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Rodger Fox Big Band: You Gotta Know

By Jack Bowers
January 6, 2022
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As trombonist

Rodger Fox

trombone
b.1953

" data-original-title="" title="">Rodger Fox's superb New Zealand-based big band thunders toward its golden anniversary in 2023, the recordings keep coming. Here are two more, the first (Live) taped in October 2020 during what must have been a much longer concert at the Bruce Mason Centre in Auckland; the second, You Gotta Know, recorded that same year in Brooklyn, New York, following the band's appearance at the Jazz Education Network conference in New Orleans. The concert date features guest pianist Michael Houstoun, and its rather brief half-hour playing time includes a "bonus" track, "I Wish You Love," showcasing the ensemble's longtime vocalist,

Erna Ferry

vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Erna Ferry, backed by a quintet led by Fox and Houstoun. The studio date in Brooklyn encompasses nine selections and runs for twenty minutes longer than the Auckland concert.

In spite of their differences, the albums share one indispensable trait: Fox's formidable band blowing through a series of radiant charts that seem made to order for its animated and powerful approach to the task at hand. In Auckland, three of the four arrangements (and one composition) are by pianist

Bill Cunliffe

piano
b.1956

" data-original-title="" title="">Bill Cunliffe, a close friend of the band and sometime collaborator. The Auckland opener,

Gino Vannelli

" data-original-title="" title="">Gino Vannelli's picturesque "Storm at Sunup," so closely resembles the standard "You Don't Know What Love Is" that it's almost like hearing another arrangement of the Don Raye/Gene DePaul classic. Purely unintentional, it must be assumed. The tempo quickens midstream to accommodate ardent solos by Houstoun, Fox and trumpeter

James Guilford

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">James Guilford. Cunliffe's irrepressible "Warriors" is next, spotlighting Houstoun and electric keyboardist

Anita Schwabe

keyboards

" data-original-title="" title="">Anita Schwabe, after which Vannelli's assertive "Brother to Brother" closes the instrumental section behind sharp ensemble work and solos to match by Houstoun, tenor

Oscar Laven

saxophone, tenor

" data-original-title="" title="">Oscar Laven, trumpeter

Jack Harre

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">Jack Harre and drummer Lance Philip.

The band's Brooklyn date embodies nine original compositions, six instrumental, with Ferry adding her voice on the others. Three appear to have been written by members of the band: "New Tune" by bassist

Rory Macartney

bass, electric

" data-original-title="" title="">Rory Macartney; "Eat This" by trumpeter Mike Booth; and "No Doctor Required" by trombonist

Christopher Fox

trombone

" data-original-title="" title="">Christopher Fox. The carefree and swinging finale, "Sonny's Step," was composed and arranged by Grammy Award-winning pianist

Alan Broadbent

piano
b.1947

" data-original-title="" title="">Alan Broadbent, a New Zealand native who has been living in the U.S for many years. Macartney's sturdy "New Tune" leads off, using muscular solos by tenor Laven and baritone Wilson and vigorous timekeeping by Philip to set the stage for Booth's bright and appetizing "Eat This" (solos by Booth, Schwabe, Rodger Fox and alto

Bryn van Vliet

saxophone, alto

" data-original-title="" title="">Bryn van Vliet) and a pair of charmers by Callum Allardice ("The Disease," "Velvet Dreams Assured"). Tenor

Louisa Williamson

saxophone, alto

" data-original-title="" title="">Louisa Williamson, trumpeter

Ben Hunt

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">Ben Hunt and trombonist

Kaito Walley

trombone

" data-original-title="" title="">Kaito Walley solo on "The Disease," Wilson, Hunt and Schwabe on "Velvet Dreams." Ferry joins the band for the next three numbers: "Carry My Blues Away," "Sensitive to a Smile" and "You Gotta Know," doubling on harmonica on the first of them. Christopher Fox's well-grooved "No Doctor Required" includes engaging turns by trumpeter Guilford and alto

Frank Talbot

saxophone, tenor

" data-original-title="" title="">Frank Talbot, while Schwabe, Hunt, Laven and Philip are the bright-eyed soloists on "Sonny's Step."

Even though concise, Live generates the sort of excitement only an in-concert performance can, while You Gotta Know may lack the spontaneity and spirit of a live date but does present the Rodger Fox band at its roaring best.

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Track Listing

Live—Storm at Sunup; Warriors; Brother to Brother; I Wish You Love. You Gotta Know��New Tune; Eat This; The Disease; Velvet Dreams Assured; Carry My Blues Away; Sensitive to a Smile; You Gotta Know; No Doctor Required; Sonny��s Step.

Personnel

Rodger Fox

trombone

Additional Instrumentation

Michael Houstoun: piano; Ben Hunt, Jack Harre, James Guilford, Chris Selley: trumpet; Bryn van Vliet, Frank Talbot: alto sax; Oscar Laven, Louisa Williamson: tenor sax; Eilish Wilson: baritone sax; Christopher Fox, Kaito Walley, Damian Forlong, Kurt Gibson: trombone; Anita Schwabe: keyboards; Deane Hunter: guitar; Rory Macartney: bass; Lance Philip: drums. Guest vocalist��Erna Ferry (4). You Gotta Know��Rodger Fox: music director, trombone; Ben Hunt, Mike Booth, Jack Harre, James Guilford, Chris Selley: trumpet; Bryn van Vliet, Frank Talbot: alto sax; Oscar Laven, Louisa Williamson: tenor sax; Eilish Wilson: baritone sax; Christopher Fox, Kaito Walley, Damian Forlong, Kurt Gibson: trombone; Anita Schwabe: keyboards; Deane Hunter: guitar; Rory Macartney: bass; Lance Philip: drums, percussion.

Album information

Title: You Gotta Know | Year Released: 2021 | Record Label: TBone Records

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