History of Big Bands / История на големите джаз оркестри

History of Big Bands (История на големите джаз оркестри). История знаменитых джаз-оркестров.

Альбом: 1 пласт.
Запись: гг.
Тип записи: стерео
Оборотов в мин.: 33
Состояние (диск/конверт): очень хорошее / очень хорошее
Производство: Болгария
Фирма: Балкантон

Side I
BUDDY RICH
GROOVIN HARD Don Menza

OLIVER NELSON
NIGHT TRAIN O. Washington

ARTIE SHAW
TRAFFIC JAM A. Shaw

COUNT BASIE
CUTE N. Hefti

DUKE ELLINGTONE
BLUES D. Ellingtone

Side II
QUINCY JONES
DEAD END M. Dermot

MAYNARD FERGUSON
CHAMELEON H. Hancock

WOODY HERMAN
LIGHT MY FIRE Morisson

STAN KENTON
OF ALL THINGS Bill Holman

DOC SEVERINSEN
SURFER GIRL
Brian Wilson

We have in front of us the serial long-play Balkanton record, from the "Jazz Panorama Cycle" or the "Great Jazz Orchestras of the World".
In the present case the expression "great" has a double meaning — great according to volume (big band) and without exaggerating, still greater according to importance.
I would want to dwell here in greater detail with the second comparison, which is in full contiguity with the high artistic qualities of the great jazz (big band) orchestras of the world.
There does not exist another institution in the history of jazz which has given birth to such a large number of highly talented soloists, adapters, composers and ensemble performers, as the big jazz orchestras of to-day. Very many of those who have already made a really big name for themselves started their musical career at the big band School.
One of these veterans, the trumpetist Ray Nanse who was a member of Duke Ellington's Band for over twenty years wrote: "The Duke had mastered to perfection his instrument. From every single instrumentalist in his orchestra he demanded and achieved the maximum. He incited all his boys to perform incredibly difficult things and was always successful in achieving his goal — his own instrument was the entire orchestra." This is absolutely true for almost all the famous band leaders presented in this album.
"Literally speaking Maynard Ferguson seemed to provoke fate every single evening by experimenting with very difficult passages in the highest possible register, at which we naturally could not remain indifferent" — wrote Rufus Jones, the drummer of Ferguson's orchestra.
The orchestras of the big band type created a tradition in jazz, without loosing the element of contemporary actuality, thanks to the high technique and musical culture of both leaders and instrumentalists.
Buddy Rich is one of the most renowned figures in jazz, who continues to play, in spite of the opinion expressed by many jazz critics, that he is old enough to leave the stage. He was fifty years old when he formed his own big band Orchestra! "1 have played with many and many jazz stars, but my personal ambition was to set up a big jazz orchestra — a big band ! Although a little late in life, 1 believe that I have succeeded, and what is more, at last 1 feel really happy" — wrote he.
That is the opinion of those for whom music is above everything else — the musicians who have dedicated their lives to the great art of music. I would not want to fall a pary to any sort of a performer's abstractness, because for every instrumentalist and performer, the reaction of the public is of a paramount importance. This reaction is very often one of the decisive factors of success. "Wheter I play at Birdland or at the Townhallsays Basie, is of no importance to me, all I care for is that my audience is satisfied with what I play, and that I can feel already after the first musical piece !"
The merit of these big jazz musicians is of very great. They have helped us in an unequivocal way to penetrate into another, a little different world of music, in which the rich sound picture plays a due role, so very characteristic for the great jazz orchestras. When the fans of jazz come into direct contact with such important and renowned musicians as Quincy Jones, Woody Herman, Artie Shaw, Oliver Nelson, Stan Kenton, etc., it is absolutely inadmissible that they should shrug their shoulders in bewilderment.
This is record. actually the aim of the present long-play gramophone
Listen to it attentively !
Raycho Ivanov