By Ric Bang
Buy CD: Generations
I
got turned on to baritone sax after hearing Serge Chaloff, who played that
instrument in Woody Herman’s second herd. That unit’s reed section set the
standard for all subsequent big bands. Gerry Mulligan arrived on the scene next;
his prowess truly cemented that horn’s importance to jazz. More great artists
have followed those two, but one who really stands out is Brian Landrus, the
musician/composer featured on this release.
Landrus
plays all of the low woodwind instruments: baritone and bass saxophones, bass
clarinet and flute. He’s also a gifted and prodigious composer. He began to
play professionally at 15, earned master’s degrees in music and composition
from New England Conservatory, and currently is finishing a doctorate in composition
at Rutgers University.
Generations, Landrus’ newest
release, is an artistic and compositional tour
de force. It features a 25-piece orchestra that contains the basic
instrumentation of a big band, along with horns more commonly found in symphonic
groups (oboe, bassoon, tuba, etc.), strings (violin, viola, cello), a harp and
a vibraphone. The music is presented in a dozen segments: five movements
presented as the “Jeru Concerto” (Gerry Mulligan’s nickname); and seven stand-alone
tunes that reflect individuals or elements of Landrus’ life. These are titled “Orchids,”
“The Warrior,” “Arrow In The Night,” “Arise,” “Human Nature,” “Ruby” and “Every
Time I Dream.”
I
lack descriptors accurate enough to describe the impact and excellence of this
album’s music. It’s in a class of its own, and must be heard time and again to
appreciate.
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