{"id":4532,"date":"2014-01-01T22:21:10","date_gmt":"2014-01-01T22:21:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jazzusa.com\/david-matthews-the-manhattan-jazz-orchestra-hey-duke\/"},"modified":"2011-01-01T22:21:10","modified_gmt":"2011-01-01T22:21:10","slug":"david-matthews-the-manhattan-jazz-orchestra-hey-duke","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jazzusa.com\/?p=4532","title":{"rendered":"David Matthews & The Manhattan Jazz Orchestra – Hey Duke"},"content":{"rendered":"

David Matthews & The Manhattan Jazz Orchestra
<\/font>\"DavidHey Duke<\/font><\/b>
(Milestone – 2002)
by John Barrett
<\/font>
For any arranger, the task is daunting: the tunes are all standards, and require more than the standard treatment. It is difficult to score them differently than Duke, while remaining respectful to his legacy – these are the shoes David Matthews has to fill. An arranger for thirty years (including a stint with James Brown), his charts are a model of dynamics, from soft interplay to raucous roars. <\/p>\n

Take the intro to “It Don’t Mean a Thing”: a wave of eruptive brass yields to a single alto. The “doo-wahs” are done by muted trombones, as French horns and tuba growl below them. It sounds like a Maynard Ferguson chart until the soprano solo – Aaron Heick warbles up high, backed by Terry Silverlight’s hard cymbals. The brass appears for a block-riff … like Dolphy’s work on Africa\/Brass. Ryan Kisor’s solo is mellow perfection, a group of reeds toodle along, and here comes Chris Hunter, an alto with intensity. (He sounds like Johnny Griffin on a smaller horn!) The shout chorus is more like a shriek, and then it ends – all this in just seven minutes. Matthews felt so strongly for this performance that he chose it to lead the disc. You will not disagree. <\/p>\n

The Manhattan Jazz Orchestra is sixteen strong, all major figures on the New York scene. (Many have past big band experience: Jim Pugh with Woody Herman, Kisor with the Lincoln Center band.) “Prelude to a Kiss” has its theme stated en masse, with all contributing in ways hard to describe. (It reminds you of what Andre Previn said: “Duke raises a finger, three horns make a sound, and I don’t know what it is!”) Out of this fog comes Lew Soloff – winsome, soft, and lovable. Some of the chart is too strident, but the best moments are gold, like Heick’s happy turn and Lew’s second effort. <\/p>\n

“Mood Indigo” is too funky for my taste, though Soloff’s mute is a thing of beauty; better is “Come Sunday”, with a deep bed of woodwinds and an operatic vocal by Christine Sperry, who is absolutely delightful. (She almost sounds like Snow White!) Behind her is a sleek, Hefti-like chart; Soloff takes the solo with rough-hewn grace. This beauty is real, and will take many listens to fully appreciate. As we’ve known for eight decades, Ellington’s work is a feast for arrangers, as well as musicians. <\/p>\n

“Satin Doll” slinks along, on a thick bed of harmony; sometimes it slides and sometimes it swaggers. Kisor has the best of the solos, and Heick has his moments. It gets a bit busy at times; that is fixed by the ending, which is soft and warm. The lone Matthews composition, “Song for Edward”, is dedicated to Ellington: Hunter lays an easy groove, while all is lush around him. A smooth-jazz sort of lick, it’s fun to hear the full band roar through something this gentle. The mid-section is ecstatic, and the end, where Hunter is swarmed by muted horns, is a special moment. <\/p>\n

“Cotton Tail” is the expected jam session (Kisor has the mute this time, for a crackling sound) with a great brass riff in the middle. This rivals “Don’t Mean a Thing” as Matthews’ best arrangement – and that is saying something. Roger Rosenberg’s bass clarinet glows strong for “Sentimental Mood”, which is also how Soloff plays it. He is elegant and lowdown in the same solo; the backing is all sparkle. Matthews has his lone solo (on piano), and the track has the glow of this velvet. A classy job all the way; this is where the past and the present pay respect to the Duke. <\/font> \t <\/body><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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