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Joe McCarthy's Afro Bop Alliance Big Band: The Pan American Nutcracker Suite

By Richard J Salvucci
September 29, 2022
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Joe McCarthy's Afro Bop Alliance Big Band: The Pan American Nutcracker Suite

"The Nutcracker" is a holiday staple and, as many musical and dance companies around the United States and Europe will tell you, thank Heaven for it. The musicians and performers may eventually lose their sanity from repeat performances, but the ballet is a money-maker as sure as holiday sales generate commercial profits for retailers. Besides, someone is inevitably hearing it for the first time, and children—even some adults—seem to enjoy it.

This year, the season starts early with The Pan American Nutcracker Suite. The many people who did not know that

Duke Ellington

piano
1899 - 1974

" data-original-title="" title="">Duke Ellington and

Billy Strayhorn

piano
1915 - 1967

" data-original-title="" title="">Billy Strayhorn had done a jazz take on the music in 1960, need not worry. It is never too late to learn. And once they do, there will be some context in which to place

Joe McCarthy

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Joe McCarthy and

Vince Norman

composer / conductor

" data-original-title="" title="">Vince Norman's 2022 return to the original source, performed by the New York Afro Bop Alliance Big Band. Ellington and his orchestra swung the thing like mad—what a pleasant surprise—much more successfully than, say,

Billy May

composer / conductor
1916 - 2004

" data-original-title="" title="">Billy May did with his forays into classical music. Anyone going there again has to match

Ray Nance

cornet
1913 - 1976

" data-original-title="" title="">Ray Nance,

Jimmy Hamilton

percussion
1917 - 1994

" data-original-title="" title="">Jimmy Hamilton,

Sam Woodyard

drums
1925 - 1988

" data-original-title="" title="">Sam Woodyard and the rest for solo space, which must be intimidating, not to mention Ellington and Strayhorn's distinctive riffs, licks, and signature harmonies.

So how does the Afro Bop Alliance Big Band do? Well, just fine. Terrific, really.

This is not a rehash or an update. McCarthy goes Afro-Latin, and as the drummer, he moves it. Right off the bat, there is a thoroughly modern solo on trumpet by

Alex Norris

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">Alex Norris on the "Overture." How hip is the "March?" Anyone finding themself grinning with pleasure will surely not be alone. Originality and excitement aplenty, with solos by

Luis Perdomo

piano
b.1971

" data-original-title="" title="">Luis Perdomo and

Ben Kono

saxophone, tenor
b.1967

" data-original-title="" title="">Ben Kono. Nothing stuffy or mannered here. "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" is a cha-cha, really, and the interaction of the trombone and trumpet sections is nothing if not a rollicking introduction into solos by

Frank Basile

saxophone, baritone
b.1978

" data-original-title="" title="">Frank Basile,

Ryan Keberle

trombone
b.1980

" data-original-title="" title="">Ryan Keberle, and

Alejandro Aviles

saxophone, alto
b.1976

" data-original-title="" title="">Alejandro Aviles. It is not easy to describe the overall effect of a Latin groove on Tchaikovsky, but it works, and unselfconsciously, too. "The Waltz of the Flowers" is a Venezuela joropo with Vinny Valentino and Ben Kono featured. The playing is joyfully tight.

The only problem with this performance is that it leaves one hanging, wishing for more. There are probably people who think nothing could induce them to listen to any version of "The Nutcracker." For sure, this is very much worth a holiday screening. Yes, many people have a Christmas album, but this one is distinctive, different, and delightful. And a worthy successor to Ellington and Strayhorn.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Overture; March; Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy; Trepak; Arabian Dance; Chinese Dance; Dance of the Reed Flutes; Waltz of the Flowers.

Personnel

Joe McCarthy

drums

Boris Kozlov

bass, acoustic

Luis Perdomo

piano

Samuel Torres

percussion

Vinny Valentino

guitar

Andrew Gould

saxophone

Alejandro Aviles

saxophone, alto

Ben Kono

saxophone, tenor

Luis Hernandez

saxophone, tenor

Frank Basile

saxophone, baritone

Nick Marchione

trumpet

John Chudoba

trumpet

Brandon Lee

trumpet

Alex Norris

trumpet

Mark Patterson

trombone

Ryan Keberle

trombone

John Yao

trombone

James Borowski

trombone, bass

Vince Norman

composer / conductor

Album information

Title: The Pan American Nutcracker Suite | Year Released: 2022 | Record Label: Angel Face Records

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