Taylor Fidyk Big Band Live At Blues Alley CD

For their 2nd release, the swinging big band co-led by former Kenton arranger Mark Taylor and drummer Steve Fidyk, recorded sets from a run at Washington DC's Blues Alley. With Fidyk's tight ensemble made up of DC's finest and the outstanding writing and

Personnel: Tedd Baker, Joseph Henson (saxophone, tenor saxophone); Scott Silbert (saxophone, baritone saxophone); Antonio Orta (saxophone); Craig Fraedrich, Graham Breedlove, Liesl Whitaker, Brian MacDonald (trumpet); Jay Gibble, Jim McFalls (trombone); Jeff Cortazzo (bass trombone); Tony Nalker (piano); Steve Fidyk (drums).
Audio Mixer: Bob Dawson.
Recording information: Blues Alley, Washington DC (11/02/2005).
Author: John La Barbera.
Arrangers: Steve Fidyk; Mark Taylor .
The Taylor/Fidyk Big Band's second CD, taken from a performance at Blues Alley, captures the band on a peak evening, fueled by Mark Taylor's potent arrangements and instrumentalists who can build upon his charts without needless showboating. Taylor's originals include "Full Count" (which is a modern update on the old-fashioned tenor battle), the cool "Bradley's Bop House" and "The Gorillaman Blues," and the swinging "Full Count," which one could easily imagine being a part of Count Basie's repertoire had it been available to him. Taylor also brings fresh approaches to familiar works. He slowly builds the intensity in "Maiden Voyage," showcasing trombonist Jim McFalls to good effect, while he resists the usual racehorse tempo utilized by bands playing the bop favorite "Anthropology." Co-leader and drummer Steve Fidyk arranged one tune and it is a marvelous first effort, an extended workout of "When Johnny Comes Marching Home." ~ Ken Dryden

JazzTimes (p.129) - "[A]n excellent example of imaginative straightahead big-band music..."