Mica Bethea’s powerful jazz in studio and on stage Mica Bethea Big Band – STAGE & STUDIO: I knew from the moment I popped this one in my CD player to burn it to my “review drive” that Mica Bethea’s powerful jazz in studio and on stage was going to be a very satisfying listen! As you listen to his arrangements of Herbie Hancock’s “Hang Up Your Hang Ups” on the Stage side of the double CD, you’ll agree (I’ve NO doubt)… definitely one of the most powerful performances of this song I’ve ever heard!
His musical accomplishments are made even more astounding and unique than most other composers because 12 years ago he was in an accident that rendered him a quadriplegic; you can read more about that on his bio page… he had studied and played saxophone in the sixth grade, so he had strong musical skills before the accident, and though he can’t play any more, he uses Finale software to compose and arrange, and the results are superb, especially on his original compositions… just check out Mica’s “Frahm Out Of Nowhere” in the YouTube video below:
A great video, & it’s really nice that we are able to see him so intensely at work on his music; this song is on both sides of the CD, as well, and will blow your mind!
My personal favorite on the album is another Bethea original composition/arrangement on the “Studio” CD, “Coal“… the tune really shows his ability to write songs that are precise, yet give each of the soloists more than enough room to rove to their soul’s content! A simply stunning performance. I give Mica and his players a MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, with an “EQ” (energy quotient) rating of 4.99 for this high-energy recording. Find out everything you need to know about this gent on the Mica Bethea website. Rotcod Zzaj
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