The Chris Walden Big Band: Home of my Heart (2005)

A young big band conductor. A rarity to be sure, but not necessarily an oxymoron. Chris Walden proves that in this album, a surprisingly versatile primer of the big band. Walden can use traditional techniques, with a soloist over the top of a soft backing of horns, as you'll hear in the Christopher Cross-penned "Rainy Day in Vancouver," as well as his own Film Noir series. He can invoke the spirit of Tadd Dameron's bop big bands, which you'll get glimpses of in "Cherokee." He can cover old Jimmy Van Heusen classics and film scores with ease, adapt the intricacy of four to a large ensemble, and even force the old Star Wars pieces to fit into a classic-'60s big band sound. The playing on the part of the band is spotless and finessed. They can slink and smash equally well, and support and solo in turn. There's a quiet big band renaissance movement afoot, and Walden, while not necessarily standing at the forefront to force it upon the listener, very ably shows off what a big band can do, and how well it can be done. ~ Adam Greenberg

Adapters: Jeremy Lubbock; Alan Broadbent.

Personnel: Chris Walden (drum programming); Chris Walden (flugelhorn, programming); Christopher Cross (guitar); Rob Lockart, Rob Lockhart, Rick Keller, Tom Petersen (saxophone); Kevin Richardson, Kyle Palmer (trumpet); Jacques Voyemant (trombone); Dave Carpenter (double bass); Tony Pia (drums); Tierney Sutton (vocals); Mitch Holder (guitar); Frank Marocco (accordion); Pete Christlieb, Jeff Driskill, Brian Scanlon, Bob Sheppard, Brandon Fields (saxophone); Wayne Bergeron, Ron King, Roger Ingram, Bobby Shew, Carl Saunders (trumpet); Alexander Iles, Arturo Velasco, Richard Bullock, Bruce Otto, Bryant Byers, Bob McChesney (trombone); Alan Steinberger (piano); Peter Erskine (drums); M.B. Gordy III (percussion).

Tracklist:

01. Cherokee

02. Rainy Day In Vancouver
03. Film Noir - Part I
04. Film Noir - Part II
05. Film Noir - Part III
06. Mulholland Falls
07. Here's Looking At You
08. Star Wars
09. Home Of My Heart
10. Feet First
11. Here's That Rainy Day
12. How Long Has This Been Going On
13. Nonino
14. You Took Advantage Of Me
15. Stolen Moments
16. Dr. Stefan Frank
Home of My Heart

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Mike Stern: Time in Place (1988)

Guitarist Mike Stern's music has often been a little difficult to classify, featuring strong improvisations, the sound and power of rock, and elements of funk, R&B and sometimes pop. For his second recording as a leader, Stern is joined by either Bob Berg or Michael Brecker on tenor, keyboardist Jim Beard, electric bassist Jeff Andrews, drummer Peter Erskine and percussionist Don Alias; Don Grolnick sits in on organ during "No Notice." The music (seven Stern originals) ranges from the rhythmic to the more sophisticated and features plenty of the leader's high-powered guitar.
Tracklist:
1. Gossip
2. Time in Place
3. Before You Go
4. No Notice
5. After All
6. Four Shades
7. Chromazone
Time in Place

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Bob Berg: Short Stories (1987)

Bob Berg's third release as a leader (released on a Japanese Denon CD) was his first fairly commercial date. Doubling on tenor and soprano but not sounding too distinctive on either, Berg performs eight funky group originals with a sextet also including keyboardist Don Grolnick, guitarist Mike Stern, bassist Will Lee, drummer Peter Erskine and Robby Kilgore on additional keyboards; altoist David Sanborn drops by to add some heat to "Kalimba." The R&B-ish music is very much of the period and sounds a bit dated now, but has its moments of interest due to the high musicianship of the players.

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Mike Mainieri: An American Diary - The Dreaming (1999)

The Dreamings is the second volume of Mike Mainieri's An American Diary project. The vibraphonist and leader appears primarily with saxophonist George Garzone, bassist Marc Johnson, and drummer Peter Erskine. But thanks to the rotating cast of guest musicians, each track is a wholly new experience, distinguished by unexpected timbres and colors. Especially noteworthy are George Garzone's clarinet on "One Night in Paradise," Erik Friedlander's cello on "Planting Rice Is Never Fun," Simon Seven's didgeridoo on "The Dreamings," and Arto Tuncboyan's sazabo on "Dear, My Friend (The Gift)." Mainieri's goal was to explore his musical upbringing in an American immigrant family, as well as his later experiences as a traveling musician. His first American Diary record included music by composers as far apart as Aaron Copland and Frank Zappa. This diary entry has an even broader scope, including folk material from the Philippines and Yemen, as well as original pieces inspired by Australian aborigines, gypsies, and the Navajo and Apache tribes. Mainieri's use of the term "American" is therefore expansive, and subtly provocative. But the session never comes across as stilted political correctness or contrived world music. It swings. And in the process, it communicates with the listener in a genuine, unaffected way.

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The Dreaming (RS) / The Dreaming (MU)

Mike Mainieri: An American Diary (1994)

In addition to a few group originals, vibraphonist Mike Mainieri performs some unusual pieces with his quartet (Joe Lovano on tenor, soprano, and alto clarinet; bassist Eddie Gomez; and drummer Peter Erskine) on this CD, including two folk songs and selections by Leonard Bernstein ("Somewhere"), Frank Zappa ("King Kong"), Aaron Copland ("Piano Sonata"), Roger Sessions ("Piano Sonata No. 1"), and Samuel Barber ("Overture to the School for Scandal"). The pianoless quartet (which displays a lot of versatility by Joe Lovano) turns all of the music into creative jazz. The most interesting aspect to this thought-provoking disc is how difficult it is to tell which compositions are taken from classical music and which are new. There is a surprising unity to the potentially difficult material; the performances on the rather moody outing reward repeated listenings.

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An American Diary

Don Grolnick: Weaver of Dreams (1990)

Don Grolnick was a busy session pianist/keyboardist who played on many kinds of dates, including jazz fusion and pop. But for a brief period in the late 1980s and early '90s, he detoured into playing post-bop. Weaver of Dreams was the first of his two CDs for Blue Note, featuring an all-star septet including the Brecker Brothers, Bob Mintzer, Dave Holland, Peter Erskine, and Barry Rogers. His intricate opener, "Nothing Personal," suggests the influence of George Russell, with its rapid-fire lines and unpredictable accents on trumpet and bass clarinet, along with the composer's tasty solo. There's a bit of reverb added to the unified trumpet and tenor sax in his "Or Come Fog," which touches briefly on its source, "Come Rain or Come Shine." Mintzer's wild bass clarinet is a highlight of the brisk setting of the standard "I Want to Be Happy," while the foot-patting treatment of "Weaver of Dreams" is a feature for the rhythm section alone. Weaver of Dreams lapsed from print, only to briefly reappear in a short-lived two-CD reissue. This is easily the finest recording led by Don Grolnick, who passed away in 1996.

Musicians:

Don Grolnick : piano

Michael Brecker : tenor saxophone

Randy Brecker : trumpet
Bob Mintzer : bass clarinet
Barry Rogers : trombone
Dave Holland : bass
Peter Erskine : drums
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Weaver of Dreams

Marc Johnson: Secong Sight (1987)

The second release by Bass Desires (a quartet consisting of leader/bassist Marc Johnson, drummer Peter Erskine, and the guitars of Bill Frisell and John Scofield) is almost the equal of the first. This advanced unit performs eight group originals that cover a wide variety of moods, from introspective, spacy pieces to ones emphasizing fire and passion.
Marc Johnson - bass
Bill Frisell - guitar
John Scofield - guitar
Peter Erskine - drums
Recorded March 1987/Rainbow Studio Oslo
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Second Sight