Virginia Commonwealth University

Jazz Orchestra I, directed by Antonio García
Soloists: Shang-Cheng Lin (piano), John Lilley and Jason Arce (tenors), Devonne Harris (drums)
Composer: Sammy Nestico
Description: After Shang-Cheng Lin’s piano solo and the full band, the solo break goes to John Lilley, followed by Jason Arce, and then trading. This composition was written by Sammy Nestico in 1970 for the Count Basie Band, then performed later by the Buddy Rich Band. In his book, Sammy tells of how Buddy heard the chart in rehearsal, then sat down and played it as if he’d known it all his life — not bad for not reading music, of course!
Recorded live at the Midwest Clinic, Chicago, Ill., Dec. 19, 2007.

Jazz Orchestra I, directed by Antonio García
Soloists: Alex Powers and Andrew Horton (trombones), Karl Morse (guitar), Rob Quallich (trumpet), Devonne Harris (timbales)
Composer: Ray Santos
Arrangement: Antonio García
Description: Alex Powers starts the soloing, then Andrew Horton, then trading between them. Some years ago there was a great movie made called “The Mambo Kings,” based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book, “The Mambo Kings Sing Songs of Love.” The movie starred Armand Assante and Antonio Banderas and featured a lot of great Latin music, including appearances by Celia Cruz and Tito Puente. García arranged this piece off of the soundtrack CD; it starts in 3-2 son clave, later shifts to 2-3 and then back and forth.
Recorded live at the Midwest Clinic, Chicago, Ill., Dec. 19, 2007.

Jazz Orchestra I, directed by Antonio García
Soloists: Rob Quallich and Marcus Tenney (trumpets), David Ashby (bass), John Lilley (tenor)
Composer: Charles Mingus
Arrangement: Sy Johnson
Description: This track comes from the remarkable album by Charles Mingus in 1972 titled “Let My Children Hear Music,” which featured a number of extended compositions for jazz orchestra. In fact, seven years later, when Mingus was on his deathbed, he wrote arranger Sy Johnson that he felt it was the best album he had ever made. There are many musical treats within this piece, including that it is based on a 15-measure fugue, an uncommon style in jazz. That means that Mingus presents a layer of melody, then layers a countermelody over that, and then another and it’s all quite graceful. Rob Quallich has the opening role and after things get rolling, you’ll hear some swing and waltz soloing from trumpeter Marcus Tenney.
Recorded live at the Midwest Clinic, Chicago, Ill., Dec. 19, 2007.

Jazz Orchestra I, directed by Antonio García
Soloists: Karl Morse (guitar), Steve Wilson (soprano)
Composer: Steve Wilson
Arrangement: Bill Mobley
Description: The title track starts with a brass chorale, very plaintive. The melody later enters with a duo of Steve Wilson (soprano sax) and Jared Broussard (flugelhorn). The title refers to the musical contributions of pianist James Williams, who had passed away all too young. This year marked an anniversary of sorts — it has been 20 years since Steve Wilson left Richmond, Va., for the bright lights of New York City. His career has been exceptional and already at his young age he has performed and recorded with many of the legends and young lions of jazz. He’s returned to VCU many times since as a guest artist, helping students in workshops, rehearsals and private lessons and it was simply great to have him back for this recording.
Recorded live at the Midwest Clinic, Chicago, Ill., Dec. 19, 2007.

Jazz Orchestra I, directed by Antonio García
Soloists: Jon Gibson (alto), Marcus Tenney (trumpet), Wycliffe Gordon (trombone)
Composer: Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Al Jackson Jr., and Lewis Steinberg
Arrangement: Roy Phillippe
Description: The name Booker T. and the MG’s may not mean much to the average person on the street; but they epitomized “The Memphis Sound” at Stax Records. It all started when young keyboardist Booker T. Jones and a couple of other musicians were backing up a recording session for a pop singer in 1962. The pop singer took a break, and the rhythm section decided to cut a side as an instrumental. So they recorded a new piece, titled “Behave Yourself,” and they thought they had a hit in the making. They worked out a blues song for the B-side and came up with the name “Green Onions,” because they figured that sounded like a funky-enough title. “Green Onions” became the smash hit and their sound was so popular that they recorded together for the rest of the 1960s, appearing on more than 600 recordings, including 10 albums of their own. To assist with this recording was simply one of the world’s finest trombonists of any genre, someone as much respected by the classical players of the instrument as the jazz players — Wycliffe Gordon.
Recorded live at the Midwest Clinic, Chicago, Ill., Dec. 19, 2007.

Jazz Orchestra I, directed by Antonio García
Soloist: Jon Gibson (alto)
Composer: Oliver Nelson
Description:
Composer and saxophonist Oliver Nelson wrote a lot of music during his life, much of it expressing his views regarding the turmoil that surrounded him in the 1960s: wars, assassinations, the space race, civil rights and more. In 1969 he recorded an album called “Black, Brown and Beautiful” that is simply an amazing collection of compositions. He soloed on alto sax with a string orchestra, but a re-release of the tune soon after featured the legendary Johnny Hodges on alto with a big band arrangement based on the orchestra version. This recording features the big band arrangement and lead alto saxophonist Jonathan Gibson.
Recorded live at the Midwest Clinic, Chicago, Ill., Dec. 19, 2007.

Small Jazz Ensemble
Soloists: Karl Morse (guitar), Marcus Tenney (trumpet), Jon Gibson (alto), John Lilley (tenor), Devonne Harris (drums)
Composer: Bobby Hutcherson
Arrangement: Tony Martucci
Description: This track features a small group of students that performed at the Midwest Clinic. Combos and small groups are an important part of jazz history and style and are extremely important at VCU, which has a very busy small jazz ensembles program. This arrangement is by Tony Martucci, VCU drum set professor, who leads the ensemble.
Recorded live at the Midwest Clinic, Chicago, Ill., Dec. 19, 2007.

Jazz Orchestra I, directed by Antonio García
Soloists: Rex Richardson (trumpet), Wycliffe Gordon (trombone), Steve Wilson (alto), Devonne Harris (drums)
Composer: Woody Shaw
Arrangement: Taylor Barnett
Description: This track was the final performance at the Midwest Clinic and features an arrangement by guest director and longtime director of Jazz Orchestra II Taylor Barnett. The composer, Woody Shaw, is one of the most important influences on classical and jazz trumpet professor Rex Richardson, who has an incredibly busy and successful career as a soloist in jazz, classical and contemporary circles. The piece features Devonne Harris on drums, plus guest artists Steve Wilson, saxophone, Rex Richardson, trumpet, and Wycliffe Gordon, trombone.
Recorded live at the Midwest Clinic, Chicago, Ill., Dec. 19, 2007.

Faculty Jazz Septet
Soloists: Mike Ess (guitar), Skip Gailes (tenor), Rex Richardson (flugelhorn)
Composer: Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Arrangement: Bob Hallahan
Description: Rahsaan Roland Kirk’s composition has become not only a jazz standard but, in title, the greeting of Richmond Jazz Society members. It’s a delightful and energetic even-eighth piece from a legendary artist whose catalog is so diverse as to defy categorization. This performance was recorded during a fundraising benefit concert for Lindsay Ess, daughter of VCU Jazz guitar professor Mike Ess. For more information, visit www.loveoflindsay.com.
Recorded live at VCU’s Sonia Vlahcevic Concert Hall, Richmond, Va., Oct. 23, 2007.

Faculty Jazz Septet
Soloists: Victor Dvoskin (bass), Rex Richardson (trumpet), Antonio García (trombone), Skip Gailes (tenor), Bob Hallahan (piano), Tony Martucci (drums)
Composer: Freddie Hubbard
Arrangement: Skip Gailes
Description: Freddie Hubbard’s anthem hits to the roots of a driving pulse and a provocative modal feel. This offering was recorded at the annual VCU Fall Jazz Festival and serves as a great closer for the CD.
Recorded live at VCU’s Sonia Vlahcevic Concert Hall, Richmond, Va., Oct. 11, 2007.