Bandleader
Greg Duncan
spent some time touring with
the Glenn Miller Orchestra
, and in ways it shows here on his debut recording. While he's working in a quintet for
Unveiled
, and on modern compositions, there's a definite classic
big-band
sound. The players here --
Duncan
on trumpet,
Dan Nicholson
on sax, and
Marcin Fahmy
,
Jon Deitemeyer
, and
Jeff Greene
as the rhythm section -- all play their parts in a cohesive manner, never straying too far from one another's beat and mood. However, what sets the group apart from the classic
big bands
(such as
Glenn Miller
's) is the bandmembers' tendency to follow one another off to the stratosphere with more intricate and more wailing solos, higher-intensity melodies, and movement throughout the instrument range. The band sounds like a classic
big band
; the band sounds like a modern small combo. The tone is relaxed; the tone is exciting. While the rhythm section plays out an excellent backdrop, the stars here are clearly the horns, with
and
Nicholson
taking turns running through their respective solos, pausing only for brief solos from the rest of the group now and then. The album moves from piece to piece changing styles ever so slightly, but hanging together with a coherent collection and a modern style. That dichotomy between the tight instrument groupings and the jumping, wailing numbers almost recalls the
Tadd Dameron
days, but with more
post-bop
thrown into the mix. As such, this one's a definite pick for those looking for young
jazz
that still pays respect to its elders. ~ Adam Greenberg