Muckenthaler Jazz Institute Big Band © Stan Hollon

July 15^th was the premiere of the Muckenthaler Institute Big Band in the Center’s outdoor amphitheater for the final performance of the year. The concert was inclusive of and titled, “Bossas, Blues and More.” The 14-piece band was made up among the best jazz players in the region: Glenn Cashman, Tom Luer, Rob Hardt, Bob Effordsaxes; Lee Thornburg, Matt Fronke, Sal Cracciolo, Steve Huffstetertrumpets; Andy Martin, Alex Ilestrombones; Ed Czachpiano, Ron Escheteguitar, Luther Hughesbass, Paul Kreibichdrums. Other than Cashman’s compositions, all other arrangements were made up from Maynard Ferguson’s Birdland Dream library.

The band opened with jazz classic “Four,” with solos out front by Efford on bari sax and Luer on tenor. “Aguas de Marco” (Waters of March), by Jobim (arranged by Cashman), followed. The band was getting better and better, from an already great start, for “On Green Dolphin Street.” The band sounded as one great musical unit with soloing by Luer, Huffsteter, Iles, and dazzling high notes in the ending by Cracciolo. The rhythm section, Czach, Hughes, and Kreibich, had it down pat with consistent hard drive. Cashman dedicated a ballad he composed to his wife, Cheryl. He said, with some levity, that they tried to think of a title for quite a time and, after many hours in the back room with smoke filled lights, came up with the title “Cheryl.”

“A Country Boy” (by guitar great Herb Ellis and arranged by Bill Holman) featured trombonist Martin in a suave and pretty solo excursion. The evening at the Muck reminded many of us of the Hollywood Bowl. The only difference was that here we are much closer to the whole band and it tends to really make us part of the music. To end the set, in samba format, was another Cashman composition, “A Samba for You,” dedicated to his mentor, Hank Levy. Guitarist Eschete and trombonist Iles took center stage with their flowing and gifted solos.

The second set brought out some more great jazz playing. One of the highlights of the evening was Cashman’s compostion, “Blues in the Tunnel.” He told a story of how he was going to a rehearsal at the Musicians’ Union in New York and with dense traffic, got stuck in slow traffic in the Lincoln tunnel, thus the title of these blues. More from the Maynard Ferguson Dream library: “Whisper Not” by Benny Golson/ arr. Mike Abene, and then an Adler and Ross well-known composition, “Hey There,” arranged by Mike Abene. “It Might As Well Be Spring” featured the rhythm section, Eschete, Czach, Hughes and Kreibich and their high valued soloing. The closing tune was “Groove,” an Oliver Nelson classic composition done in medium up tempo that was met with a standing ovation from the audience. Look for next year’s third annual anticipated Jazz at the Muck during a week in summer of 2008. See www.muckenthaler.org .

Glenn A. Mitchell is a bassist and writer for LA Jazz Scene. This review is reprinted with permission from the August 2007 issue.