A wave of anticipation went through our jazz community at the prospect of Johnny Mandel, one of the premier composers, arrangers and band leaders playing today, bringing his seventeen-piece big band to town. And indeed, the reality far exceeded any hopes or expectations the packed house at SOhO might have brought to the concert. This was a classic example of the power and precision of seventeen (eighteen with Mandel) musicians working out of one mind.
The two sets included many of Mandel’s most famous compositions and others that this writer had never heard: Emily, Shadow of Your Smile, Suicide is Painless (theme from Mash) I Want to Live, Cinnamon and Clover, Close Enough for Love, Keister Parade (Chuck Niles radio theme song), Not Really the Blues, and I Can’t Take You Nowhere, to name about half of them.
The composition of the band was four Trumpets/Flugelhorns four Trombones, five Saxes (with doubling on clarinets and flutes) Guitar, Piano, Bass and Drums. The musicianship was superb throughout. To mention just a few of the flawless soloists: Ricky Woodard –tenor sax; Carl Saunders and Ron Stout – trumpets; Ira Nepus –trombone; Trey Henry- bass; Ray Brinker –drums and Bob Effert-Baritone sax.
It was a perfect afternoon of prodigious big band jazz and everybody went home smiling.
6-8-14
Stanley Naftaly
Jazz Straight Ahead
Thursday, 1:00 to 3:00PM
KCSB-FM 91.9