Bob Mintzer Big Band - New York Voices Meeting of Minds

Bob Mintzer Big Band - New York Voices
Meeting of Minds
MCGJazz

This new recording represents "the integration of voices with [Mintzer's] Big Band," and is a wonderful success as Mintzer (on various reeds) leads a big band that includes Bob Shepard on Alto Saxophone, Roger Rosenberg on baritone sax, Scott Wendholt on trumpet, Jeff Bush on trombone, Phil Markowitz on piano, Jay Anderson on bass, and John Riley on drums, with the celebrated vocal group, New York Voices who are comprised of Kim Nazarian, Lauren Kinhan, Damon Meader and Peter Eldridge. Mintzer arranged all but two of the band arrangements with Meader arranging all of the vocal arrangements and two (one with Eldridge) of the band arrangements.

The arrangements provide a freshness to the very well known standards heard here starting with "Autumn Leaves," with lovely lead vocals from Nazarian and Kinhan wonderfully supported by the band and then the Voices scatting make turn them into an additional horn section during the middle break with pianist Markowitz standing out. Eldridge takes the lead vocal on "I Concentrate on You," with the Voices adding with their vocal harmony as well as vocal interplay another fresh touch with Rosenberg adding a burly baritone sax solo. The instrumental rendition of "I Want to Be Happy" again sports a superb band arrangement before terrific solos by Wendholt and Markowitz with a crisp drum break by Riley. Eldridge is on piano as well takes the lead vocal on "I Get Along Without You Very Well," with the scoring of the reeds (with flutes and clarinet) providing a sober atmosphere for this performance. Again the vocal arrangement and the integration with the big band is exemplary.

I could similarly rave about the leads of Nazarian and Eldridge on "The Way You Like Tonight," or the creativity of Mintzer in his band arrangement (also his tenor sax solo), or Mintzer's entrancing original "Weird Blues," another instrumental with  unusual voicings (especially of the trombones) with him and Rosenberg taking strong solos along with bassist Anderson. Then there is Mintzer's employment of muted trumpets on "Speak Low," along with the strong propulsive swing of the band. "Meeting of the Minds" is a superb meeting of a terrific big band with the wonderful New York Voices, resulting in an extraordinary recording.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review appeared in the July-August 2018 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 379). Here is the performance of "Autumn Leaves."