ORANGE THEN BLUE

[alocispepraluger102]

is anyone familiar with the boston experimental band, 'orange then blue'?

while listening to their recording 'while you were out', i was moved and deeply impressed.

this appears to be the creation of george schuller, and for that, we thank him.

[B. Clugston]

They did an album of Gunther Schuller arrangements featuring Gunther himself conducting. I believe Howard Johnson guested. Haven't heard it in ages. There were several other albums.

[robviti]

With all due respect to Wikipedia, I don't know if the adjective "experimental" is the best way to describe OTB to the unitiated. Think "creative," "exciting," and "well-conceived" and you'll have a better idea of what this outfit was about. When one considers that Gunther Sculler's son George and John LaPorta started the band, the connection to Mingus is obvious. And as AMG points out, the band's name comes from Charles' song "Orange (Was the Color of Her Dress, ) Then (Silk) Blue."

Although Howard Johnson did appear on the band's third recording "Funkalero," that album was a feature for former Mingus sideman George Adams. Over the span of more than 15 years, OTB's arrangements of familiar jazz repertoire were often quite inventive, and their original compositions frequently contained elements of musics from different cultures, a characteristic they share with another Boston-based outfit, Either/Orchestra.

A short list of some of the many fine musicians who played with OTB includes trumpeters Dave Douglas, Dave Ballou, and Tim Hagans; reedmen Andrew D'Angelo, George Garzone, Chris Speed, and Allan Chase; trombonist Gary Valente, and pianist Bruce Barth. Less known stalwarts of the band were trombonist Peter Cerelli, a former bandmate of mine, and bassist Paul DelNero, a close childhood friend who teaches at Berklee and gigs regularly in the area. OTB's five recordings on Schulller's GM label are well worth looking for, imo.

[alocispepraluger102]

thanks so much for that fine description.

i hope their music is yet available.

agreed, 'experimental' was poorly chosen.