David Liebman hired a number of his favorite arrangers to score six originals and one standard for his exciting big band. The album starts with the soprano saxophonist's haunting, dramatic "Hiroshima Memorial," a composition inspired by Liebman's visit to the famous monument in memory of the first city hit with an atomic bomb. The piece includes simulations of mournful cries, the arrival of the B-29, the explosion, and the fiery aftermath in a tumultuous performance. The ballad "Beyond the Line" has a calming effect ...
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David Liebman hired a number of his favorite arrangers to score six originals and one standard for his exciting big band. The album starts with the soprano saxophonist's haunting, dramatic "Hiroshima Memorial," a composition inspired by Liebman's visit to the famous monument in memory of the first city hit with an atomic bomb. The piece includes simulations of mournful cries, the arrival of the B-29, the explosion, and the fiery aftermath in a tumultuous performance. The ballad "Beyond the Line" has a calming effect following the startling opening track, featuring guitarist Vic Juris. Jim McNeely's arrangement of "'Sing, Sing, Sing" is delightfully off-kilter, with a loopy style that retains some of the flavor of Benny Goodman's famous recording, though this is clearly a 21st century update. Liebman's swirling "Carissima" alternates between tonal and atonal, making huge demands upon the musicians. "Done with Restraint," another McNeely chart, blends elements of fusion and funk in a very electric and hardly restrained setting. This is a brilliant session by the David Liebman Big Band, and will easily stand the test of time. ~ Ken Dryden, Rovi
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