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From Washington Post (Excerpted)
Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Ensemble
by Mike Joyce
February 27, 2006
Several seldom-heard delights were among the pieces performed Saturday night by the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Ensemble during a tribute to the late jazz legend Benny Carter.
Some of the tunes, unearthed by saxophonist and ensemble director Charlie Young after examining Carter's scores in the Smithsonian archives, were so obscure they lacked titles. Instead, numbers had been assigned to them. Surely a ballad as dreamy as "51," with its swirling harmonies, deserves a better fate.
Young's research paid off handsomely in the concert at the National Museum of American History's Carmichael Auditorium. Besides being well suited for a sextet performance, the music colorfully displayed Carter's prodigious gifts. Mostly mid-career compositions -- Carter died in 2003, at age 95 -- the pieces included the signature tune "When Lights Are Low" (complete with the original and little-known bridge) and "Malibu," a noirish theme that brought to mind Carter's extensive film work.
Mood shifts were built into the program, triggered by tailored-for-Basie swing ("Easy Money"), a Carnavalesque romp ("Southside Samba"), a rollicking, piano-driven blues ("Boogie") and several lyrical ballads.
A Duke Ellington Orchestra alum and Howard University professor, Young projected a full, rounded, gliding tone on alto that evoked Carter's harmonic finesse. At one point, he used a soprano sax, which Carter rarely played, to illuminate the sinuous melodic charm that distinguished the ballad "Ennui."
Other performances boasted crisp ensemble work and were enhanced by the solo space allotted to trumpet and flugelhorn player Tom Williams, trombonist Bill Holmes, pianist Bob Butta, bassist James King and drummer Harold Summey.
Complete review can be found at www.washingtonpost.com
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Quincy Jones - Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra
Lincoln Theater,
Washington, D.C. - July 21, 2001
by Larry Appelbaum
Quincy Jones may be best known these days as a pop record producer, but his
own recordings, big band charts and film scores are held in high esteem by musicians
and aficionados. The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra devoted a weekend
in July to celebrating the compositions and arrangements of Jones, and they
brought his music to life with vitality and skill. The SJMO, under the direction
of David N. Baker, is one of the most accomplished repertory bands in jazz,
so it's no surprise that they've built a loyal and growing audience in the nation's
capital. The capacity and quite vocal crowd was rewarded with lots of hard swing
and some memorable solos....As usual, trumpeter Tom Williams and tenor saxophonist
Loren Schoenberg contributed some creative, quote-filled variations throughout,
but the most impressive solo spots belonged to saxophonist Charlie Young, whose
huge sound filled the theater without any amplification, and trumpeter Joe Wilder,
whose beautifully sculpted solos exemplified the ultimate in taste and sophistication...Quincy
Jones conducted several of his pieces during the concert's second half and the
band responded with passion and vigor. Jones is one of the great conductors
in jazz; he not only sets the tempos and cues the various sections, his motions,
gestures and expressions are those of a very hip, improvising dancer. Like any
good dancer he uses his entire body to bring out the joy behind the notes.
Complete review can be found at www.JazzTimes.com
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From The Washington Post (Excerpted)
A Gift for Quincy, Accepted Personally
Washington Post, Monday July 23, 2001
by Mike Joyce
When the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra celebrated the big band music
and genius of Quincy Jones at the Lincoln Theater Saturday night it went straight
to the source-himself. For the first half of the program America's music man
sat in the audience, clearly marveling at the ease with which the ensemble embraced
his wide-ranging jazz repertoire with only two days of rehearsal. During the
second half Jones briefly stood in for conductor David N. Baker and led the
orchestra through a colorful and challenging maze of jazz charts based on standards
and original pieces. By the time he finished escorting singer Delores King Williams
offstage, after a delightful Ella Fitzgerald inspired reprise of "I'm beginning
to see the Light," you couldn't wipe the smile off the maestrošs face with a
trowel. Sharing his joy wasn't difficult, since the orchestra consistently delivered
the goods....The common denominator was finesse, a virtue demonstrated by the
ensemble and its many gifted soloists, including saxophonists Shannon LeClaire,
Loren Schoenberg and Charlie Young plus trumpeters Tom Wiliams and Joe Wiider.
From The Washington Post (Excerpted)
Performing Arts: The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra
Monday, March 12, 2001
by Mike Joyce
At the Lincoln Theater Saturday night, the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks orchestra
celebrated Louis Armstrong’s genius in settings large and small, spirited
and sublime....Under the direction of David N. Baker the ensemble adjusted its
size throughout the evening to deftly illustrate various aspects of Armstrong’s
extraordinary innovations and impact. At one end of the spectrum were full-bore
big-band arrangements by Fletcher Henderson and others that demonstrated how
the trumpeter's tone and attack helped shape the sound of the swing era. These
performances were enhanced by guest trumpeter Randy Sandke and fellow brass
man (and Armstrong colleague) Joe Wilder, who managed to evoked Armstrong's
vitality and expressiveness without a hint of mimicry....The presence of singers
Miles Griffith and Delores King Williams also ensured that Armstrong's profound
influence on generations of jazz and pop vocalists wouldn't be overlooked. Although
they consistently delighted the packed house, Griffith and Williams were never
more charming or spontaneous than when recalling the special chemistry that
sparked Armstrong's memorable collaborations with Ella Fitzgerald.
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