“Not” big band jazz musical magic The 14 Jazz Orchestra – CARTOON BEBOP: It’s been a couple of years since I reviewed arranger/composer Dan Bonsanti’s “The Future Ain’t What It Used To Be“, where he an his 13-piece jazz orchestra got very high marks… Dan’s great talent is in creating solid jazz that is “not” big band… in his own words, he says “my goal is to ‘not’ sound like a big band“… first, I strongly recommend that you check out this YouTube video for The 14 Jazz Orchestra, and be sure to SUBSCRIBE to it…
There’s a really uplifting feel on Dan’s arrangements, especially on tunes like the 4:56 “Dayride“… crystal-clear recording and the perfect length for jazz DJ’s to home in on for their playlists… the keyword here is “energy”… this song just shimmers with life!
The “special guests” (drummer Peter Erskine, bassist Mark Egan, guitarists Randy Bernsen and Lindsey Blair) alone make the album worth the purchase… you’ll really hear that on the ultra-cool original opening title track by Dan, “Cartoon Bebop“… fantastic jazz that grabs hold of your ears & won’t let go… you’ll be hitting “replay” on this one often, folks.
For something a bit more laid-back, you’ll find “Infant Eyes” very much to your liking… Randy’s guitar solo is nothing but perfection… this is another track that DJ’s will be adding frequently to their jazz playlists!
Of the eleven enchanting tracks, it was the 4:34 closer, “A Day Tripper’s Blues Buffet” (another original by Dan) that won my vote for personal favorite… in fact, the volcanic energy and stellar organ from Mike Levine on this tune is what also gave it a (permanent) placement on my iPhone player (something reserved only for the very best jazz).
I give Dan and his players a MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED rating, with an “EQ” (energy quotient) score of 4.99. Get more information on The 14 Jazz Orchestra page for the album. Rotcod Zzaj
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