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Horizons Jazz Orchestra: Plays the Music of Lee Harris: The Brite Side

By Jack Bowers
September 21, 2020
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One question that springs to mind when listening to The Brite Side, a tantalizing new CD by the South Florida-based Horizons Jazz Orchestra, is: who is

Lee Harris

composer / conductor

" data-original-title="" title="">Lee Harris? As it turns out, Harris was a composer, arranger and baritone saxophonist who teamed with trumpeter

" data-original-title="" title="">Dennis Noday a few years back to co-found an ensemble they named Superband. Shortly afterward, Harris became ill and was unable to continue, so Noday and Superband's lead trombonist,

Michael Balogh

trombone

" data-original-title="" title="">Michael Balogh, renamed the ensemble the Horizons Jazz Orchestra and, with support from Jeannette Pina, one of Superband's ardent admirers, produced its debut recording as a tribute to Harris who died about a month before its completion.

To help ensure its success, Balogh invited a trio of his talented friends to sit in, most notably the awesomely creative trumpeter

Carl Saunders

trumpet
1942 - 2023

" data-original-title="" title="">Carl Saunders, who solos on half of the album's ten tracks. Drummer

Jonathan Joseph

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Jonathan Joseph sits in for

George Mazzeo

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">George Mazzeo on the stalwart opener, Harris' "Red Apple Sweet," and veteran saxophonist

Billy Ross

saxophone, tenor

" data-original-title="" title="">Billy Ross reinforces the reed section on every number and solos on four. Harris also wrote "The Runner," "Fourth Dimension" and "The Brite Side," each of which is splendid, and arranged everything apart from

Don Sebesky

arranger
1937 - 2023

" data-original-title="" title="">Don Sebesky's classic treatment of Leonard Bernstein / Stephen Sondheim's "Maria," scored originally as a showcase for

Maynard Ferguson

trumpet
1928 - 2006

" data-original-title="" title="">Maynard Ferguson's high-flying trumpet, on which Noday renders a superb likeness of the great MF.

After a couple of "Cherokee"-like riffs, the curtain-raising "Red Apple Sweet" morphs into a robust anthem that bears more than a passing resemblance to the spiritual "Wade in the Water." The tempo moderates for Balogh's eloquent trombone solo, then resumes its intensity behind Joseph's forceful timekeeping. Saunders (flugelhorn) delivers the first of his superlative solos on Harris' sunny arrangement of "Pure Imagination" (from the film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory). Saunders dazzles again on a brace of Harris originals, "The Runner" and "Fourth Dimension," as well as on a spirited remake of the standard "After You've Gone (Finally)" and the irrepressible closer, a sunny bossa based on

Billy Strayhorn

piano
1915 - 1967

" data-original-title="" title="">Billy Strayhorn's "Take the 'A' Train." When Saunders isn't turning heads, Ross is baring his assertive voice on "The Brite Side," "The Sound" (on which he is featured) and (with Saunders) on "After You've Gone" and "'A' Train Bossa."

That's not to suggest that Saunders and Ross comprise the whole package, as the entire orchestra is top-class and there are engaging solos elsewhere by pianist

Gary Mayone

keyboards

" data-original-title="" title="">Gary Mayone (four numbers),

Scott Klarman

saxophone, tenor

" data-original-title="" title="">Scott Klarman (alto sax on "After You've Gone," soprano on "Summertime"), tenor

Joe Mileti

saxophone, tenor

" data-original-title="" title="">Joe Mileti ("Maria"), baritone

Randy Emerick

saxophone, baritone

" data-original-title="" title="">Randy Emerick and guitarist

Luke Williams

guitar

" data-original-title="" title="">Luke Williams ("Fourth Dimension"). Summing up, Saunders and Ross are nourishing appetizers in a savory smorgasbord of big-band jazz securely anchored around the sharp compositions and arrangements of Lee Harris. Four stars for the enterprise as a whole and another half-star for the dynamic duo, Saunders and Ross.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Red Apple Sweet; Pure Imagination; After You��ve Gone, Finally; The Runner; Fourth Dimension; The Brite Side; The Sound; Summertime; Maria; ��A�� Train Bossa.

Personnel

Horizons Jazz Orchestra

band / ensemble / orchestra

Lee Harris

composer / conductor

Michael Balogh

trombone

Dennis Noday

trumpet

Ryan Chapman

trumpet

Jack Wengrosky

flugelhorn

Fernando Ferrarone

trumpet

Chaim Rubinov

trumpet

Carl Saunders

trumpet

Scott Klarman

saxophone, tenor

Mike Brignola

saxophone, baritone

Billy Ross

saxophone, tenor

Joe Mileti

saxophone, tenor

Randy Emerick

saxophone, baritone

Jason Pyle

trombone

Tom Lacy

trombone

Steven Mayer

trombone

Luke Williams

guitar

Gary Mayone

keyboards

Ranses Colon

bass

Jonathan Joseph

drums

George Mazzeo

drums

Additional Instrumentation

Jonathan Joseph, George Mazzeo: drums

Album information

Title: Plays the Music of Lee Harris: The Brite Side | Year Released: 2020 | Record Label: Self Produced

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