The Horn Factory was with us on Wednesday. Local they may be but they provided us with great music and fine solos. They choose as a band to play some very difficult and intricate arrangements, I guess because they are fun to work on. The important point is that they do them very well indeed.
It was a big rig for us and for them, and it took a little while for them to go from playing well to having fun. What might have helped is discovering when I went to do the raffle that they were all in their seats waiting for me to announce the second set. Well, they took it in good heart, and applauded and riffed every raffle winner
Steve Jordan has annotated the programme running order, for which many thanks. There were very many fine solos, and he has mentioned some of them.
Take care,
Dave
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1. Good News (Bob Mintzer)
2. Queen Bee (Sammy Nestico) the composer was an arranger for Count Basie
3. Fireshaker (Maynard Ferguson) featuring the trumpet section.
4. Mueva Los Huesos (Gordon Goodwin)
5. Blues Down Below (Jeff Steinberg) featuring Mike Tatt on bass guitar; Susannah West on baritone sax; Dave Charles on bass trombone
6. Merlin (Paul Baker) quite a complex piece with many changes, rather like a suite.
7. A Few Good Men(Gordon Goodwin) suggested as being a potential alternative them for Dads’ Army.
8. Apollo’s Reel(Tim Molten) with undertones of celtic folk, for me the highpoint of the first set.
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9. Manteca (Dizzy Gillespie) a wonderful salsa-like number from Diz
10. Happy Faces (Sonny Stitt, arr. Quincy Jones) played in traditional Big Band style.
11. Round Midnight (Thelonious Monk) featuring Gilly Burgoyne on alto sax. A gorgeous rendition, a highlight of the gig.
12. Dark Side of the Blues (Andrew Classen)
13. Huntin’ Wabbits (Gordon Goodwin) surely a tribute to Elmer Fudd of Bugs Bunny fame
14. Strasbourg/St Denis (Roy Hargrove) featuring trumpet and flugel horn. Recorded on the album, Earfood, which is highly recommended
15. Birdland (Joe Zawinul) recorded, of course, by the pioneering jazz fusion supergroup, Weather Report. Just because it was popular doesn’t mean it wasn’t good!
