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Sammy Nestico and the SWR Big Band: Fun Time and More Live

By C. Michael Bailey
March 18, 2011
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Sammy Nestico and the SWR Big Band: Fun Time and More Live

Big band jazz has evolved into its own avant-garde art form, where the arrangements have become progressively more complex and cerebral. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but it does make for a different type of big band listening experience. Modern big band jazz, in some quarters, has veered off into a non-swinging,

Stan Kenton

piano
1911 - 1979

" data-original-title="" title="">Stan Kenton direction and, while it remains interesting, it is not as enjoyable as a sweet

Count Basie

piano
1904 - 1984

" data-original-title="" title="">Count Basie blues romp.

Speaking of Basie, the fabled bandleader retained many of the more celebrated arrangers and composers for his big band.

Neal Hefti

trumpet
1922 - 2008

" data-original-title="" title="">Neal Hefti,

Billy Byers

trombone
b.1927

" data-original-title="" title="">Billy Byers,

Frank Foster

saxophone
1928 - 2011

" data-original-title="" title="">Frank Foster and

Benny Carter

saxophone, alto
1907 - 2003

" data-original-title="" title="">Benny Carter are just a few of the musicians to arranged for Basie. Sammy Nestico enjoyed an extended relationship with the band from 1967 to 1984, where his arrangements showed up on Basie Big Band (Pablo, 1975), Fun Time (Pablo, 1975), Prime Time (Pablo, 1977) and Montreux '77 (Pablo, 1977). He also claims many recordings in his own right, several with the SRW Big Band: No Time Like the Present (Hanssler, 2005), Basie Cally Sammy (Hanssler, 2005) and Fun Time (Hanssler, 2009).

Nestico is back with the SWR (S��dwestdeutschen Rundfunks) Big Band on this live Outing, Fun Time and More Live, recorded before an engaged audience at the Jazz Lights Oberkochen, Carl-Zeiss-Saal, March 19, 2010. Nestico guides this fine ensemble through 14 of his better-known arrangements, in a traditional big band recital that's more Basie than

Glenn Miller

trombone
1904 - 1944

" data-original-title="" title="">Glenn Miller or

Benny Goodman

clarinet
1909 - 1986

" data-original-title="" title="">Benny Goodman. Nestico favors big brass and big sounds, conjuring forth such from this crack orchestra.

The book includes the title piece, with solos by alto saxophonist Klaus Graf, baritone saxophonist Pierre Paquette and pianist Klaus Weagenleiter. "Blue Samuel" swings with potent momentum, Fueled by the reed section, guitarist Klaus-Peter Schoepfer delivers both tasty comping and solo, chorded and real. Nestico displays his arranging power on

Louis Armstrong

trumpet and vocals
1901 - 1971

" data-original-title="" title="">Louis Armstrong's "Struttin' With Some Barbeque." This is meat-and-potatoes big band music.

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Track Listing

Introduction; Fun Time; Not Really The Blues; Celebracion; A Song for Sarah; Blue Samuel; Samantha; Rare Moment; A New Day; A Pair of Aces; Struttin' With Some Barbecue; Orchids and Butterflies; Satin 'n glass; Dimensions in Blue.

Personnel

Sammy Nestico

composer / conductor

Sammy Nestico: conductor, arranger; Klaus Graf: alto and soprano saxophones, flute; Joerg Kaufmann: alto saxophone, flute; Steffen Webber: tenor saxophone, flute; Andreas Maile: tenor saxophone, clarinet; Pierre Paquette: baritone saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet; Felice Civitareale: trumpet, flugelhorn; Martijn de Laat: trumpet, flugelhorn; Ralf Hesse: trumpet, flugelhorn; Karl Farrent: trumpet, flugelhorn; Rudolf Reindl: trumpet, flugelhorn; Marc Godfroid: trombone; Ernst Hutter: trombone; Ian Cumming: trombone; Georg Maus: bass trombone; Klaus Wegenleiter: piano; Klaus-Peter Schoepfer: guitar; Decebal Badila: bass: Guido Joeris: drums.

Album information

Title: Fun Time and More Live | Year Released: 2011 | Record Label: Haenssler Classics

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