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Marshall Gilkes and WDR Big Band: Life Songs

By Jack Bowers
January 28, 2024
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Marshall Gilkes and WDR Big Band: Life Songs

Maryland-born trombonist

Marshall Gilkes

trombone
b.1978

" data-original-title="" title="">Marshall Gilkes, who spends much of his time working in and around various jazz bases in North America, returns to his "second" home, Cologne, Germany, for Life Songs, his eighth album as leader and third with his former employer, Cologne's world-class WDR Big Band. Gilkes spent the years 2010-13 in the WDR trombone section, shortly before he and the ensemble released the widely praised albums Koln (Alternate Side, 2015) and Always Forward (Alternate Side, 2018).

For Life Songs, Gilkes wrote eight new charts (ten if you count two "bonus" tracks for digital release only), showing on each why he is such a highly regarded composer, Grammy-nominated for one of his themes from Koln, which received a second nomination for Best Large Jazz Ensemble. The album's lone standard is one of Gilkes' personal favorites, Rodgers & Hammerstein's "This Nearly Was Mine" from the groundbreaking musical South Pacific, a luxurious showcase for

Andy Haderer

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">Andy Haderer's tasteful flugelhorn.

As a soloist, Gilkes is superb, especially on "Sin Filtro," an Iberian-inspired cousin of the

Stan Kenton

piano
1911 - 1979

" data-original-title="" title="">Stan Kenton staples "Granada" and "Malaguena." Gilkes is also featured on the robust opener, "Fresh Start," and the beguiling "Cora's Tune," written for his daughter. "Fresh Start" and "Back in the Groove," which follow, were composed with the Covid pandemic and its aftermath in mind, the solemn "My Unanswered Prayer" (featuring pianist

Billy Test

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Billy Test) as Gilkes' response to the epidemic of gun violence that has engulfed and ravished the U.S.

Gilkes arranged (but did not compose) the delightful children's song, "All the Pretty Little Horses," wherein vocalist

Sabeth Pérez

vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Sabeth P��rez makes her lone appearance, enhancing the lyric in spite of a reluctance to clearly enunciate the letter "s." The trombones are front and center on the panoramic, chorale-infused "Middle Ground," with enaging solos by

Ludwig Nuss

trombone

" data-original-title="" title="">Ludwig Nuss and

Raphael Klemm

trombone

" data-original-title="" title="">Raphael Klemm leading to brilliant exchanges between Gilkes and

Andy Hunter

trombone

" data-original-title="" title="">Andy Hunter. "Sin Filtro" is next, followed by Gilkes' gorgeous treatment of "This Nearly Was Mine" and the bold flag-waving finale, "Sugar Rush."

Besides Gilkes, Test, Haderer and the trombones, soloists include alto saxophonist

Johan Horlen

saxophone, alto

" data-original-title="" title="">Johan Horlen ("Back in the Groove," "Pretty Little Horses") and tenor saxophonist

Paul Heller

saxophone, tenor

" data-original-title="" title="">Paul Heller ("Sugar Rush"). As for the ensemble, it is immaculate as always, with brass and reeds responding infallibly to the insistent spark provided by Test, bassist

John Goldsby

bass
b.1958

" data-original-title="" title="">John Goldsby and drummer

Hans Dekker

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Hans Dekker. It helps to have outstanding charts on tap, and Gilkes makes sure there are no vacancies in that apartment. This is big-band jazz at its peak, marvelously written by Gilkes and masterfully performed by the impressive WDR Big Band.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Fresh Start; Back in the Groove; Cora��s Tune; My Unanswered Prayer; All the Pretty Little Horses; Middle Ground; Sin Filtro; This Nearly Was Mine; Sugar Rush.

Personnel

Marshall Gilkes

trombone

Andy Haderer

trumpet

Wim Both

trumpet

Rob Bruynen

trumpet

Ruud Breuls

trumpet

Johan Horlen

saxophone, alto

Pascal Bartoszak

saxophone, alto

Ben Fitzpatrick

saxophone, tenor

Paul Heller

saxophone, tenor

Ludwig Nuss

trombone

Raphael Klemm

trombone

Peter Hedrich

trombone

Andy Hunter

trombone

Mattis Cederberg

trombone, bass

John Goldsby

bass

Billy Test

piano

Hans Dekker

drums

Sabeth P��rez

vocals

Jens Neufang

saxophone, baritone

Album information

Title: Life Songs | Year Released: 2024 | Record Label: Alternate Side Records

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