WEST MUSIC CLUB JAZZ BIG BAND - Natural
CD & DVD
Igloo IGL 247
Collective personnel:
Luc Jaivenois ( tpt ) Jaak Govaere ( tpt ) Marie-Anne Standaert ( tpt ) Massimo Staquet ( tpt ) Maxime Van Heghe ( tpt ) Fred Parmentier ( tmb ) Didier Bonte ( tmb ) Jean -Pierre Pottiez ( tmb ) Jean-Rene Doumont ( tmb ) Johan Van Coppenolle ( tmb ) Francis De Vilder ( tmb ) Thomas Dewattripont ( alto ) Thomas Van Ingelgem ( alto ) Julien Cuvelier ( alto ) Jessica Themelin( alto ) Stephane Letot ( tnr ) Gerard Mourin ( tnr ) Bernard Dezutter ( tnr ) Amaud Dupire ( tnr / clt) Jean-Paul Doncq ( bar ) Isabelle Guerin ( flutes ) Jean Francois Hanoteau( gtr ) Xavier Bouillon ( pno ) Gilles Carlier ( pno ) Alain Dhamen( bass ) Philippe Thomas
( bass ) Thomas Pechot el.bass ) David Demuynck ( drs ) Chrystel Waterier ( vocals ) Julie Dumilieu ( vocals ) Chris Simon ( vocals ) Richard Rousselet ( conductor )
Recorded Brussels, March 2012
The West Music jazz big band would appear to be based in Belgium were formed in 1969 and in 2014 celebrate their forty five years in the business. Richard Rousselet the musical director of the band for the past twenty five years, although they looking for and pursuing new trends in the music they respect and actively follow the big band tradition. The band is focused on talent with the age range from aged sixteen to ninety two.
This album follows both aspects of their brief with new compositions whilst covering the more traditional numbers but all delivered with a modern approach.
The first numbers “Winding Way” and “Ride the Wind” are newer compositions and have a modern feel without being avant garde, the former is an up tempo number with plenty of room for the soloists to develop their solos with Stephane Lelot taking the honours on tenor. “Ride the Wind” is slower with a passionate solo by Thomas Dewattripont on alto. Both numbers have interesting interjections by the band.
There are for vocal numbers, “Gone with the Wind”, “The Summer Wind”, “Come Rain or Come Shine” and “Blue Moon” and whilst all three vocalists are adequate there is nothing to set the vocal world alight, it is the backing from the band band that proves most interesting.
T he Lennie Niehaus arrangement of “The End of a Love Affair” provides the perfect backdrop for the impassioned alto of Thomas Van Ingelgem. The inspiration for Fred Parmentier’s fine trombone solo on “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” must be Bill Russo’s magnificent arrangement.
It is Isabelle Guerin playing alto flute that takes the honours on “Sometime Ago” closely followed by a well thought out piano solo by Gilles Carlier.
An whole array of soloists are given a chance to say their piece on “Spring Wind” but is the section work which is the main interest on this number.
“After Supper” is not a slavish copy of the Count Basie version but the band has something of it’s own to contribute and Xavier Bouillon’s piano solo is all his own and provides a fitting finale to the album.
This is an outstanding big band album and the only drawback is the fact that all the notes are in French.
The same can be said of the accompanying DVD which an interesting insight into the recording of the album but all the interviews with the musicians are in French.
These comments aside this is a big band album which would grace a collection.
Reviewed by Roy Booth
CD & DVD
Igloo IGL 247
Collective personnel:
Luc Jaivenois ( tpt ) Jaak Govaere ( tpt ) Marie-Anne Standaert ( tpt ) Massimo Staquet ( tpt ) Maxime Van Heghe ( tpt ) Fred Parmentier ( tmb ) Didier Bonte ( tmb ) Jean -Pierre Pottiez ( tmb ) Jean-Rene Doumont ( tmb ) Johan Van Coppenolle ( tmb ) Francis De Vilder ( tmb ) Thomas Dewattripont ( alto ) Thomas Van Ingelgem ( alto ) Julien Cuvelier ( alto ) Jessica Themelin( alto ) Stephane Letot ( tnr ) Gerard Mourin ( tnr ) Bernard Dezutter ( tnr ) Amaud Dupire ( tnr / clt) Jean-Paul Doncq ( bar ) Isabelle Guerin ( flutes ) Jean Francois Hanoteau( gtr ) Xavier Bouillon ( pno ) Gilles Carlier ( pno ) Alain Dhamen( bass ) Philippe Thomas
( bass ) Thomas Pechot el.bass ) David Demuynck ( drs ) Chrystel Waterier ( vocals ) Julie Dumilieu ( vocals ) Chris Simon ( vocals ) Richard Rousselet ( conductor )
Recorded Brussels, March 2012
The West Music jazz big band would appear to be based in Belgium were formed in 1969 and in 2014 celebrate their forty five years in the business. Richard Rousselet the musical director of the band for the past twenty five years, although they looking for and pursuing new trends in the music they respect and actively follow the big band tradition. The band is focused on talent with the age range from aged sixteen to ninety two.
This album follows both aspects of their brief with new compositions whilst covering the more traditional numbers but all delivered with a modern approach.
The first numbers “Winding Way” and “Ride the Wind” are newer compositions and have a modern feel without being avant garde, the former is an up tempo number with plenty of room for the soloists to develop their solos with Stephane Lelot taking the honours on tenor. “Ride the Wind” is slower with a passionate solo by Thomas Dewattripont on alto. Both numbers have interesting interjections by the band.
There are for vocal numbers, “Gone with the Wind”, “The Summer Wind”, “Come Rain or Come Shine” and “Blue Moon” and whilst all three vocalists are adequate there is nothing to set the vocal world alight, it is the backing from the band band that proves most interesting.
T he Lennie Niehaus arrangement of “The End of a Love Affair” provides the perfect backdrop for the impassioned alto of Thomas Van Ingelgem. The inspiration for Fred Parmentier’s fine trombone solo on “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” must be Bill Russo’s magnificent arrangement.
It is Isabelle Guerin playing alto flute that takes the honours on “Sometime Ago” closely followed by a well thought out piano solo by Gilles Carlier.
An whole array of soloists are given a chance to say their piece on “Spring Wind” but is the section work which is the main interest on this number.
“After Supper” is not a slavish copy of the Count Basie version but the band has something of it’s own to contribute and Xavier Bouillon’s piano solo is all his own and provides a fitting finale to the album.
This is an outstanding big band album and the only drawback is the fact that all the notes are in French.
The same can be said of the accompanying DVD which an interesting insight into the recording of the album but all the interviews with the musicians are in French.
These comments aside this is a big band album which would grace a collection.
Reviewed by Roy Booth
