The Wizard of Oz Suite

by Phil Wilson

Overview

Veteran trombonist Phil Wilson arranged seven pieces from the film The Wizard of Oz and turned them into an engaging suite, accompanied by several great soloists and the NDR Big Band. "Over the Rainbow" is an obvious choice, since it has long since become a jazz standard; he gives it a loping treatment over a lush orchestral background. "Ding Dong the Witch Is Dead" receives a playful up-tempo arrangement featuring alto saxophonist Herb Geller, including a quick but recurring taste of Thelonious Monk's "Rhythm-A-Ning." His reworking of "If I Only Had a Brain" adds an interesting brass vamp underneath the soloists, while unaccompanied brass invite you to follow the yellow brick road during the opening of "We're Off to See the Wizard" in a delightful marchlike chart. Music lovers like Phil Wilson have known for a long time that these great songs aren't just for kids! Neither is Wilson a slouch with other standards. Brisk versions of "Perdido," "Oh, Lady Be Good," and "Woodchopper's Ball" are all exciting; while his mastery of ballads such as "I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance With You" and "I Like the Sunrise" is readily apparent. Highly recommended. ~ Ken Dryden

Product Details

Release Date:	04/14/1994
Label:	Capri
UPC:	0054987404023
Rank:	149000

Tracks

1. Munchkinland
2. If I Were King of the Forest
3. If I Only Had a Brain
4. We're off to See the Wizard
5. Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead
6. In the Merry Old Land of Oz
7. Over the Rainbow
8. Perdido
9. St. James Infirmary
10. Oh, Lady Be Good
11. Ghost of a Chance
12. Woodchopper's Ball
13. I Like the Sunrise

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Phil Wilson   Primary Artist,Trombone
NDR Bigband   Primary Artist
Ronnie Stephenson   Drums
Paul Kubatsch   Trumpet
Stephan Siez   Guitar
Lucas Lindholm   Bass
Wolfgang Schueter   Xylophone
Egon Christmann   Trombone
Heinz Habermann   Trumpet
Lennart Axelsson   Trumpet
Paddy Plato   Trombone
Christof Lauer   Sax (Tenor)
Walter Norris   Piano
Danny Moss   Sax (Tenor)
Herb Geller   Flute,Sax (Alto),Sax (Soprano)
Harald Ende   Sax (Tenor)
Werner Roennfeldt   Sax (Baritone)
Bubi Grossmann   Trombone
Manny Moch   Trumpet
Wolfgang Ahlers   Trombone
Stephan VonDobrzynski   Sax (Tenor)
Bob Lanese   Trumpet
Emil Wurster   Sax (Alto)
Thomas Gramatzki   Clarinet,Sax (Baritone),Clarinet (Bass)
Harry Grube   Piano

Technical Credits

Traditional   Composer
Harold Arlen   Composer
Duke Ellington   Composer
George Gershwin   Composer
Doug Sax   Mastering
Ira Gershwin   Composer
Juan Tizol   Composer
Phil Wilson   Producer
NDR Bigband   Performer
Mercer Ellington   Composer
E.Y. "Yip" Harburg   Composer
Ervin Drake   Composer
Joe Primrose   Composer
Shelley Hubbard   Design
Hans Lengsfelder   Composer