JSngry Posted April 13, 2004 Report Share Posted April 13, 2004 Not a student band, or a rehearsal band, or a specially assembled orchestra, but a regular, touring, live/sleep/etc together 24-7 REAL big band made up of veterans who play the entire night with the book shut. I tell you, the sound is glorious, the groove deep, and the energy impossible to ignore. What you hear on records is just the tip of the iceberg. Too bad there's hardly any left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDK Posted April 13, 2004 Report Share Posted April 13, 2004 Does Akiyoshi-Tabakin count? (and, yes, that's a rhetorical question) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soulstation1 Posted April 13, 2004 Report Share Posted April 13, 2004 i saw the basie ghost band with grover mitchell a few years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted April 13, 2004 Report Share Posted April 13, 2004 According to Robin Eubanks the Dave Holland Big Band has a new disc scheduled to come out later on this year. He described it as closer in sound and energy to their live show than What Goes Around. After seeing them live in January I a really looking forward to this one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7/4 Posted April 13, 2004 Report Share Posted April 13, 2004 Sun-Ra! B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted April 13, 2004 Report Share Posted April 13, 2004 Heard the Basie New Testament band on numerous occasions, same for the Ellington band but the one that was a total blast to me was the Gil Evans band of the '7Os. Heard that band at the Village Vanguard and at Sweet Basil. The sound of all these musicians in a club was incredible. Much more breathtaking than in concert halls. Same goes for Sun Ra's band at Slug's. Wish I had heard the Basie band in a club. Must have been quite an experience too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Tapscott Posted April 13, 2004 Report Share Posted April 13, 2004 Yes, indeed. When I was in my late teen's and 20's, the big bands were still touring extensively and I saw many of them and often more then once - Herman, Rich, Kenton, Ferguson, Basie, TA/LT, Jones/Lewis, Bellson, plus local bands such as the Boss Brass, Phil Nimmons etc. Regretfully I didn't get to see Ellington live. When a big band is on and you're sitting 5 rows from the front, with the lead trumpeter playing every note straight at you, there's nothing quite as exciting in all of music. (But it's sounds great no matter where you'e sitting). Your ears ring, but it's not the kind of deafening, hearing-destroying sound played by rock bands. Hearing Woody's Herd swing into Opus de Funk was pretty close to musical heaven, for me, anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardbopjazz Posted April 13, 2004 Report Share Posted April 13, 2004 I saw the Count Basie big band in 82. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost of miles Posted April 13, 2004 Report Share Posted April 13, 2004 The LCJO w/Wynton here in Bloomington a couple of years ago. They did give a sense of what it must have been like to hear Ellington, Basie, et al long ago. Also the Smithsonian Masterworks Jazz Orchestra here last year, though I'm not sure they fit the thread's definition. 'Tis a glorious sound indeed to hear live. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster_Ties Posted April 13, 2004 Report Share Posted April 13, 2004 Sun Ra Arkestra, in 1991. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catesta Posted April 13, 2004 Report Share Posted April 13, 2004 The LCJO w/Wynton here in Bloomington a couple of years ago. They did give a sense of what it must have been like to hear Ellington, Basie, et al long ago. I saw Wynton with the LCJO back in 99 or 2000. Overall it was a solid performance, but nothing really great. It may have been the arrangements I didn't like. I was fortunate enough to see the Ellington band (minus Duke), when I was a kid, but no way could I appreciate it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claude Posted April 13, 2004 Report Share Posted April 13, 2004 (edited) McCoy Tyner Big Band at the Wiltz Open Air Festival (Luxembourg) in the mid-90's. I was sitting at an ideal distance from the stage in the middle of the seating, but the PA sound was awful at the beginning, it took the engineers (more used to classical orchestras) half an hour to get decent settings. Edited April 13, 2004 by Claude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted April 13, 2004 Report Share Posted April 13, 2004 (edited) The most memorable, not in any particular order, Ellington (1963) Sun Ra (197?), David Murray's Ellington band (1999). Also saw over the years Basie, Rich, Herman and probably one or two more now forgotten. Edited April 13, 2004 by JohnS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted April 13, 2004 Report Share Posted April 13, 2004 First I saw was in Chicago in 1975, saw the Basie band in a South Side Catholic church. It was fantastic! I kept looking at the other side of the church though, because also in attendance was the gal that I was most crazy about in the world, there with her date. . . . Now, 29 years later I see her all the time, because she's my wife! I've seen some others but the only one that really counted after that was the Duke Ellington Orchestra under the grandson here in Austin a few years ago. Man, it was in a newly remodeled nightclub, I had a table just at the edge of the dancefloor facing the band, the sound was INCREDIBLE! One of the best sonic experiences I've had. This Sunday night at Central Market about three blocks from my house there is a local jazz big band scheduled to play. . . I'm not expecting too much but I'll mosey on over probably. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete C Posted April 13, 2004 Report Share Posted April 13, 2004 (edited) There are a bunch of great big bands working these days. Vanguard, Maria Schneider, Clayton-Hamilton, Charles Tolliver, Tyner, Bob Florence, Gerald Wilson, Chico O'Farrill (still going under Arturo's leadership). I've seen all of them except Wilson. Toshiko only recently disbanded hers. Dave Holland's big band is pretty good, though I prefer the quintet. And some of the European big bands are really spectacular, especially NDR, WDR & Brussels. I've seen Brussels & WDR live. I got to see Basie 3 times, once with Lockjaw and twice with Jimmy Forrest. It was really great to see Machito & Mario Bauza's bands live. Edited April 13, 2004 by Pete C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jack Posted April 13, 2004 Report Share Posted April 13, 2004 I've seen the Dave Holland Big Band and the Duke Ellington Orchestra (minus Duke) with Mercer Ellington. They were swinging!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave James Posted April 13, 2004 Report Share Posted April 13, 2004 Stan Kenton and Buddy Rich Up over and out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHILLYQ Posted April 13, 2004 Report Share Posted April 13, 2004 I saw a double bill in the 80s of Toshiko Akiyoshi and Mel Lewis at Town Hall in NYC. I was fortunate enough to get seats up close, and what Jim Sangrey said about the power, etc. of a big band is soooooooo true. You can really feel the music and the majesty of the music, besides appreciating the precision(and passion) involved in having 15-20 pieces cohere at the same instant. I also caught the Gil Evans big band a few times, and they were a loose group that could meander along and then WHOMP!, they hit you with a full blast of power and precision all at once. Perhaps the most memorable big band gig I caught was at Radio City around 1985. My wife and I went to see Manhattan Transfer, and the ads promised 'special guests'. They started with a doo-wop set, and brought out Frankie Valli for a set of Four Seasons tunes. OK, I figured we'd gotten our special guest and that was it. Later, after Valli left, Manhattan Transfer moved to the back of the stage where their band was, did a few tunes and split for an intermission. During the break, I noticed that the riser was down and wondered what was going to happen. Well, the lights dimmed, I heard a bunch of horns, the riser rose, and on it was the Basie band led by Thad Jones!!! They tore it up for a few tunes, and then Manhattan Transfer came out and did a set with the Basie band. The combination of the intense swing of the Basie band with the vocal harmonies of Manhattan Transfer was just astounding. It's a pity it wasn't recorded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medjuck Posted April 13, 2004 Report Share Posted April 13, 2004 I saw the Ellington band twice in 1964 and around the same time saw the Woody Herman band-- I think at the same club in Montreal. Stranger venues were: The Gil Evans Band in a church in Paris, Count Basie at Disneyland and Sun Ra at The Horseshoe, a country and Western club in Toronto. Saw some local toronto bands at the El Mocambo where you could actually dance to them. That was fun. In concert have seen various bands recently ( recent in my case being anything that's happend since the Beatles broke up). That's not the same as hearing them in a club but never-the-less really enjoyed the Mingus Big Band at Wadsworth Theater in LA. John Handy was with them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeBop Posted April 13, 2004 Report Share Posted April 13, 2004 Basie, Buddy, Woody, Toshiko, Thad and Mel, the Cecil Taylor 75th Birthday Big Band (not a touring organization, but lingering in recent memory), Sun Ra...who am I forgetting...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDK Posted April 13, 2004 Report Share Posted April 13, 2004 As mentioned above, I've seen Akiyoshi-Tabakin a handful of times, but I've also seen Sun Ra (sans Sun Ra himsef unfortunately), and (more recently) the really neat orchestra-and-strings put together by the late Teddy Edwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost of miles Posted April 13, 2004 Report Share Posted April 13, 2004 There are a bunch of great big bands working these days. Vanguard, Maria Schneider Is she putting a new record out? I really like her older ones, and one just got re-issued, not too long ago... I'd like to hear from her again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheldonm Posted April 13, 2004 Report Share Posted April 13, 2004 I've seen the Basie band a few times and couldn't believe how good they were. Prior to the first time, I thought they would be ok, but they were great. I would see them anytime I got the chance! Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris olivarez Posted April 13, 2004 Report Share Posted April 13, 2004 I've seen Woody Herman,Stan Kenton,Buddy Rich and Maynard Ferguson. The only one I didn't enjoy was Kenton. I thought Kenton was a real snoozer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjobbe Posted April 13, 2004 Report Share Posted April 13, 2004 the Cologne based WDR Big Band twice in the early 90's with Jerry van Royen Cheers, Tjobbe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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