DANISH RADIO BIG BAND - Charlie Watts Meets The Danish Radio Big Band
Impulse Records
Anders Gustafsson (tpt) Gerard Presencer (fh) Uffe Markussen (ten) Lars Meller (ten) Nicolia Schultz ( alt,flt) Pemille Bevort (alt, sop) Vincent Nilsson (trom) Peter Jensen (trom) Steen Nikolaj Hansen (trom) Per Gade (gtr) Steen Ramussen (pno, rhodes) Dave Green (bs) Kaspar Vadsholt (bs) Charlie Watts (drs) Soren Frost (drs) with possibly others unknown.
The Danish Radio Big Band that was established in 1964 has had a major presence in the European jazz scene for many years and has worked under the direction of such luminaries as Thad Jones, Bob Brookmeyer and Palle Mikkleborg. Based in Copenhagen the band are always in demand with their wide ranging repertoire and are due very soon to give concerts as diverse as an Ella Fitzgerald tribute and the rise of "Indie" music. Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts lived in Denmark during the early sixties and was heavily involved in the Jazz and Blues scene before the Stones became famous. UK trumpet star Gerard Presencer joined the DRBB in 2009 and received a phone call from Charlie Watts inquiring " If There were any opportunities to gig or record with the band." This led to four days of rehearsals and on the fifth day a concert in the National Concert Hall Of Denmark which was broadcast on Danish National Radio. It was not until 2016, when listening back to the recording that the British trumpet man realised what a great album the live concert would make.
On the 2010 date the band was led and conducted by Gerard Presencer, featured Charlie Watts and included a third Englishman, bass man Dave Green. Of the seven tracks on offer three are from the Mick Jagger/ Keith Richards writing team and all but one benefit from the superb arranging skills of the leader and conductor. The major work of the recording, "The Elvin Suite" parts one and two take up fifteen of the fifty two minutes and is a perfect example of subtlety of approach and changing tempo's as the trumpet of Anders Gustafsson and Vince Nelson's trombone hold the theme in part one while Dave Green and the Fender Rhodes of Steen Rasmussen take the improvised solo's. As one segues into two Uffe Markussen takes center stage as the pace picks up his tenor swirls and honks remorselessly in a cliche free extended solo. As all this is going on Charlie Watts remains ahead of the game, shading the soloists with exquisite brushwork where appropriate and becoming the driving force whenever needed. So outstanding is The Elvin Suite, that it would be easy to set aside some of the other gems here. That would be wrong as the whole album is more than worthy of concentrated listening. "Faction" which is in fact Satisfaction from an early Stones release, is taken at medium tempo and features the leaders flugel horn and Lars Meller's tenor and fully lives up to it's title. The Axel Stordahl, Paul Weston, Sammy Cahn standard "I Should Care" does not give up all it's secrets instantly, the theme being well hidden before the leader and Nikolaj Hansen's trombone come to the fore. Per Gade's guitar is outstanding on the Stones "Paint It Black" taken at mid tempo with once again a telling contribution from the leaders horn. The album finally roars out with Woody Herman's original chart of the Joe Newman piece "Molasses." For this an additional bass and drums are added to the mix as Nicoli Schultz and Lars Mellor take the reed solo's and Charlie himself punishes the bass drum as the recording hurtles to it's conclusion.
This album is certainly out of the top drawer, perhaps there will be no better example of the art of the contemporary Big Band any time soon?
Reviewed by Jim Burlong
Impulse Records
Anders Gustafsson (tpt) Gerard Presencer (fh) Uffe Markussen (ten) Lars Meller (ten) Nicolia Schultz ( alt,flt) Pemille Bevort (alt, sop) Vincent Nilsson (trom) Peter Jensen (trom) Steen Nikolaj Hansen (trom) Per Gade (gtr) Steen Ramussen (pno, rhodes) Dave Green (bs) Kaspar Vadsholt (bs) Charlie Watts (drs) Soren Frost (drs) with possibly others unknown.
The Danish Radio Big Band that was established in 1964 has had a major presence in the European jazz scene for many years and has worked under the direction of such luminaries as Thad Jones, Bob Brookmeyer and Palle Mikkleborg. Based in Copenhagen the band are always in demand with their wide ranging repertoire and are due very soon to give concerts as diverse as an Ella Fitzgerald tribute and the rise of "Indie" music. Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts lived in Denmark during the early sixties and was heavily involved in the Jazz and Blues scene before the Stones became famous. UK trumpet star Gerard Presencer joined the DRBB in 2009 and received a phone call from Charlie Watts inquiring " If There were any opportunities to gig or record with the band." This led to four days of rehearsals and on the fifth day a concert in the National Concert Hall Of Denmark which was broadcast on Danish National Radio. It was not until 2016, when listening back to the recording that the British trumpet man realised what a great album the live concert would make.
On the 2010 date the band was led and conducted by Gerard Presencer, featured Charlie Watts and included a third Englishman, bass man Dave Green. Of the seven tracks on offer three are from the Mick Jagger/ Keith Richards writing team and all but one benefit from the superb arranging skills of the leader and conductor. The major work of the recording, "The Elvin Suite" parts one and two take up fifteen of the fifty two minutes and is a perfect example of subtlety of approach and changing tempo's as the trumpet of Anders Gustafsson and Vince Nelson's trombone hold the theme in part one while Dave Green and the Fender Rhodes of Steen Rasmussen take the improvised solo's. As one segues into two Uffe Markussen takes center stage as the pace picks up his tenor swirls and honks remorselessly in a cliche free extended solo. As all this is going on Charlie Watts remains ahead of the game, shading the soloists with exquisite brushwork where appropriate and becoming the driving force whenever needed. So outstanding is The Elvin Suite, that it would be easy to set aside some of the other gems here. That would be wrong as the whole album is more than worthy of concentrated listening. "Faction" which is in fact Satisfaction from an early Stones release, is taken at medium tempo and features the leaders flugel horn and Lars Meller's tenor and fully lives up to it's title. The Axel Stordahl, Paul Weston, Sammy Cahn standard "I Should Care" does not give up all it's secrets instantly, the theme being well hidden before the leader and Nikolaj Hansen's trombone come to the fore. Per Gade's guitar is outstanding on the Stones "Paint It Black" taken at mid tempo with once again a telling contribution from the leaders horn. The album finally roars out with Woody Herman's original chart of the Joe Newman piece "Molasses." For this an additional bass and drums are added to the mix as Nicoli Schultz and Lars Mellor take the reed solo's and Charlie himself punishes the bass drum as the recording hurtles to it's conclusion.
This album is certainly out of the top drawer, perhaps there will be no better example of the art of the contemporary Big Band any time soon?
Reviewed by Jim Burlong
