Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Tim Hagans: The Avatar Sessions: The Music of Tim Hagans
Tim Hagans: The Avatar Sessions: The Music of Tim Hagans
Stan Kenton
piano1911 - 1979
Thad Jones
trumpet1923 - 1986
Maria Schneider
composer / conductor
Bob Mintzer
saxophoneb.1953
The Norbotten Big Band—with whom Hagans has collaborated since 1996— brilliantly brings his creations to life. When this group tours Europe they often invite guests along for the ride and Hagans often writes music specifically for the honored artist. In bringing trumpeter
Randy Brecker
trumpetb.1945
Peter Erskine
drumsb.1954
George Garzone
saxophone, tenorb.1950
Dave Liebman
saxophoneb.1946
Rufus Reid
bass, acousticb.1944
While the character of the music and the featured soloists change from track to track, Erskine's drumming is a key factor on many of the performances. On "Buckeyes," he manages to fill the gaps between the angular/broken riffs and provide some supportive swing, while still retaining some creative energy for soloing. Garzone and Hagans are featured prominently here and the wild, overlapping exchanges between all three men brings some organized chaos into the mix.
Hagans and Brecker heat things up on "Boo," as they team up or trade short little licks and solo bursts which are separated by a boogaloo/funk riff from the band. "Box of Cannoli" is full of different musical moods, including muted brass coloring, a focus on the piano trio—with some fine work from pianist Daniel Tilling—and some aggressive drum soloing. Hagans' harmonies seem to hang in the air on "Here With Me"—an expressive tune featuring Liebman on soprano saxophone.
"Palt Seanuts," a bop-inspired feast with trumpet and saxophone leading the charge, decompresses with some deep chords and angular bass licks before the parade of solos takes off. Erskine's solo comes last, and he appropriately ends his spot with a quote from
Dizzy Gillespie
trumpet1917 - 1993
With The Avatar Sessions, Hagans manages to synthesize his lifelong big band experiences to create something new, showcasing the A-list jazz guests on an album that also highlight the impressive talents of the Norbotten Big Band.
">Track Listing
Music Composed & Arranged by TIM HAGANS Tracks: Movement I 14:46 Movement II 12:01 Movement III 12:51 Movement IV 16:16 Movement V 11:50
Personnel
Tim Hagans
trumpetTIM HAGANS, composer, arranger, conductor, trumpet (Solo on Movements III, IV & V) Ensemble I: FIETE FELSCH, lead alto saxophone, flute (solo Movement IV) FRANK DELLE, tenor saxophone, clarinet INGOLF BURKHARDT, trumpet, flugelhorn STEVE WISEMAN, trumpet, flugelhorn CLAUS ST?TTER, trumpet, flugelhorn (solo Movement III) KLAUS HEIDENREICH, trombone (solo Movement V) Ensemble II: PETER BOLTE, alto & soprano saxophone (solo Movement III) STEPHEN MEINBERG, trumpet, flugelhorn (solo Movement III) DAN GOTTSHALL, lead trombone (solo Movement III) DANIEL BUCH, baritone saxophone, bass clarinet (solo Movement II & III) Ensemble III: CHRISTOF LAUER, tenor saxophone THORSTEN BENKENSTEIN, lead trumpet, flugelhorn STEFAN LOTTERMAN, trombone (solo Movement III) INGO LAHME, bass trombone Ensemble IV JUKKIS UOTILA, drums ED HARRIS, guitar INGMAR HELLER, acoustic bass (solo Movement II) VLADYSLAV SENDECKI, piano (solo Movement I) MARCIO DOCTOR, percussion (solo Movement IV) HR?LFUR VAGNSSON, Sound Design & Editing RUDOLF GROSSER, Sound Engineer Producers for NDR: AXEL D?RR, STEFAN GERDES Recorded September 25 - 29, 2017 at Hamburg, NDR Studio 1 Painting on cover by PETER JOSYPH
Album information
Title: A Conversation | Year Released: 2021 | Record Label: Waiting Moon Records
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