Tír Na HiFi

Seán wrote:
That is a splendid set indeed, alas I have most of 'em already.

I would have expected that Seán!!

I picked up this 1960 LP at a market a while back... it's essentially on Verve Records by another (French) name.

A bit of static alright but very listenable and it's high on my list for cleaning!

Ivor wrote:

and just look at that for an orchestra. A truly splendid trumpet section, Al Grey his plunger mute specialist and a sax section to die for. Basie could build a great orchestra, no doubt about it. We will NEVER see the like of them again.

Seán wrote:
and just look at that for an orchestra. A truly splendid trumpet section, Al Grey his plunger mute specialist and a sax section to die for. Basie could build a great orchestra, no doubt about it. We will NEVER see the like of them again.

Yep, and that jumps out at you too. The recording isn't consistent across all tracks but it is very good and the brass is really vivid.

Trumpeter,composer, arranger and bandleader, John LaBarbera was chief arranger with the (totally underrated) Buddy Rich Orchestras of the late sixties and seventies. His brother Pat was principal tenor and soprano saxophone soloist with Buddy Rich for a few years too. His other brother, Joe played drums with the Bill Evans Trio.

John Labarbera has recorded a couple of Big Band albums and they are very fine indeed, and of course both Joe and Pat play with the band. My favourite of the two albums -- by a wee cat's whisker -- is his second one, Fantazm.


Fantazm written by Duke Ellington is the seventh track on the CD and is a gorgeous performance of Duke's little known work. I often find that band leaders make a hames of Ellington's music but LaBarbera's treatment is special. The soprano sax soloist is Pat LaBarbera.


Zin Zak is an original composition and arrangement by John LaBarbera, I love his musical voicings, it has lovely writing and playing:


and finally the first track, John LaBarbera's arrangement of Woody Shaw's Moontrane:


Enjoy.

markof wrote:

Fabulous cover and really nice album

She would definitely NOT be my favourite artist, but checked this out after a glowing review and its not bad in fact I may even like it!!

A month or two before he died Charles Mingus recorded an album with Joni Mitchell.


Here is a live performance of one of the tracks, The Dry Cleaner from Des Moines. What a band!
Jaco Pastorius - bass
Don Alias - drums
Michael Brecker - tenor saxophone
Joni Mitchell


Speaking of Jaco and Michael they sure did serve up some tasty chicken:


That reminds me of Charles Mingus and his taste for chicken, the plunger mute trombone soloist is Jimmy Knepper and the saxophone soloist is Booker Ervin:
Charles Mingus -- piano and vocals
Rahsaan Roland Kirk -- flute, siren, tenor saxophone, manzello, and strich
Booker Ervin -- tenor saxophone
Jimmy Knepper -- trombone
Doug Watkins -- bass
Dannie Richmond -- drums