Billy Strayhorn music box set

[brownie]

There is this 4CD box set of The Dutch Jazz Orchestra Plays the Music of Billy Strayhorn. Any recommendation for this?

I saw a brand new box of this at an unmentionable price. No need to say how much I love the music of Strayhorn but I would hate to add another 4CD set to the pile of rarely played CDs I already have.

Also does the Dutch Jazz Orchestra has any connection with the Netherlands Metropole Orchestra? Have a couple of NMO albums (with Lee Konitz and Bob Cooper) which I enjoyed.

[jazzbo]

I have this set, bought it as soon as it was released (had the first volume separately). . . and I love it.

Excellent stuff if you are a Strayhorn fan. Lots of previously unrecorded arrangements, even a few compositions not heard before. Wonderful! Great sound and execution to. The Orchestra has its own identity which seems faithful to the Strayhorn composition and feel without sounding like the Ellington Orchestra.

As far as I know there is no connection at all between this and the Metropole Orchestra. . . if I am remembering information from the liner notes correctly. Certainly this does not have the strings and other instruments that the Metropole does; this has classic big band (and small group) jazz instrumentation.

[brownie]

Thanks Lon, your word is good enough for me! Hope the set is still around when I go shopping.

[jazzbo]

I am sure you'll dig it. Portrait of a Silken Thread, the first one, always floors me. The third one has a lot of sung tunes on it, they're all a little different and all great.

[neveronfriday]

Anyone know of any sound samples anywhere?

Cheers!

[alankin]

Anyone know of any sound samples anywhere?

Cheers!

Sound samples from three of the volumes can be found here on CD Universe.

Edited October 7, 2004 by alankin

[neveronfriday]

Thanks!

[brownie]

The box is home. A real nice one. I am enjoying this right now.

The Dutch Jazz Orchestra is just fine. What a great idea to concentrate on the music of Billy Strayhorn!

[Peter]

How many of the track has vocals? Thanks.

[brownie]

Disc 1 (Portrait of a Silk Thread) has no vocals.

Disc 2 (You Go To My Head) has vocals on:

- Where or When,

- Lover Man,

- Skylark,

- Yesterdays,

Disc 3 (So This Is Love) has vocal on the title tune only,

Disc 4 (Something To Live For) has vocals on:

- A Penthouse on Shady Avenue,

- Let Nature Take Its Course,

- Day Dream,

- The Flowers Die of Love,

- Love, Love,

- On the Wrong Side of the Railroad Tracks

[Peter]

Thanks.

[mikeweil]

..... and who's singing them?

[jazzbo]

I'm pretty sure that most of the vocals are by Marjorie Barnes. Quite well performed!

[brownie]

Marjorie Barnes indeed! She takes all the vocals on the 4CD set.

A quiet good singer.

Her brand new website is here

[ghost of miles]

I had two of the individual discs from this set but finally landed the box itself at an unreasonably-cheap price...the cardboard case is pretty scuffed up, but the discs themselves look like they've never been played before. Looking forward to listening to all four volumes over the next several days.