Stellar trombonist, composer, and leader Dave Eshelman continues to bring the best of modern big band arrangements to the attention of the jazz public with his
Jazz Garden Big Band. In their 16th year when this album was cut in 1991, the band is home to top California studio and performing jazz artists. One hears in this aggregation touches of
Stan Kenton (in the voicing) on such cuts as "Mystique" and the modernism of
Gil Evans on other tracks such as "Original Rays," where the band is augmented by a French horn, bassoon, tuba, and oboe, recalling
Evans' days as arranger for
Claude Thornhill. Not only is the ensemble playing extraordinary, but the solos test the imagination and technical skills of each player who's put front and center. Showing no reluctance to let another trombonist share the spotlight, Eshelman has Dave Martell out front on
Cedar Walton's "Firm Roots." Pianist Susan Muscarella also has a lot to say on the track. The play list brings out the diversity of the arrangements. "When Dreams Come True," featuring the daring tenor of
Daniel Zinn, written as a sonata, shows another aspect of Eshelman's composing and arranging. A slightly swinging "Love You Madly" has the nicely modulated flugelhorn of Steve Campos taking the lead, while the standard "Old Folks" gets a fresh coat of paint with Eshelman's a cappella trombone wielding the brush. Irrespective of tracks, all the music has a modern quality to it, which means there is some dissonance, off-center harmonics, and contemporary ideas reflected in the arrangements.
The Jazz Garden Big Band must be considered a leader in the formation and presentation of big band music in the modern creative vein. Recommended. ~ Dave Nathan