Concert Review

Vanguard Orchestra brings small-club feel

By Tom Ineck

LINCOLN, Neb.—After 42 years as the virtual Monday night house band at the venerable Village Vanguard jazz club, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra brought its show to the Lied Center for Performing Arts on Feb. 15, just days after completing a live recording at its home base in lower Manhattan.

The 16-piece big band evolved from the legendary Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra and still pays homage to that heritage with tunes written by the late Jones and with a bluesy sound that relies on a strong saxophone section and a hard-swinging rhythm section. Jones left in 1979 and Lewis continued to front the band until his death in 1990.

As though playing to the Lied audience of 1,000 in the intimate confines of its 175-seat Greenwich Village quarters, the ensemble kicked off with Jones’ “Welcome to the Village Vanguard.” They took it up-tempo with the Jones composition “Once Around,” a rousing vehicle for the outstanding solos of trumpeter Scott Wendholt, baritone saxophonist Frank Basile of Omaha and alto saxophonist Jaleel Shaw.

“Up From the Skies,” a 1967 tune by rock guitar god Jimi Hendrix and the title track of the Vanguard orchestra’s latest studio recording, seemed an unusual choice, but the Jim McNeely arrangement handled it brilliantly as a brassy blues shuffle, subtly driven by drummer John Riley using brushes and featuring Jason Jackson on trombone and Ralph LaLama on tenor sax.

Pianist McNeely, the band’s composer-in-residence, penned several Vanguard selections, including the brooding “Off the Cuff.” Harmon-muted trumpets dueled with the reed section before setting loose the soloists as the intensity peaked. Rich Perry on tenor sax set the stage for a smoldering alto sax solo by Dick Oatts. McNeely’s repetitive pedal point segued into a wonderful piano solo, setting him apart as a keyboard wizard who is also an exceptional composer and arranger.

Bringing the tempo down, the band played the Thad Jones waltz “Quiet Lady,” with McNeely stating the melody and the reed section introducing some new tonal colors with two flutes and a clarinet. Basile on baritone sax and Joe Magnarelli on trumpet added some tasteful solos.

McNeely’s composition “Don’t Even Ask” was a wild and convoluted ride, punctuated by Shaw’s alto sax solo and a Martin Wind bass solo constructed of dissonant, cascading chords. The full band approached a hard-charging climax before erupting into a clever cacophony.

The trademark Vanguard sax section was in the spotlight on “Three and One,” another Jones tune. Trombonist John Mosca and Basile stated the melody, which the saxes expanded in a soli. Mosca’s honeyed tone was apparent in his gorgeous solo.

A standing ovation kept the orchestra on stage for one more tune, Thad Jones’ “Walkin’ About,” aptly titled for its “walking” bass line around which trumpets and trombones stated the theme. Oatts on alto sax, LaLama on tenor sax and McNeely on piano brought the affair to a close with the classic, three-note Basie tag line.

Earlier in the evening, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Jazz Ensemble got to show its considerable talent under the direction of Paul Haar, playing “Elimination,” a tune by the band’s pianist, and “Hey, It’s Me You’re Talkin’ To,” a composition by former Nebraskan and internationally renowned jazz drummer Victor Lewis.

While in Lincoln, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra also conducted workshops with UNL music students.

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Concert Review

Trombonist Matt Niess confirms master status

By Tom Ineck

LINCOLN, Neb.—The Nebraska Jazz Orchestra calls its annual Young Lions concert “Learning from the Master” for good reason.

Virtuosic trombonist Matt Niess of Washington, D.C., was the NJO’s guest soloist Jan. 16 at Embassy Suites, displaying his astounding technique to an audience of about 300 who braved the winter storm conditions.

That included a group of 18 young musicians hand-picked from area schools to comprise the 2008 Young Lions All-Star Band.

Niess worked with the talented youth during the day and joined them on stage for one number, but he really sparkled during a set with the NJO.

Before Niess took the stage, the big band warmed up with the uptempo “Do it Up,” by saxophonist Mark Benson. A Bob Krueger trumpet solo was followed by a deft saxophone soli by the entire section, then a counterpoint statement by bass trombonist Matt Erickson and trumpeter Jeff Patton, who turned in a fine performance despite a broken arm. Ed Love capped it off with an accelerating alto sax solo.

Niess first showed his technical proficiency on the mid-tempo “Getting’ Sentimental Over You,” an Eric Richards arrangement of the standard that is best known as Tommy Dorsey’s theme. Niess easily negotiated the changes while triple-tonguing the trombone. Turning to a ballad, he masterfully interpreted the Sinatra favorite “All the Way” with alternating staccato bursts and long, flowing lines.

As arranged by Niess, Stanley Turrentine’s “Sugar” got an appropriately soulful reading, with melody stated by Erickson on bass trombone, Benson on alto sax, Scott Vicroy on a boiling baritone sax and Peter Bouffard on guitar.

For a Jim Roberts arrangement of the classic “Paper Moon,” the rest of the band left the stage to the trombone section, the rhythm section and Niess, who led the ensemble through a superb mid-tempo rendering of the tune. The five trombones in harmony were especially tantalizing.

For another chestnut, “Makin’ Whoopee,” Niess combined the pixie and plunger mutes for a very vocal-like effect, in homage to the great trombonist Al Grey of the Count Basie band. Finally, Niess and the NJO took it home with a rambunctious version of “Pennies from Heaven,” yet another tune from the Depression era. The entire sax section excelled in a harmonized statement before tenor saxophonist Paul Haar stepped out front for a brilliant solo. Upping the ante, Niess closed the affair with another dazzling solo.

Earlier in the evening, the Young Lions performed a set of three numbers conducted by Love. They drew variously from the blues, soul and the Latin realm, beginning with Nat Adderley’s “Work Song,” in a new arrangement by Dave Sharp. Dizzy Gillespie’s “Soul Sauce” offered plenty of solo space around a repetitive riff stated by the bass and drums.

While the ensemble sections were typically fine, some of the young players also exhibited maturity in their brief solos, especially trumpeter Tommy Krueger, saxophonists Gabriela Praetzel and Elektra Wrenholt, trombonist Samuel Schmidt, guitarist Brian Vranicar, pianist Matt Marvin and vibraphonist Mark Carney. Niess himself chimed in on trombone on the set-closing “Duke It Out.”

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NJO turns up the heat on seasonal favorites

By Tom Ineck

LINCOLN, Neb.—Unseasonably moderate temperatures enticed music lovers to leave the comfort of home on Dec. 20 for the Nebraska Jazz Orchestra’s annual Christmas concert at Embassy Suites.

Some 450 people turned out in a festive mood for the big-band holiday event, featuring vocalist Susie Thorne of Omaha.

For the occasion, the NJO tapped a backlog of seasonal tunes, as well as several new arrangements.

It all began withy a longtime favorite, Peter Bouffard’s take on “The Little Drummer Boy.” The joyous, freewheeling arrangement was extended to include solo passages by Tom Harvill on piano, Scott Vicroy on baritone sax, Paul Haar on tenor sax, Bouffard on guitar and, of course, Greg Ahl on drums. Making it even more fun was the insertion of familiar riffs from traditional holiday tunes.

Duke Ellington’s whimsical impression of Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker Suite” was presented with “Sugar Rum Cherry.” Vicroy on baritone and Stan Harper on tenor sax substituted for the celeste in the original composition.

For “The Christmas Waltz,” Bouffard programmed the guitar synthesizer to approximate the sound of a harmonica, and it somehow seemed perfectly appropriate.

Thorne first took the stage for a swinging rendition of “O Christmas Tree.” Possessing a rather thin voice and used to working with a small combo consisting of several NJO members, the vocalist struggled occasionally against the full frontal assault of the big band.

She was more effective working alone with the rhythm section on “You’d Be So Nice to Come Home To,” especially her collaboration with bassist Andy Hall. On “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm,” Thorne exhibited a nasal, country twang and an endearing shyness in her stage presence.

Bouffard took the melody on his arrangement of “Silent Night,” a rumba that featured a wonderful flugelhorn solo by Darryl White. New to the repertoire was Dave Sharp’s bluesy arrangement of the traditional “I Wonder as I Wander,” with White playing the melody on flugelhorn and featuring excellent solos by Haar and Bouffard.

Another surprise was Bouffard’s arrangement of “I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” on which the guitarist switched to alto sax, sitting in with the rest of the reed section as Love took the lead on flute.

Thorne returned for a funky take on “Summertime,” displaying some vocal gymnastics by singing in unison with the brass. Perhaps aspiring to the success of another former Omaha resident, jazz singer Karrin Allyson, Thorne switched to French for a lovely version of “Under Paris Skies,” an uptempo waltz with an intro that cleverly quoted “I Love Paris.”

The appropriate closer was a swinging medley of “Here Comes Santa Claus” and “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.”

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