Larry Kart Posted October 23, 2016 Report Share Posted October 23, 2016 Picked up a 2006 big band album led by bassist Jim Widner, "Our of This World" (Widner is the longtime head of the jazz department at the U. of Missouri-St. Louis) because I saw that trombonist/forum member Paul McKee was among the soloists and arrangers, and so far I'm delighted. Paul's arrangements of the title track and "Alone Together," and his solo work on the former, are excellent and quite distinctive -- the writing is long-lined melodic, relaxed, and soloistic, not "shout chorus"-oriented, and his solo on "Out of This World" is handsomely integrated with the chart. Jim Sangrey might like to know that one of the tenor soloists on three tracks is his old partner in Quartet Out, Pete Gallio. Band seems to be a blend of guys from the West Coast (trumpeters Mike Vax and Clay Jenkins [excellent on "Alone Together"], drummer Gary Hobbs, altoist Kim Richmond, trombonist Scott Whitfield), the Midwest (Widner, pianist Chip Stephens, tenorman Chip McNeill) and the East Coast (altoist Dave Pietro, trumpeter Dave Scott). Album was handsomely recorded in Springfield, Mo., "Gateway to the Ozarks," of all places -- a city I know fairly well because my late wife's in-laws lived there and my brother-in-law does today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted October 23, 2016 Report Share Posted October 23, 2016 Yeah, Pete mentioned that album/band at the time, he enjoyed it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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