Gordon Goodwin Swingin' For The Fences CD

Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band: Gordon Goodwin (woodwinds, piano); Gary Grant, Jerry Hey, Wayne Bergeron, Larry Hall, Dan Savant, Dennis Farias (trumpet); Andy Martin, Steve Holtman, Alex Iles, Bill Richenbach, Crag Ware (trombone); Dan Higgins, Sal Lozano, Bill Liston, Greg Huckins (woodwinds); Jim Cox, Tom Ranier (piano); Grant Geissman, James Harrah, Carl Verheyen (guitar); Dave Stone (acoustic bass); John Pena (electric bass); Bernie Dresel (drums, percussion); Gregg Bissonette (drums); Luis Conte (percussion).
Additional personnel: Eric Marienthal, Brandon Fields (saxophone); Arturo Sandoval (trumpet); Eddie Daniels.
Producers: Gordon Goodwin, Jon Baker, Dan Savant.
Principally recorded at Capitol Studios and Conway Studios, Hollywood, California. Includes liner notes by Gordon Goodwin.
"Sing Sang Sung" was nominated for the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition and "Bach 2 Part Invention In D Minor" was nominated for Best Instrumental Arrangement.
This is a DualDisc, which contains a CD on one side of the disc and a DVD on the other.
After World War II, big bands became the exception instead of the rule in jazz. The main factor has been economics -- paying 18 or 20 musicians is a challenge. Many artists would like to record big band projects, but they don't have the budget for it. Composer/arranger/pianist Gordon Goodwin, however, did fulfill that ambition in 2000, when he assembled the Big Phat Band and recorded Swingin' for the Fences. The list of players is nothing to be ashamed of; among the soloists are trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, clarinetist Eddie Daniels, and alto saxman Eric Marienthal. Despite having such talent on board, nothing remarkable occurs. Nonetheless, the material is generally competent. Bop is prominent on this CD, and Goodwin's Big Phat Band also gets into Afro-Cuban jazz ("Mueva los Huesos"), Brazilian jazz ("Samba del Gringo"), and jazz-funk ("There's the Rub"). Meanwhile, the opener, "Sing Sang Sung," is a swing ditty that is obviously based on Louie Prima's "Sing Sing Sing," which was a major hit for Benny Goodman in the 1930s. Will Swingin' for the Fences go down in history as a big-band classic? No, but it's an adequate effort that has its moments. ~ Alex Henderson
Saxophonist Gordon Goodwin (heard on this CD on alto and soprano) has loved big bands since he was a child. He arranged all of the music for his 18-piece big band's release, contributing nine of the ten compositions (all but Bach's "Two Part Invention in D Minor") and getting several notable guest soloists to make appearances. The music is mostly modern mainstream, swinging while utilizing some advanced harmonies. There are a few departures including "Sing Sang Sung" (a number based a bit on "Sing Sing Sing"), the Bach selection, a couple Latin jazz pieces, and the funky "There's the Rub" and "A Few Good Men." Among the main soloists from the orchestra are Goodwin, trombonist Andy Martin, pianist Tom Ranier, and tenorman Dan Higgins. The guests (on two songs apiece) are trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, clarinetist Eddie Daniels, and altoists Eric Marienthal and Brandon Fields. Fans of contemporary big bands will find much to enjoy on this fun set. ~ Scott Yanow
Cutting-edge sound technology is paired with the talent of the world's premier swing musicians (led by saxophonist Gordon Goodwin, who composed all this disc's tunes except one) on this DVD-Audio release. SWINGIN' FOR THE FENCES offers a set of tunes reflecting a healthy, hearty variety of styles (funk, jazz, Latin, and even J.S. Bach!) conveyed by a dynamic, committed outfit, featuring guests Eddie Daniels, Brandon Fields, and the brilliant trumpet of Arturo Sandoval.

Dual Disc CD/DVD