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Michael Hutchins
Via Gelato Cafe
July 31st 2010
1853 Tower Drive
Glenview, Ill 60026
Cost: $0
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Stacy McMichael
Julius Meinl
July 31st 2010
Addison / Southport
Chicago, Ill
Cost: $FREE
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Chicago Jazz Philharmonic - Collective Creativity
Orbert Davis - Trumpet
Ari Brown - Saxphone
Nicole Mitchell - Flute
Orbert Davis for over a decade has been one of the driving forces in Jazz today. Over the years many of us have heard him perform with his small groups, combining expert compositional abilities along with the fluid and creative sound he creates on his trumpet has been something that has excited audiences throughout the world.
In each of past releases he has found a way to combine many different styles while still creating a powerful sound and a passionate delivery but his latest project is something that pushes the envelope and possibly reinvents the way we will think of jazz composition.
The Chicago Jazz Philharmonic is a 55 piece jazz orchestra that combines traditional big band instrumentation with a small orchestra. Don’t be fooled, this is not a big band with strings the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic performs as one unit and on the new release Collective Creativity have brought Davis’s compositions to life. Although I have seen the group perform live on several occasions listening to this CD allows you to take in all that is happening in each compostion.
Collective Creativity begins with “Fanfare for Cloud Gate”. From the first note you feel as if something big is about to happen. The themes are perfectly carried throughout the piece and the orchestration combines hints of classic jazz rhythms and symphonic ideas. This is the perfect piece to begin the recording with because it prepares the listener for the journey they are about to take.
Although Davis has written for small groups and big bands with the creation of the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic he has been able to take his compostional talents to higher plain. Just the fact that with the edition of strings and added percussion the colors and textures that are available to him enables Davis to push his creativity to new highs. He doesn’t disappoint.
The Collective Creativity Suite is a nine movement suite that finishes the recording. To this listener every conceivable style of jazz is utilized throughout the suite. The almost spontaneous composition that happens between orchestrated sections of “Creation Evolution (part 2)” between Ari Brown, Nicole Mitchell and Orbert Davis could be a risky proposition in this type of composing however with Davis’s guidance and concept it adds so much color and depth to the piece that it is surely a highlight of the recording.
There are truly so many incredible moments on this recording that it is impossible to list them all in one review. Orbert Davis has truly succeeded with his concept of creating a versatile musical group that can carry out his vision and prove that the only limits between musical styles is your own imagination.
By: Mike Jeffers
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