Born: August 3, 1948 Primary Instrument: Piano
RAY REACH - Pianist / Vocalist / Guitarist / Arranger / Composer / Producer / Educator
CHECK OUT RAY'S NEW WEBSITE AT:
http://www.rayreach.com
A NEW RECORDING IN THE WORKS BY MAGIC CITY JAZZ ORCHESTRA!
Ray Reach recently announced (January, 2010) that he has begun work on a new CD by the MCJO, titled “Spinning Wheel - The Magic CIty Jazz Orchestra plays the music of Blood, Sweat and Tears.” The recording will feature several of the former members of BS&T as soloists, including Lou Marini, Lew Soloff and Tom Malone, among others.
As a practicing professional musician of some 45+ years, Raymond E. Reach (or just plain Ray, as he prefers to be called) lives an unusually diverse musical life. Ray has kept both feet firmly planted in two musical worlds - always having one foot in academia and the other in what he calls the “real world” of professional music. He is one of the premier in-demand jazz pianist / vocalists in the Southeast, having carved himself a niche, doing straight ahead jazz piano coupled with “Sinatra-style” vocals. As an educator, he is equally adept. From September 1998 until August 2005, Ray was Instructor of Music at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), where he taught music technology and directed the UAB Jazz Ensemble. He is currently Director of Student Jazz Programs at the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame (www.jazzhall.com), and is the creator and director of the “Fun With Jazz” educational program, which originated through the auspices of the Alys Stephens Center for the Performing Arts, and is now offered by the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame. In addition, Ray produces jazz and classical recordings and directs the Magic City Jazz Orchestra, a recording and concert Big Band composed of some of the best jazz players Alabama has to offer. Ray has performed with and arranged for numerous notable musicians, including Clark Terry, Leonard Candelaria, Ken Watters, Lou Marini, Ernie Watts, Dizzy Gillespie, Ellis Marsalis, Cleveland Eaton, Chuck Redd, Mundell Lowe, Bill Goodwin, Lew Soloff and Chaka Khan with the Lionel Hampton Orchestra. He has been a regular featured musician at the annual W. C. Handy Festival in Florence, Alabama (www.wchandyfest.com) since 2003, and is also a faculty member of the W.C. Handy Jazz Camp.
JAZZ EDUCATION
Ray Reach has an exemplary list of successes as a jazz educator. Among the list of Ray's students we see names such as:
CHUCK TILLEY - Nashville-based drummer for Lee Greenwood, Englebert Humperdinck, and Dolly Parton. While still in high school, Chuck played drums in the All-Star High School Jazz Ensemble at the University of Alabama, directed by Ray Reach.
KELLEY O'NEAL - Often called the “Gerald Allbright of the alto sax,” Kelley has played the saxophone for over twenty years and has toured and/or recorded with such artists as Be Be and Ce Ce Winans, Take Six, The Ojays and Brian McKnight, to name a few. He has appeared on The Tonight Show, The Arsenio Hall Show and The Essence Awards Show and also performed at the inauguration gala of President Bill Clinton. Now Kelley is ready to take a lead role with his solo release entitled “JUST IN TIME”. In the late 1970s, Kelly played lead alto in the University of Alabama “Jazz Ensemble B” under Ray Reach's direction.
NED HOLDER - New York-based jazz trombonist. Member of the “Blues Brothers Band.” In the late 1970s, Ned played lead trombone in the University of Alabama “Jazz Ensemble B” under Ray Reach's direction.
MARK LANTER - Drummer / percussionist. Mark played drums in Jazz Ensemble B at the University of Alabama, under the direction of Ray Reach. Masters degree in percussion. Adjunct professor at University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa), and Director of Jazz Ensembles for the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
BETH GOTTLIEB - Wife of drummer Danny Gottlieb. Played vibes in Ray Reach's Jazz Ensemble B at the University of Alabama. Masters degree in percussion. Professor of Percussion at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida.
PETER WOLF - Attended Ray's Jazz Improv class at the University of Montevallo in the late 1970's. Born in Vienna, Austria. Keyboardist with Frank Zappa and Sergio Mendes. Grammy Award winning session player and producer, living in the Los Angeles area. Also former student of Joe Zawinul.
COLEMAN WOODSON and TIM GEORGE of “Just A Few Cats” (Reuben Studdard's backup band) - Coleman and Tim were members of Ray Reach's Jazz Ensemble at UAB, Coleman on Lead Alto Sax and Tim on drums.
CHRIS GORDON - Chris played lead trumpet in Ray's Jazz Ensemble B at the University of Alabama. Now himself an educator, teaching for the Wallace State Community College system. Also a member of the Tuscaloosa Horns.
DAVE MILLER - Also played in Ray's Jazz Ensemble B at the University of Alabama. Leader of the group, Jazza-Nova.
STUDIO RECORDING AND TEACHING EXPERIENCE
In the late 1960s, Reach served as studio musician (guitar, piano and organ) at recording studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama and Birmingham, Alabama, while playing in various pop and rock groups. His aspirations of becoming a rock star were soon discouraged by his contact with the crazy, drug-and-alcohol-driven life styles of many of the pop stars with whom he was working. “I made a conscious decision that this was not the way I wanted to live,” said Ray. “Academia seemed like a much better choice.” So he resolved to finish his academic degree work in music and teach.
Reach has taught music on the secondary and college levels in both the choral and instrumental fields. The colleges which he has attended for music degree work and further musical study include Birmingham-Southern College, the University of Montevallo, the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa, and others. In addition, he has taught Jazz Improvisation, Jazz History, arranging and Computer Music courses at a number of colleges and universities, including the abovenamed institutions as well as Richland Community College (Dallas, Texas), Cedar Valley College (Dallas, Texas) and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (1998 - 2005).
MUSICAL STUDY AND TRAINING
Reach began piano study at six years of age, studying with Giula Williams at E.E. Forbes and Sons Piano Company in Birmingham. At age 11, he began piano studies at the Birmingham Conservatory of Music, first under Carolyn Pfau, then with Hugh Thomas. At age 15, he began voice study with Andrew Gainey, veteran of the New York City Opera and the Rodgers and Hammerstein Touring Company, with whom he continued to study voice until Mr. Gainey's death. Among his many musical skills, Ray still refers to his singing as “... the best thing he does musically...”
Also beginning at age 15, Ray's interest in The Beatles, Chet Atkins, Andres Segovia, and other guitar icons, prompted him to take up guitar. On this instrument, he is largely self taught, relying on transcriptions of guitar solos which he did himself. “I also loved the great Bluegrass players,” Reach says. “I never missed the Martha White Hour, which featured Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs.”
Another landmark event in Reach's early years (age 15) was his participation in the Men's Chorus of the Birmingham Civic Opera's production of The Barber of Seville, under chorus director Joseph Schreiber. This experience helped to foster Reach's enduring love for opera and musical theatre. His love for drammatico-musical productions was fulfilled in later years when he was asked to be musical director for several productions at the Dallas Theatre Center, and more recently for Samford University, where he was musical director for productions of “Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” “Into The Woods” (by Stephen Sondheim), and the southeastern premier of Stephen Schwartz's “Children of Eden.”
Ray's love for choral music began at Dixie Junior High School in Birmingham (with Choral Director Tom Pinion) and later at Minor High School (under John Fowler). “Tom Pinion often played jazz piano for our classes. It was cool. And John Fowler was also a jazz lover.” Ray heard his first recording of Miles Davis in John Fowler's classroom.
APPRENTICESHIP WITH STEVE SAMPLE
Form 1977 to 1980, Ray served as Graduate Assistant in the Jazz Program at the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa, under renowned jazz educator Steve Sample. In 1979, Ray was awarded the ASCAP Raymond Hubbell Musical Scolarship, which is awarded each year to only ten university jazz students nationwide.
OTHER STUFF
In 1983, while serving on the house music staff at the Fairmont Hotel in Dallas, Texas, Ray was fortunate to befriend the late Fred Crane, a world-class pianist who played for many years with Al Hirt. Early in 1984 Crane, a Dallas native, bumped into Reach in New Orleans, where he and Reach were both playing weekend gigs. Upon Fred's invitation, Ray was formally introduced to famed jazz pianist Ellis Marsalis. Reach's connection with Ellis had actually begun some years earlier, when he had played a club engagement in New Orleans (as guitarist) with a jazz organ trio. “I went out to one of the local hotels and heard 14 year-old Wynton Marsalis playing trumpet with his dad. Wow, I was blown away. Wynton, at 14, was already blowing standards better than most 40 year old trumpeters.”
As a member of the house music staff at the Dallas Fairmont Hotel, Ray had the honor of sharing the stage with many greats of the Jazz world, including Joe Williams, Buddy Rich, Mel Torme and George Shearing, Ella Fitzgerald, Anita O'Day, guitarist Joe Pass, pianist Paul Smith and many others. Sadly, all of the Fairmont's show rooms have since been closed.
While living and working in Dallas, Texas, Ray gained an expert working knowledge of Computer Music applications and MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface). He was co-founder of the American MIDI Users Group (a pre-Internet computer music Bulletin Board System), and worked in development with Systems Design Associates, makers of the ProMIDI line of MIDI music software.
During his time as Director of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Jazz Ensemble (1998 - 2005), Reach composed and arranged much of the music performed by the group. His catalog of jazz, classical and popular music arrangements numbers over a thousand pieces. He has written arrangements for many name musical acts, including Chaka Kahn and the Lionel Hampton Orchestra, jazz saxophonist Lou Marini, Count Basie Orchestra lead trumpeter Mike Williams and jazz trumpeter Lew Soloff.
In 1985, Reach toured Europe with The Dallas Symphony Chorus, under the direction of Ron Shirey. While in Europe, they played to standing room only audiences in Vienna, Leipzig, Paris, and other cities, performing traditional vocal and choral favorites by Mozart, Haydn and Bach, beloved compositions of great American composers such as Gershwin, Copland and Ives, as well as jazz arrangements (all written by Reach) of tunes by Gershwin, Ellington, Cole Porter, Thad Jones and others. Reach's accompaniment work behind Dallas singer Marilyn Walton was described by the Vienna press as being “...magnificent shining jewels of distinctly American jazz artistry, played with formidable technique and immense understanding of the idiom.”
Ray has directed big bands and jazz combos and taught Music Technology courses at numerous schools, including Birmingham-Southern College, the University of Montevallo, the University of Alabama, Richland Community College (in Dallas, Texas) and Cedar Valley College (also in Dallas).
Ray Reach has been aggressively pursuing a career as a music producer for more than 20 years, helping to create recordings in many musical genre: Classical Instrumental, Classical Choral, Jazz Instrumental and Vocal, Country, Gospel, Rock, Pop and Contemporary Christian.
SOME RECENT RECORDINGS PRODUCED BY RAY REACH
“Christmastide” - a collection of Christmas and Advent choral arrangements and compositions by internationally-known composer/arranger K. Lee Scott.
“UAB SuperJazz, featuring pianist Ellis Marsalis” - Coproduced with UAB Music Professor Henry Panion. This CD is a live recording of a performance of Ellis (father of Wynton) with the SuperJazz Big Band at the Alys Stephens Center on the UAB campus.
“Lou's Blues - Lou Marini and the Magic City Jazz Orchestra” (See review on this website.) - a recording of original Jazz Orchestra (Big Band) arrangements and compositions by Lou Marini, Jr., top New York jazz woodwind player and recording studio musician. Marini, an alumnus of the famed One O'Clock Jazz Lab Band at The University of North Texas, has recorded and toured with countless name musical groups, including The Buddy Rich Big Band, The Woody Herman Orchestra, Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra, Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, Steely Dan, The James Taylor Band, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, and the list goes on and on. In addition, Lou was a charter member of the Saturday Night Live Band and appeared in both of the Blues Brothers movies. He continues today to tour frequently with the Blues Brothers.
“Lew Soloff - Live at Worplay” (www.workplay.com) - a recording of Big Band music, recorded in January, 2002, featuring world-famous jazz trumpeter Lew Soloff, a graduate of Eastman School of Music. A brilliant high-note trumpeter long in great demand for big bands and session work, Lew Soloff is also a distinctive soloist and an expert with the plunger mute. After studying at Juilliard and Eastman, he freelanced in New York with Maynard Ferguson, Joe Henderson and Clark Terry among others and then was a part of Blood, Sweat & Tears during 1968-73. Soloff was closely associated with Gil Evans from 1973 on, and also played with George Gruntz's Concert Jazz Band, the Manhattan Jazz Quintet and Carla Bley; he was also teamed with the colorful trombonist Ray Anderson on several often-humorous recordings.
THE GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK
Ray agrees with Tony Bennett and Dr. Billy Taylor, sharing with them the belief that jazz is “America's Classical Music.” He believes that jazz, along with its staple repertoire, the so-called “Great American Songbook” of wonderful popular and jazz standards, must be preserved so as to endure into future generations.
PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY AND MISSION STATEMENT
Reach's personal musical philosophy espouses a firm belief that music is one of the most powerful forces in our universe, a “vehicle of empowerment (he calls it) which is manifest in the act of musical mentorship.” He also believes that “there are only two types of music: good music and bad music. In the words of one of my heroes, the great Duke Ellington, “If it sounds good, it is good.”
His Personal Mission Statement says “It is my goal to use the gift of music wisely, to uplift the human spirit and to impart to students the real world knowledge which is necessary to compete in today's highly-competitive, international music market.”
In a recent interview on a local Birmingham, Alabama television show, Reach stated: “Many of our U.S. college and university music programs are not teaching the students what they need to know to compete in today's musical market. Certainly, a thorough knowledge of European Classical music is an absolute MUST for competent professional musicians, but today's player needs more to help assure his employability.”
JAZZ EDUCATION AT THE ALABAMA JAZZ HALL OF FAME
Ray's newest challange is developing the educational offerings at the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame. He is in charge of assembling a faculty of jazz professionals and writing a Jazz curriculum to be used in the tuition-free “Saturday Jazz Classes.” For more information about the “Saturday Jazz Classes,” go to www.jazzhall.com.
In addition to the “Saturday Jazz Classes,” Ray is in charge of the “Fun With Jazz” Educational Program, which originated through the auspices of the Alys Stephens Center for the Performing Arts, and is now offered by the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, supported by grants.
Ray Reach may be contacted at:
Phone: 205-960-6328 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 205-960-6328 end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 205-960-6328 end_of_the_skype_highlighting / Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame Office: 205-254-2731 / Email: rreach@bellsouth.net
Awards:
Raymond Hubble Music Scholarship"LOU'S BLUES - LOU MARINI AND THE MAGIC CITY JAZZ ORCHESTRA" (See review on this website.) - a recording of original Jazz Orchestra (Big Band) arrangements and compositions by Lou Marini, Jr., top New York jazz woodwind player and recording studio musician. Marini, an alumnus of the famed One O'Clock Jazz Lab Band at The University of North Texas, has recorded and toured with countless name musical groups, including The Buddy Rich Big Band, The Woody Herman Orchestra, Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra, Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, Steely Dan, The James Taylor Band, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, and the list goes on and on. In addition, Lou was a charter member of the Saturday Night Live Band and appeared in both of the Blues Brothers movies. He continues today to tour frequently with the Blues Brothers.
"LEW SOLOFF - LIVE AT WORKPLAY" (www.workplay.com) - a recording of Big Band music, recorded in January, 2002, featuring world-famous jazz trumpeter Lew Soloff. A brilliant high-note trumpeter long in great demand for big bands and session work, Lew Soloff is also a distinctive soloist and an expert with the plunger mute. After studying at Juilliard and Eastman, he freelanced in New York with Maynard Ferguson, Joe Henderson and Clark Terry among others and then was a part of Blood, Sweat & Tears during 1968-73. Soloff was closely associated with Gil Evans from 1973 on, and also played with George Gruntz's Concert Jazz Band, the Manhattan Jazz Quintet and Carla Bley; he was also teamed with the colorful trombonist Ray Anderson on several often-humorous recordings.
"AMY DRINKWATER - WITH ALL MY HEART, A JOURNEY TO THE SOUL..." - Christian Jazz Vocalist Amy Drinkwater is featured with an all-star cast of some of the south's best jazz musicians, including saxophonist 'Blue Lou' Marini, The Tuscaloosa Horns (directed by trumpeter Mart Avant), bassist Christ Wendle, guitarist Carlos Pino and drummer / percussionist John Nuckols.
"SUPERBLUE - ERIC ESSIX AND THE NIGHT FLIGHT BIG BAND" - Ray is currently (November, 2006) completing production of a new CD featuring Eric Essix (http://www.ericessix.com/)and the Night Flight Big Band, a mainstay at Ona's Music Room, directed by Mart Avant. This collection features many of Eric's "greatest hits" and big band orchestrations of compositions by Freddie Hubbard, Dave Grusin, Wes Montgomery and others, all arranged by Ray Reach and Mart Avant.
"CHRISTMASTIDE" - a collection of Christmas and Advent choral arrangements and compositions by internationally known composer/arranger K. Lee Scott.
"REQUIEM" by K. Lee Scott - On May 1, 2006, Ray produced a new recording by internationally known choral composer K. Lee Scott. Mr. Scott has published hundreds of liturgically based choral pieces through 17 different publishers. This newest major work by Mr. Scott is published by Hinshaw Music, Inc of Chapel Hill, N.C., and is considered by the composer to be "... perhaps his best composition to date."
A NEW RECORDING IN THE WORKS BY MAGIC CITY JAZZ ORCHESTRA
Ray Reach recently announced (January, 2010) that he has begun work on a new CD by the MCJO, titled "Spinning Wheel - The Magic CIty Jazz Orchestra plays the music of Blood, Sweat and Tears." The recording will feature several of the former members of BS&T as soloists, including Lou Marini, Lew Soloff and Tom Malone, among others.
"LOU'S BLUES" LINER NOTES - The following is a reprint of the liner notes from the “Lou's Blues” CD, written by Grammy Award winning arranger / composer Bob Belden:
What can you say about an artist whose musicianship is so defined, so well tuned and focused that one may find two or three others on the planet who have the same breadth of experience and imagination. What can you say about someone who, when they are involved in the performance process, are 100% directed to the positive results of the efforts, whether it be a jazz recording or a television commercial, a concert with James Taylor or a jazz club gig with Joe Beck or a CD devoted to his own music It’s all the same. 100% musicianship. 100% taste. 100% honesty. Have I said enough. Now who is it that I’m talking about. Lou Marini, Jr., the son of Lou Marini, Sr. Lou Marini, Jr. is a one-of-a-kind person, a bon vivant, a renaissance man, a connoisseur of the finer things in life; good food, good friends and good music. Lou Marini, Jr. lives in Manhattan’s elegant Upper West Side, a neighborhood that is the last refuge for the sophisticated bohemian. Miles Davis lived ten blocks away
Lou, Jr. was born in Charleston, SC, in 1945 (while his dad was in the Navy). But Lou eventually ended up in Ohio, where he studied with his father, an accomplished musician. (Note: a disclaimer. I too studied with Lou, Sr.). Lou, Jr (from this point on I will refer to him as ‘Lou’) made his way to North Texas State University in 1963 and studied clarinet as well as played, at first alto and then tenor sax (as well as all of the flute family and clarinets) in the Lab Band Program. By the end of his senior year, Lou had reached the highest levels of performance at the school and he began composing for the famous One O’Clock Lab Band. To understand what this means in today’s language, Lou had to now assimilate the library of the One O’Clock band as a soloist and as a composer, and the mountain top of that endeavor was indeed lofty. Lou was exposed to compositions and arrangements by Bill Holman, Bill Russo, Oliver Nelson, Thad Jones, Billy Byers, Nelson Riddle and on top of that were the amazing writers at the school, Marius ‘Butch’ Nordal, Dee Barton and Bill Stapleton just to name a few. His arrangement of Eddie Harris’s “Freedom Jazz Dance” set Lou far apart from his peers in the ability to expand the orchestration possibilities with that arrangement. It was of Straussian proportion, so difficult that it is rarely played by any band at NTSU. The arrangement was an amalgam of all of his influences that he had at the time, but fleshed out in an entirely fresh and exciting way. During the 1960’s, there was much debate about what was called free (or avant guard) music. By the late sixties, a lot of free music elements were incorporated into rock music. Now, it is commonplace, but Lou took the ideas expressed by Don Ellis and made them his own, while still in college. Because of this distillation of sources and an applied to composing, you will hear in this recording all of those influences weaved into one expressive voice. Lou also has the advantage having a distinct solo voice on all three saxophones (soprano, alto and tenor) as well as a tasteful style on flute and with that personal touch he is able to wrap his ‘orchestral voice’ around his ‘instrumental voice’, with beautiful results.
After leaving NTSU, Lou played with Doc Severinson and Blood Sweat And Tears before settling down in Manhattan. Lou became overnight one of the in demand players on the scene, both in the studios and in the clubs. His long association with the Saturday Night Live band led to his being cast as “Blue Lou” in “The Blue Brothers”. But underneath the veneer of this Hollywood attachment, was the Blue Brother’s Band, and primarily, Duck Dunn and Steve Cropper. Dunn and Cropper were charter members of Booker T. and the MG’s., the definition of saxophone soul music in the sixties. Lou had become a member of the Texas Tenor club from his years playing around the state and it was natural for his soul-lo style to fit into the context of the movie and band. It was the sound of that band that gives the funk on this CD a spicier flavor, not cliche, but honest. So now add this soulful tinge to his orchestral leanings and his instrumental prowess and this CD is what you will hear.
There is a silent tip to Oliver Nelson in the way Lou put together the sound palate for “Lou’s Blues”. As Oliver did with “Stolen Moments”, Lou distilled the elegance of Miles Davis’s “So What”, a modal blues of sorts, and crafted a new modal blues of his own. After a short blast of an introduction, Lou plays the melody with just the bass and drums, echoing Coltrane’s vibe. The band enters with the second appearance of the melody, with strong trombone counter lines, and just as the momentum builds up, a strong accents leads into an impressive solo by bassist Robert Dickson. At the end of the bass solo (with a beautiful background behind the soloist) an ensemble figure announces the guitar solo by Tom Wolfe. He plays a beautiful solo, filled with bursts of eighth note joy (dig the trumpet backgrounds behind his second chorus). After the guitar, Lou comes in full force on tenor, playing a whole lot of soul and a whole lot of finesse. The ensemble chorus is strong and let’s drummer fill in before there is an octave ensemble that builds and builds until it reaches the penultimate moment and then, Lou reappears silently, subtly, as if this music had been this quiet all along. The flutes and muted trumpets vamp out behind Lou to end the piece.
“Looking With New Eyes” was written by Lou in 1972 and was instantly made a classic by it’s inclusion for many years into NTSU lab band concerts. The trombone soli even became the audition material for trombone sections at the school. The melody, played by the flutes and flugelhorn, is pop flavored with a light bossa nova beat, and with its use of major seventh chords creates a happy, carefree ambiance. But when the trombones enter with their famous break (imitating a funk rhythm section) things begin to heat up. The sax section counters with some lines straight out of Thad Jones. After the ensemble climax Lou (on soprano sax) and Bo Berry (trumpet) duet over groove changes leading up to an exciting band climax with a repeat of the funk melody compressed into one chorus. The composition ends with a reprise of the bossa nova melody, ending in rubato. This composition and arrangement reflects Lou’s ability to create exciting, new music that embraces rock and the most advanced ideas of jazz music.
“Hip Pickles” is a composition that interchanges free jazz intro and rock music effortlessly. The melody is played by screaming trumpets and a Clapton-ized guitar. After the exposition of the melody, Lou and guitarist Tom Wolfe duet against a hard rock groove. The guitar comps and solos behind Lou, pushing his saxophone to challenge the electric guitar. The control of the soprano sax demonstrated by Lou is virtuosic, and his forays into the extreme register are handled with skill and taste. After the solos reach their natural climax, the melody is repeated with screaming trumpets and screaming guitar (this is a totally unique sound in ensemble writing today) setting up a hot guitar solo. The melody reappears again, one more time, before ending together (in octaves). A strong chart and a strong band to play it.
“Odalisk” begins in a somber mode, with the melody being played sotto voce. Soon, the percussion enters in clave as the melody continues until settling into a mysterious latin beat, with Lou’s soprano singing over the band. The composition moves into darker terrain and then, suddenly, a moment over ‘implied rubato’ (the use of bell-chord orchestration) shifts the music into a slinky, soulful minor groove. Lou takes over on tenor, and solos against a lush synth background (and a funky guitar rhythm pattern to guide the beat). Lou’s solo is filled with passion and his tone is so dynamic, his phrases often tailing off into air. As the melody returns, Lou uses it as an point of reference to continue soloing. Again, abruptly, the band shifts gears into a quasi-rubato section (distinguished by tight voicings in the upper brass and winds). The last section is a re-orchestration the melody (bringing to mind Gil Evans mid fifties work) using muted trumpets and flutes against a static piano accompaniment. The piece ends with a freely improvised moment, and fades into the atmosphere.
The late Weldon Irvine composed the funk instrumental standard “Mr. Clean”, made famous by Freddie Hubbard. Lou approaches the song literally, using the tune as a vehicle to get funky. His soprano dances around the groove and in between the keyboards and guitar. The arrangement really shows how strong the Magic City Jazz orchestra really is, tackling the intense ensembles. The lead trumpet player Chris Gordon deserves credit for keeping the feel all the way through the chart, and caps off the performance with some stunningly effective high note work.
Lou finally brings out his flute for “Song For John”, and after his monologue, a mix of quiet and muted trumpet state the melody. The composition is exotic in flavor, and the orchestration is very soft and delicate, allowing for the intricacies of Lou’s harmonic language to be highlighted. The ensemble phrases that launch Lou into his soprano sax solo spot are beautiful and heavy at the same time, establishing a mood of restraint and delicacy that comes to fruition with a surprisingly unexpected ending.
There is an air of optimism and beauty that envelopes “Dangerous Cargo”. The composition also demonstrates the total command of the arrangers language by Lou Marini. The exposed melody is developed slowly and carefully until a small ensemble passage sets up a romantic excursion by pianist Ray Reach. Halfway through the pianists solo, the rhythm section shifts into a double time samba, that leads into another short ensemble passage that transitions to Lou’s tenor solo. Lou floats over the changes and creates new melodies from one phrase to another. As the band shifts into double time Lou takes off in a flurry of ideas that express the urgency of the arrangement. It is one of the best compositions for modern jazz ensembles that has surfaced in recent years. Hats off to the band for being able to conceptualize the difficult twists and turns that Lou presented to them. The piece ends in mirror form, with the orchestration being recapitulated, dissolving to a bare minimum of flute, guitar and drums, and then, in a burst of emotion, big ensemble chords with a touch of Lou’s flute on top.
We back to the blues with “Rena/Country”. The chart showcases the band’s fluid swing feel and tight sound. The arrangement features Bo Berry on trumpet, who shows that he’s not afraid to play the blues, sounding at times like Blue Mitchell. The rhythm section of Ray Reach on piano, Robert Dickson on bass and Steve Sample on drums really dig in. The ensembles behind the soloists are swinging, and not in the way. The transition passages between the trumpet solo and the next section again features the ensemble pushing really hard to set up a round of chorus’s by Neil McLean on tenor sax, and Dave Amaral on tenor sax. After the tenor’s finish their battle, there is a killing ensemble that shows just how strong the trumpet section. The band ends up ending strong, and then after a pause, and a sonic alteration, a real old style jump blues (“Country”) is stomped off. Lou switches to alto for this one. This is the sound of real rhythm and blues, bringing to mind Eddie ‘Cleanhead’ Vinson. The ensemble break reminds one of “What I Say” in it’s intention, and sets off two trombonist’s battling it out for a chorus. Then the band immediately starts into the melody done at a frantic tempo and bringing to mind Armstrong’s band of the thirties. To top it off, there is a fake ending. Very creative.
This CD represents not only the music on the mind of Lou Marini, Jr. but also the collaborative efforts of The Magic City Jazz Orchestra, the co-producer Ray Reach, and the great engineering by Eric and Eugene Bates. The sound is as clear as if Rudy Van Gelder had recorded it. It should. It has to live up to the standards set by Lou Marini, Jr. And it truly lives up to those standards. And then some. Enjoy....
~ Bob Belden
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Primary Instrument:
Piano
Location:
Birmingham, AL
Credentials/Background:
Ray holds a Bachelors Degree in Music Education. In addition, he studied composition on the Master's level at the University of Alabama, under Dr. Fred Goossen and Steve Sample. He teaches private lessons in piano, voice, music theory and composition in his home and at Art's music Shop in Birmingham, Alabama (Phone: 205-995-8376).
Ray's two newest challanges are 1) developing the educational offerings at the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame and 2) presenting jazz educational concerts and workshops in schools and various oither venues. Both of these educational presentations are offered free of charge to the recipients. At the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, he is in charge of assembling a faculty of jazz professionals and writing a jazz curriculum to be used in the tuition-free "Saturday Jazz Classes." This same jazz faculty is currently touring schools and organizations, presenting a series of Concert / Workshops entitled "Fun With Jazz." The Fun With Jazz program began under the sponsorship of the Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center, and is now administered by the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame. For more information about the "Saturday Jazz Classes," go to www.jazzhall.com. For more information about "Fun With Jazz," call the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame at 205-254-2731.
Clinic/Workshop Information:
Ray Reach is the creator of the "Fun With Jazz" series of jazz workshops which are presented in schools, libraries and for civic organizations. The series was originally sponsored by the Alys Stephens Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and is now sponsored by the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame.
In addition, Ray presents workshops on "Building the Jazz Rhythm Section," "Jazz Improvisation" and Jazz History."
His Jazz Classes are presented every Saturday at the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame from 9:00am until 1:00pm. These classes are free to any resident of the state of Alabama.
