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Rob Parton's Ensemble 9+: Relentless

By Jack Bowers
September 4, 2024
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Rob Parton

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">Rob Parton, who once led the Chicago area's marvelous JazzTech big band, has since moved on to other pursuits, namely mentoring the next generation of jazz trumpeters at the stellar University of North Texas Jazz Lab in Denton. Having released eleven widely acclaimed albums with the JazzTech band, Parton has pared the lineup to nine (plus) on Relentless, enlisting the skills and talents of colleagues at UNT and drawing on the large talent pool of first-call musicians in the Dallas-Fort worth area. In all, seventeen world-class artists take part on various numbers, enhancing powerful arrangements by

Mike Tomaro

saxophone
b.1958

" data-original-title="" title="">Mike Tomaro,

Rich De Rosa

" data-original-title="" title="">Rich De Rosa,

Tom Matta

" data-original-title="" title="">Tom Matta and half a dozen others.

"Relentless" is an apt title, as that describes the ensemble's m.o. from the start, trumpeter

DJ Rice

trombone

" data-original-title="" title="">DJ Rice's dynamic "Open for Business," on which bassist

Lynn Seaton

bass
b.1957

" data-original-title="" title="">Lynn Seaton and drummer

Quincy Davis

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Quincy Davis lay down an unwavering foundation for blistering solos by tenor Shelley Carol, trumpeter

Chris VanLeeuwen

flugelhorn

" data-original-title="" title="">Chris VanLeeuwen and pianist

Fred Sanders

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Fred Sanders, plus a wordless vocal by

Rosanna Eckert

" data-original-title="" title="">Rosanna Eckert. Parton, an adaptable master who plays lead and jazz with equal aplomb, solos sharply on

Freddie Hubbard

trumpet
1938 - 2008

" data-original-title="" title="">Freddie Hubbard's Latin-leaning "Straight Life" (arranged by DeRosa) and delivers some high-note licks to ice the cake. The blues is next—

Billy Strayhorn

piano
1915 - 1967

" data-original-title="" title="">Billy Strayhorn's "Intimacy of the Blues"—and it's another another winner, deftly arranged by Matta and introduced by Seaton before the avidly swinging ensemble complements bright statements by Carol and trombonist

Rodney Booth

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">Rodney Booth who uses a plunger mute in the finest Ellington tradition.

Ariel Glassman

" data-original-title="" title="">Ariel Glassman wrote and scored the title track, yet another insistent crowd-pleaser on which Eckert adds a wordless vocal (and scats) while Parton and alto

Brad Leali

saxophone, alto

" data-original-title="" title="">Brad Leali add their impressive solo voices. Tomaro arranged (and is given composer's credit) for

Gil Fuller

b.1920

" data-original-title="" title="">Gil Fuller's bop-era swinger, "Ray's Idea," whose elastic soloists are Leali, Sanders, Davis and trombonist

Tony Baker

trombone

" data-original-title="" title="">Tony Baker. Ron Ruvio composed and arranged "Shorter Images," an enticing mid-tempo nod to the legendary saxophonist of that name (perceptive solos courtesy of Carol, Van Leeuwen and Sanders), which precedes Josh Cossette's seductive "Smoke and Mirrors," on which Carol, Van Leeuwen and Sanders shine again while Seaton ensures a steady pulse. The aforementioned

Wayne Shorter

saxophone
1933 - 2023

" data-original-title="" title="">Wayne Shorter wrote (and Tomaro arranged) "Ping Pong," an unbridled swinger with ample blowing room for Carol, Van Leeuwen and Sanders who share the honors for the third number in a row.

Alto

Mike Smith

saxophone
b.1938

" data-original-title="" title="">Mike Smith and Parton solo on the leader's luminous and warmhearted tribute to the late tenor saxophonist

Mark Colby

saxophone
1949 - 2020

" data-original-title="" title="">Mark Colby, for many years a standout in the JazzTech starting lineup, before the ensemble wraps the session with one more flag-waver, Augustine Alonso's buoyant "No Response," on which Carol, Leali, Parton and Booth share solo honors. Yes, Parton has moved on; and yes, this is not the JazzTech band of years gone by. But on Relentless, Parton and his new array of talented colleagues confirm beyond any doubt that Ensemble 9+ comes about as close to rekindling the expertise and excitement of the JazzTech years as one could envision.

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Track Listing

Open For Business; Straight Life; Intimacy of the Blues; Relentless; Ray's Idea; Shorter Images; Smoke and Mirrors; Ping Pong; Thank You Colby; No Response.

Personnel

Rob Parton

trumpet

Rob Parton's Ensemble 9+

band / ensemble / orchestra

Brad Leali

saxophone, alto

Shelley Carrol

saxophone, tenor

Rylan Villareal

saxophone, baritone

Chris VanLeeuwen

flugelhorn

Rodney Booth

trumpet

DJ Rice

trombone

Tony Baker

trombone

Lynn Seaton

bass

Guillermo Lopez

bass

Quincy Davis

drums

Steve Barnes

drums

Jordan Proffer

drums

Rosana Eckert

vocals

Album information

Title: Relentless | Year Released: 2024 | Record Label: Calligram Records

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