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The Brett Gold New York Jazz Orchestra: Dreaming Big

By Jack Bowers
June 12, 2017
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The Brett Gold New York Jazz Orchestra: Dreaming Big

What's that you say? A New York-based Jazz Orchestra as admirable as this one whose recording debut was delayed for more than twenty-five years? There ought to be a law! Well, in this case it wasn't the law but a lawyer who sidetracked the orchestra's debut for so many years. His name is Brett Gold, and he set aside his trombone and dream of leading a band while in college, following instead his parents' wish that he pursue a more practical (and financially rewarding) career as an attorney.

Even as Gold flourished in the field of international and corporate tax law, however, the dream never died, and he decided at last to assemble an orchestra to perform a number of the songs he had written and arranged while looking forward to the "someday" in which his long-held aspiration might become a reality. The result is Dreaming Big, a bright and always engaging mosaic of prismatic colors, harmonies and rhythms that marks the arrival—better late than never—of a bold new voice on the big-band scene.

As for the music itself, Gold takes his cue from Ellington, Strayhorn,

Gil Evans

composer / conductor
1912 - 1988

" data-original-title="" title="">Gil Evans,

Bill Holman

composer / conductor
- 2024

" data-original-title="" title="">Bill Holman,

Don Ellis

trumpet
1934 - 1978

" data-original-title="" title="">Don Ellis, Thelonious Monk and such film composers as Bernard Herrmann, David Raksin and Ennio Morricone, having studied composing and arranging with Mike Abene,

Jim McNeely

composer / conductor
b.1949

" data-original-title="" title="">Jim McNeely and

Mike Holober

piano
b.1957

" data-original-title="" title="">Mike Holober at the BMI Jazz Composers Workshop. The opener, "Pumpkinhead, P.I." is one of two twelve-tone compositions (the other is "Infinity Row"). There's a stylish mambo ("That Latin Tinge"), a slow waltz ("Stella's") and a faster one ("Lullaby for Lily"), songs inspired by Thelonious (the playful "Monkfish," featuring

Frank Basile

saxophone, baritone
b.1978

" data-original-title="" title="">Frank Basile's rumbling baritone sax), those Hollywood composers ("Theme from an Unfinished Film") and even Shakespeare ("Exit, Pursued by a Bear," a slow blues based on a stage direction from The Winter's Tale). The ambitious eleven-minute finale, written with Gold's Moroccan sister-in-law in mind, depicts in musical terms the Arab-Israeli war of 1948.

The orchestra is razor-sharp, with impressive solos along the way by Basile; tenors

Charles Pillow

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">Charles Pillow,

Tim Ries

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">Tim Ries and

Dave Riekenberg

woodwinds

" data-original-title="" title="">Dave Riekenberg; trumpeters

Scott Wendholt

trumpet
b.1965

" data-original-title="" title="">Scott Wendholt and Jon Owens, soprano

Mark Vinci

saxophone, alto
b.1960

" data-original-title="" title="">Mark Vinci, alto

Matt Hong

saxophone, baritone

" data-original-title="" title="">Matt Hong, trombonist

Bruce Eidem

trombone

" data-original-title="" title="">Bruce Eidem, pianist

Ted Kooshian

piano
b.1961

" data-original-title="" title="">Ted Kooshian, guitarist

Sebastian Noelle

guitar
b.1973

" data-original-title="" title="">Sebastian Noelle, bassist

Phil Palombi

bass
b.1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Phil Palombi and drummer

Scott Neumann

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Scott Neumann. As debuts go, meticulously planned and superbly executed. Let's hope we don't have to wait twenty-five years for an encore.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Pumpkinhead, P.I.; Stella��s Waltz; Dream Moon; Al-Andalus; Lullaby for Lilly; Exit, Pursued by a Bear (Slow Drag Blues); Infinity Row; Theme from an Unfinished Film; That Latin Tinge; Monkfish; Nakba.

Personnel

Brett Gold

Brett Gold: composer, arranger, leader; Jon Owens: trumpet, flugelhorn; James de la Garza: trumpet, flugelhorn; Dylan Schwab: trumpet, flugelhorn; Scott Wendholt: trumpet, flugelhorn; Mark Vinci: alto, soprano sax, clarinet, flute; Matt Hong: alto sax, clarinet, flute; Dave Riekenberg: tenor sax, clarinet; Tim Ries: tenor, soprano sax, flute, clarinet (3, 5-7, 11); Charles Pillow: tenor, soprano sax, clarinet (1, 2, 4, 8-10); Frank Basile: baritone sax, bass clarinet; Bruce Eidem: trombone; John Allred: trombone; Bob Suttmann: trombone; Jeff Nelson: bass trombone; Ted Kooshian: piano; Sebastian Noelle: guitar (3, 5, 6, 7); Phil Palombi: bass; Scott Neumann: drums.

Album information

Title: Dreaming Big | Year Released: 2017 | Record Label: GoldFox Records

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