The Big Black

Featuring both taut, keenly focused ensemble playing and raucous, spirited soloing, THE INTANGIBLE BETWEEN reflects the ever-growing chemistry Orrin Evans and the core ensemble of the Captain Black Big Band while celebrating bandleader's’ open-door policy toward collaborators new and old. The rotating cast of players, while maintaining the more compact scale introduced on the band’s last album, the Grammy-nominated PRESENCE, also features first-time members alongside veterans that joined the ranks in its earliest days and special guests whose collaborations with Evans stretch back over many years.

The blues scene in Chicago has sadly deteriorated over the last 10 years or so. Most of the old, legendary musicians have died. Only a very few places still feature live music in the black neighbourhoods (the South- and Westside, where Muddy Waters, Howling Wolf, and all the other greats had their home base). Many new blues clubs opened on the (white) Northside, but the music there is mostly aimed at the white tourist market. The same old songs played over and over again, no steady bands, personnel in the. bands always changing, definitely never any rehearsal. One of the few bands that have maintained a high musical standard, is The Big Four Blues Band. They were formed more than ten years ago, have not changed the personnel, became better and better over the years, and without trying to become rock stars they are still playing that old Chicago Blues…

Vienna Art Orchestra - The Big Band Years 1993-2007 (2010) {4CD Box Set EmArcy-Universal 0602527539966}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 1.86 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 713 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 226 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1993-2007, 2010 EmArcy / Universal | 0602527539966}
Jazz / Modern Big Band / Experimental Big Band / Progressive Jazz

The Vienna Art Orchestra is a 15-member jazz orchestra that features the avant-garde arrangements and compositions of its leader, pianist Mathias Ruegg. This is a reissue of their 1980 debut, an important document in the post-modern jazz movement. The opening, title track is a joyous, folkish tango that's been cartoonishly toyed with, featuring three solo sections. The marimba section is also ornamented with vocalese from Lauren Newton, followed by an extremely playful horn lead that sounds like a toy instrument. The solo offering from violinist Rudi Berger has an electronically effected fusion sound. A tight, alto sax solo by Wolfgang Puschnig ties everything together neatly with a lengthy, unaccompanied performance.

A new, live album and concert film of Mr.Big's "The BIG Finish" farewell tour, where the band played their million-selling "Lean Into It" album in its entirety plus additional Mr.Big classics. Filmed in 4K at the Budokan, Japan on the 26th July, 2023. This historic performance will be available on multiple high-quality formats- 180g Black Vinyl 3LP, 180g Mint Colour Vinyl 3LP, Hybrid Stereo Multi-Channel 2x SACD's, 2x MQA-CD's, 2x MQA-CD's + Blu-Ray, 4K Ultra HD Bluray (featuring Behind The Scenes and Interview footage) and 2x Cassette. These formats all come with a booklet/insert that includes previously unreleased photos from their Budokan performance and a special free gift. This release is a must-have memento for Mr.Big fans as a fond reminder of "The BIG Finish" tour.

This CD consists of the recordings of big-band standards that Duke Ellington originally did for Reprise in the early '60s. One suspects there was a quid pro quo here - he would cut these '30s and '40s standards, which were certain to make money, for Reprise, and that same label, in turn, would record his symphonic music. The material is done in a smooth, swinging style, more laid-back than what the Count Basie orchestra of the same period would have done with this same stuff ("One O'Clock Jump" is included here as one of ten bonus tracks), but with enough fire and boundless elegance to make it more than worthwhile. Highlights include "Minnie the Moocher," "Cherokee," "Ciribiribin," "Contrasts," "Smoke Rings," "Woodchopper's Ball," "Rhapsody in Blue," and "Tuxedo Junction"…

Magic Slim has released a pile of albums, all of them true to his group's house-rocking credo. The idea this time around was to hook him up with producer Dick Shurman and get Slim to record tunes he hadn't committed to wax yet. With a tight version of the Teardrops aboard (the ubiquitous Nick Holt on bass and vocals, Michael Dotson on rhythm, Allen Kirk on drums, and Slim's son Shawn Holt making a guest appearance on "Young Man's Blues"), Slim turns in a solid effort here. But perhaps the biggest change this time around is the inclusion of four original tunes from Slim, big news for a combo that many consider to be the ultimate blues cover band. Counting Nick Holt's "Playin' with My Mind" and Shawn Holt's "Young Man's Blues," the original material is up to the 50-percent mark, making this their most adventuresome outing to date.

A new, live album and concert film of Mr.Big's "The BIG Finish" farewell tour, where the band played their million-selling "Lean Into It" album in its entirety plus additional Mr.Big classics. Filmed in 4K at the Budokan, Japan on the 26th July, 2023. This historic performance will be available on multiple high-quality formats- 180g Black Vinyl 3LP, 180g Mint Colour Vinyl 3LP, Hybrid Stereo Multi-Channel 2x SACD's, 2x MQA-CD's, 2x MQA-CD's + Blu-Ray, 4K Ultra HD Bluray (featuring Behind The Scenes and Interview footage) and 2x Cassette. These formats all come with a booklet/insert that includes previously unreleased photos from their Budokan performance and a special free gift. This release is a must-have memento for Mr.Big fans as a fond reminder of "The BIG Finish" tour.