The phrase "German swing" may still cause a few hairs to stand up on the back of the neck, but this competent release is more the product of African-British conductor Wayne Marshall than of the massed forces of the venerable
Dresden Philharmonic (strings only) and the
Southwest German Radio Big Band ("one of the best big bands in the world," the booklet proclaims in German; the English offers the slightly more defensive "without doubt one of the best big bands in the world"). Marshall, who has been active as a conductor, pianist, and organist, has delivered several unorthodox but intriguing readings of
Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. He favors a quick, unsentimental approach that makes much of the small details in the work's transitions, and he finds an unexpected variety of them. The other two works on the album are much less familiar and are designed to take advantge specifically of the combined forces of orchestra and jazz band. The unknown "
Nestico" appearing on the cover next to
Gershwin and
Ellington is
Sammy Nestico, who worked with
Count Basie and later published large numbers of arrangements for school groups in a variety of configurations. A Swingphonic Collection is a septet of popular song arrangements, and they're delightful: the balance among tune, band, and orchestra is expertly handled, with each contributing its distinctive self without weighing the music down. Perhaps the weak point is
Ellington's Harlem, a suite from the year 1950 presented here in its usually performed version by Maurice Peress. The work's history is an involved one, and it was apparently included because of the album's crossover theme; the work was commissioned by, of all people, the octogenarian
Arturo Toscanini, and premiered by the
NBC Symphony. But it has been recorded a number of times before, and there are other extended works by
Ellington that might have served as well or better. A major plus is Southwest German Radio's live sound, which hits just the right brassy, brash note. Worthwhile for aficionados of symphonic jazz and its influence in Europe. ~ James Manheim