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David Matthews
David Matthews & the Manhattan Jazz Orchestra: Hey Duke!
by Jack Bowers
To celebrate properly its tenth anniversary in 1999 the Manhattan Jazz Orchestra and conductor / arranger David Matthews turned to the music of Duke Ellington, the centenary of whose birth was that same year, to produce an album whose aim, in Matthews’ words, was to be “unique while maintaining a clear sense of Ellington’s originals.” As was Duke’s custom, Matthews arranged each of the eight songs (including his own composition, “Song for Edward”) with specific soloists in mind, showcasing the ...
read moreDavid Matthews and the Manhattan Jazz Orchestra: Bach 2000
by Jack Bowers
So all these years we thought the “J.S.” in J.S. Bach stood for “Johann Sebastian,” when what it really meant was “Just Swingin’!” We had no idea J.S. was so hip — that is, before David Matthews marked the 250th anniversary of the composer’s death by renovating several of his post–Baroque works for the sixteen–member Manhattan Jazz Orchestra. Chances are that those who have even a nodding acquaintance with classical music will easily recognize such archetypal works as “Toccata and ...
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Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson