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South Florida Jazz Orchestra: Cheap Thrills: The Music Of Rick Margitza

By Jack Bowers
October 10, 2020
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South Florida Jazz Orchestra: Cheap Thrills: The Music Of Rick Margitza

In 2019, the acclaimed Michigan-bred, Paris-based tenor saxophonist

Rick Margitza

saxophone, tenor
b.1961

" data-original-title="" title="">Rick Margitza thought he was being asked to contribute a couple of charts to the University of South Florida Jazz Orchestra's fifth recording in its fifteen-year history as a working ensemble. But when SFJO founder and leader

Chuck Bergeron

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Chuck Bergeron looked at the charts he had an even better idea, and asked Margitza to write and / or arrange everything on the album, which thus became Cheap Thrills: The Music of Rick Margitza. Did Bergeron make the right call? The answer rests in the ears and heart of every listener. Suffice to say there's enough engaging music here to help the orchestra press forward on the strength of its library for another handful of years at the very least.

Margitza's compositions are contemporary but not unconventional, picturesque but not pretentious. The first eight of the album's nine tracks are Margitza originals, the last his zephyr-like arrangement of the Gershwin brothers' "Embraceable You," traces of whose melody can also be heard in Margitza's "45 Pound Hound." Besides writing every chart, Margitza solos on every number, lending the album a considerable amount of its improvisational weight. Speaking of melody, Margitza hits that mark squarely with the graceful "Premonition," and again with his handsomely built "Walls." The upbeat but off-kilter "Sometimes I Have Rhythm" is (presumably) another Gershwin contrafact, albeit quite well-disguised, showcasing the superb trumpeter

Greg Gisbert

trumpet
b.1966

" data-original-title="" title="">Greg Gisbert. A second trumpet master,

Brian Lynch

trumpet
b.1956

" data-original-title="" title="">Brian Lynch, grabs the leash on the affable "45 Pound Hound."

As for the SFJO, it is smooth and efficient: brass and reeds in lock-step, rhythm section (pianist

Martin Bejerano

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Martin Bejerano, guitarist

John Hart

guitar
b.1961

" data-original-title="" title="">John Hart, bassist Bergeron, drummer

John Yarling

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">John Yarling) alert and supportive. Bejerano solos on "The Place to Be," "Premonition," Walls" and "Embraceable You" (notable as well for Margitza's jaw-dropping soli), Hart on "Cheap Thrills," "Widow's Walk" and (with Yarling) on the rhythmic "Brace Yourself." Margitza and the SFJO have formed an admirable partnership, and while Cheap Thrills does provide its fair share of the latter, not one of them is cheap or indifferent. Easily recommended.

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Track Listing

Cheap Thrills; The Place To Be; Widow's Walk; Brace Yourself; 45 Pound Hound; Premonition; Walls; Sometimes I Have Rhythm; Embraceable You

Personnel

The South Florida Jazz Orchestra

band / ensemble / orchestra

Rick Margitza

saxophone, tenor

Martin Bejerano

piano

John Hart

guitar

Chuck Bergeron

bass

John Yarling

drums

Brian Lynch

trumpet

John Daversa

trumpet

Jared Hall

trumpet

Alex Norris

trumpet

Ed Calle

saxophone

Mike Brignola

saxophone, baritone

David Leon

saxophone, alto

Phil Doyle

bass, electric

Haden Mapel

trombone

Xavier Desandre Navarre

percussion

Greg Gisbert

trumpet

Gary Keller

flute

Gary Lindsay

saxophone

Jason Kush

saxophone

Additional Instrumentation

Additional trumpets: Jason Carder, Pewter's Francis, Augie Haas, Jesus Mato, Dante Juciani, John Kricker, Andrew Peal, Major Bailey.

Album information

Title: Cheap Thrills: The Music Of Rick Margitza | Year Released: 2020 | Record Label: Summit Records

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