Mintzer Master of the Art of the Big Band.......1998-08-01

This is an awesome CD. Track 5, the title track, is the most forward thinking chart I've heard for while. This is taking the Swing strand of the Big Band idiom and turning it upside down. The arrangement of Moonlight Serenade, a Glenn Miller classic, is the best recording of it after the original. The open solo section is a great idea. Christopher Columbus is an arrangement of the classic played by Benny Goodman's band. The 'bone opening is very similar in feel to the opening of Tuxedo Junction. This chart really does swing. Pete Erskine on kit keeps that momentum going that all great swing charts need. Bob Mintzer is not only the Big Band's greatest ambasador but also possibly the greatest Saxophonist also. His solos are brilliant. He avoids the 'flight of the bumblebee syndrome' which a lot of players get in to, which invloves fitting as many notes in as possible, regardless of relevance. His impro holds up both vertically and horizontally. His solos are ! genuine melodies. Bob Mintzer is the ninja!

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