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The 14 Jazz Orchestra: Islands

By Jack Bowers
August 12, 2023
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The music on these Islands is almost as sizzling as the summer weather in sun-drenched Miami, thanks to composer/arranger Dan Bonsanti's Florida-based, world-class The 14 Jazz Orchestra, whose fourth album provides yet another textbook lesson in the art of colorful and swinging big-band rhetoric.

Bonsanti formed the ensemble as a rehearsal band in 2013, stocking it for the most part with former students at Miami's prestigious Frost School of Music to give teachers and students a forum in which to work on their music. Its success has led not only to many gigs in south Florida but word-of-mouth endorsements that have drawn world-renowned guest artists to its recording sessions, including on this recording saxophonist

Dave Liebman

saxophone
b.1946

" data-original-title="" title="">Dave Liebman, vibraphonist

Mike Mainieri

vibraphone
b.1938

" data-original-title="" title="">Mike Mainieri, guitarist

Randy Bernsen

guitar
b.1954

" data-original-title="" title="">Randy Bernsen, drummer

Peter Erskine

drums
b.1954

" data-original-title="" title="">Peter Erskine, trombonist

Dante Luciani

trombone

" data-original-title="" title="">Dante Luciani and bassists

Mark Egan

bass
b.1951

" data-original-title="" title="">Mark Egan and

Will Lee

bass
b.1950

" data-original-title="" title="">Will Lee.

After listening to Islands several times, it's hard to find fault with anything. The choice of material is exemplary, Bonsanti's charts (he arranged or co-arranged every number) vibrant and seductive. Needless to say, the orchestra and soloists are in lock-step and beyond reproach. While

Ed Calle

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">Ed Calle (tenor or soprano sax) is heard most often, he is hardly alone when it comes to delivering sharp and impressive statements. Pianist

Mike Levine

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Mike Levine, who wrote and co-arranged the bracing Latin charmer "Carmencita" (for his wife, Carmen), and did likewise for "Part of Me" (based on the standard "All of Me") and sensuous "Jaco" (featuring Lee's deep-toned electric bass standing in for

Jaco Pastorius

bass, electric
1951 - 1987

" data-original-title="" title="">Jaco Pastorius), solos tastefully on the opener,

McCoy Tyner

piano
1938 - 2020

" data-original-title="" title="">McCoy Tyner's "Man from Tanganyika," as well as on "Islands," "Part of Me," "Carmencita,"

Chick Corea

piano
1941 - 2021

" data-original-title="" title="">Chick Corea's boppish "

Bud Powell

piano
1924 - 1966

" data-original-title="" title="">Bud Powell,"

Fats Waller

piano
1904 - 1943

" data-original-title="" title="">Fats Waller's "Jitterbug Waltz" and the wistful ballad "Some Other Time."

Liebman (soprano sax) is sleek and outgoing on his own nimble "Loft Dance," as are Luciani on "Man from Tanganyika," Mainieri on "Islands" and

Pat Metheny

guitar
b.1954

" data-original-title="" title="">Pat Metheny's light-hearted "Missouri Uncompromised," bass clarinetist

Mike Brignola

saxophone, baritone

" data-original-title="" title="">Mike Brignola on "Jitterbug Waltz," trumpeter

Jason Carder

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">Jason Carder (muted) on "Bud Powell" and (flugel) "Some Other Time," pianist

Joe Davidian

piano
b.1981

" data-original-title="" title="">Joe Davidian and electric guitarist

Lindsey Blair

guitar

" data-original-title="" title="">Lindsey Blair on "Loft Dance." Calle (tenor). Egan and Bernsen (electric guitar) share solo honors on the earnest finale, "When She Loved Me," dedicated by Bonsanti to his late brother, saxophonist

Neal Bonsanti

oboe

" data-original-title="" title="">Neal Bonsanti. There is one other dedication: "Jitterbug Waltz" to the late pianist

Vince Maggio

" data-original-title="" title="">Vince Maggio who worked closely with Dan Bonsanti in the early years of The 14 Orchestra. As for Erskine, he makes his irrepressible presence felt on "Man from Tanganyika," "Islands" and "Missouri Uncompromised."

Weighed from every possible angle, there is no doubt that Islands is among the more impressive examples of big-band jazz in recent memory. The only "flaw" spotted was crediting the lovely "Some Other Time" to Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne, whereas it was actually written by Leonard Bernstein with lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. Apart from that misstep, there's really nothing less than favorable to say about Islands, Dan Bonsanti or The 14 Jazz Orchestra.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Man from Tanganyika, Islands, Bud Powell, Part of Me, Carmencita, Missouri Uncompromised, Jitterbug Waltz, Jaco, Some Other Time, Loft Dance, When She Loved Me.

Personnel

Dan Bonsanti

composer / conductor

Ed Calle

saxophone

Ed Maina

woodwinds

Peter Brewer

saxophone, tenor

Mike Brignola

saxophone, baritone

Brett Murphey

trumpet

Jason Carder

trumpet

John Lovell

trumpet

Dana Teboe

trombone

Major Bailey

trombone

Mike Levine

piano

Lindsey Blair

guitar

Additional Instrumentation

Ed Calle: Soprano sax, flute; Peter Brewer: flute, clarinet; Mike Brignola: flutes, bass clarinet; Dave Liebman: soprano sax (10) Ed Maina: flute; Peter Erskine: drums (1,2,6); Lee Levin: drums (4,5,8,10,11); Mike Harvey: drums (3,7,9); Richard Bravo: percussion (2,4,5,10); Joe Davidian: piano (10); Randy Bernsen: acoustic guitar (8); Mark Egan: electric bass ((6,11); Will Lee: electric bass (8); Nicky Orta: e;ectric bass (5,10); Tim Smith: electric bass (2); Jamie Ousley: acoustic bass (3,4,7,9); Dennis Marks: acoustic bass (1); Mike Manieri: vibes (2,6);

Album information

Title: Islands | Year Released: 2023 | Record Label: Self-produced

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