Drawing as it does upon students and graduates of the University of North Texas, this band constantly undergoes change. Over the years, many of the musicians have gone on to careers in the dwindling number of name bands, bringing to them high standards of musicianship as well as the verve they demonstrated while still at UNT.
Listening to this latest edition of the One O’Clock Lab Band it is clear that there are constants. The UNT has been at the forefront of big band musical education for around 70 years and over these decades has provided instrumentalists and writers notable for very high standards of playing and writing.
On the first track, by Victor Lewis, the sections play with bite and precision, driven along by arranger Sturnino; “The Rhythm of the Road”, composed and arranged by Moore, features solos by Woodbury, Bellaire, and Sturino; Chris Potter’s “Train” is arranged by Moore and has solo space for himself and Pinilla; “Blues for Kazo”, composed and arranged by Moore, has an effective solo by Tanaka with Reyes lending a ruminative touch; “Without a Doubt”, a Baylock composition, has fine work from Cousineau on alto; Woodbury’s chart for Heitor Villa-Lobos’s “Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5” is a feature for fellow trombonist Rice; Powers delivers a charming interpretation of Billy Strayhorn’s “A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing”; composed by Rich DeRosa, “Birds Of A Feather…”, has a Lees solo that contrasts strikingly with the roar of the band; another of Moore’s charts, the John Coltrane piece, closes this rousing set, the gentle last notes coming from Reyes.
The future of big band jazz is in good hands.
Discography
Hey, It’s Me You’re Talkin’ To; The Rhythm of the Road; Train; Blues for Kazu; A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing; Birds of a Feather…; Without a Doubt; Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5; After The Rain (65.53)
Alan Baylock (md); Nick Owsik, Adam Horne, Huang-Hsiang Chang, Kazunori Tanaka, Gregory Newman (t); Brian Woodbury, DJ Rice, Brett Lamel (tb), Tommy Barttels, Kenny Davis (btb); Kyle Bellaire (as, ss, cl, f), Sam Cousineau (as, cl), Brandon Moore, Will Nathman (ts, cl), Brendon Wilkins (bar, bcl, f); Paul Lees (p, kyb); Daniel Pinilla (g); Raul Reyes (b); John Sturino (d, pc); Marion Powers (v).
North Texas Jazz LA1801-AB
