Alex Band

Russian-born trumpeter Alex Sipiagin's tenth recording as a leader apart from his chores with the Mingus Big Band gives homage to his first and greatest influence, Woody Shaw. On this split program of originals and selections from Shaw's repertoire, Sipiagin plays a more basic brass horn than did his highly advanced, harmonically futuristic idol, but there's an added wrinkle to this program that Shaw never really explored. Electric guitarist Adam Rogers is along for the ride, drastically morphing these tunes to a fusion style that Shaw only touched upon - refer to the early-'70s album Blackstone Legacy. In sparser frameworks, Sipiagin and this piano-less quartet bring new meaning to Shaw's influential music, which has stood the test of time for some four decades…

Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band - I'm Going To Do What I Wanna Do (1978) {2CD Set Rhino Handmade RHM2 7741 rel 2000}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 519 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 199 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 14 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1978, 2000 Rhino Handmade / Warner | RHM2 7741 | Limited Edition of 5000
Rock / Experimental Rock / Blues Rock / Psychedelic

Had this powerful concert been issued somewhat more concurrent to its performance, the appreciation of Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band as an active recording and touring unit might have been radically altered. As it stands, the mid- to late ‘70s were not kind to Beefheart (aka Don Van Vliet) who became mired in litigation and ultimately forced to surrender the master tapes to a project titled Bat Chain Puller recorded at Frank Zappa's Utility Research Muffin Kitchen studios. After reassembling a new version of the Magic Band, Beefheart emerged with his compromise to the preceding project – now re-titled Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller). In support, the Magic Band were booked into small clubs throughout the States.

Give this vet credit for getting funding from the Aaron Copland Fund for Music and making a big band date that feels true to Copland’s vision and vibe. A large, sweeping date, this is one of those jazz/Americana dates that exists in an interesting hybrid zone where it isn’t jazz into classical, isn’t quite NAC, isn’t quite Americana but is something that has what it takes to please all. With an undeniably delightful vibe powering things along throughout, Vazquez not only has a winner here, this date is one for the ages for quality, instrumental music fans. Hot stuff.

Carla Bley - Big Band Theory (1993) {Watt–ECM 519 966-2}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 308 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 118 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 11 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1993 Watt Works / ECM Records | WATT/25 / 519 966-2
Jazz / Post Bop / Modern Jazz / Experimental Big Band

In the footsteps of her last (very) big band effort—which, despite its competence isn’t my favorite—Carla Bley returns with a masterstroke of the genre. It’s all here: catchy titles, musicians who share a profound cohesion, and tunes to unpack with joy. “On the Stage in Cages” sets the tone by jumping into the woodwork and rearranging every whorl with confidence. Bley’s band, holding firm at 18 members, swings with renewed purpose, as if waking up from the slumber of hiatus in a sublime return to form.