Manhattan Jazz Orchestra

Over a seven-year period, New York City jazz pianist, arranger, and composer David Matthews assembled the city's top-notch session players from the modern neo-bop scene, put out one CD per year on the Japanese Video Arts label, and played in concert on occasion when the all-stars were not involved in their own projects. This happened after the passing of Gil Evans, who employed many of these musicians, and also followed the death of the 7th Avenue scene buoyed by the Brecker Brothers. This CD is a compilation of nine cuts from those recordings, ranging in scope from older material rearranged by Matthews of Louis Prima, Duke Ellington, and jazz standards to Weather Report, Brecker-style skunk funk, and jazz adaptations of Bach. The soloists, most notably trumpeters Lew Soloff and Randy Brecker and alto saxophonist Chris Hunter, are amazing, and the punchy charts resonate as somewhat challenging due to Matthews' talent. While the music is inspired by Gil Evans, it is not as original as Evans; peers Mike Gibbs, Maria Schneider, and Carla Bley; or the older Toshiko Akiyoshi. In fact, because it is so contemporary, it might very well come across as clichéd. Of the participants, only trombonist John Fedchock has attempted to lead his own jazz orchestra, and has done it quite well. This will be a curiosity for most, in perception an afterthought, with too many cooks spoiling the broth for some -- yet perhaps the CD will be a revelation for fans of these peerless musicians. Still, one yearns for the original music of Matthews to come back to the forefront as it did in the '70s, as an alternative to songs that have been done to death. ~ Michael G. Nastos, All Music Guide