Instruments of Mass Pleasure

by Alex Budman

Overview

Instruments of Mass Pleasure is an insanely good album. The review can end there suitably. The Alex Budman Contemporary Jazz Orchestra is a fixture at Pearl's in San Francisco, with a sound at least somewhat similar to the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. Here, they take on a series of what are primarily their own compositions with one or two other penned numbers thrown in. What one is struck by foremost, though, aside from any composition issues, is that this outfit has some incredible players built in. The album opens with some big band swing that hearkens to the advances of the big band around the '60s, but with more finesse than many of the older recordings could dream of. In "Samba in 7," the band evokes Dizzy Gillespie's Afro-Cuban big band perfectly, despite that not being the intention. Latin jazz appears to be a specialty as it's carried into the Corsican-inspired "Girolata," and then it's back to the powerful horn section and the piano prowess of composer Leonard Thompson in "Mood for a Time" and "Sidewave." Each tune and its arrangement highlights yet another point of strength for the band as it swoons and swerves from decadence to decadence. For contemporary orchestral jazz, there are a few up-and-comers to be heard, and a few older standard-playing outfits. This band has neither the rigidity of the old guard nor the naivete of the new guard. It can emulate the old masters, but has a style all its own. ~ Adam Greenberg

Product Details

Release Date:	10/25/2005
Label:	Oa2 Records
UPC:	0805552202427

Tracks

1. In Case of Emergency
2. Little Prayer
3. Samba in 7
4. Girolata
5. Mood for a Time
6. Sidewave
7. When We Walked in the Sun
8. The Croxmont Jive
9. Ballad for Benny

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Alex Budman   Primary Artist,Sax (Soprano),Clarinet,Sax (Alto),Sax (Tenor)
Alex Budman Contemporary Jazz Orchestra   Primary Artist
Tod Dickow   Primary Artist,Sax (Tenor)
Leonard Thompson   Primary Artist,Piano
Charles McNeal   Primary Artist,Sax (Alto)
Mike Olmos   Primary Artist,Trumpet,Flugelhorn
Eric Crystal   Primary Artist,Sax (Tenor)
John Gove   Primary Artist,Soloist,Trombone,Guest Artist
Brian Fishler   Drums
Lorenzo Farrell   Double Bass,Bass (Acoustic)
Chuck Bennett   Trombone (Bass)
Mike Rinta   Trombone
John Brummel   Trombone
Joel Behrman   Flugelhorn,Trumpet
Doug Rowan   Sax (Tenor),Sax (Baritone)
Jesus Diaz   Shekere,Bata,Bells,Congas,Chekere,Guest Artist
Dan Feiszli   Double Bass
Justin Morell   Guitar,Guest Artist
Alex Murzyn   Sax (Tenor)
Adam Theis   Trombone
Marcos Diaz   Piano,Guest Artist
Dave Scott   Trumpet,Flugelhorn
David Flores   Drums,Guest Artist
Steffen Kuehn   Trumpet,Flugelhorn
Derek James   Trombone,Trombone (Bass)

Technical Credits

Alex Budman   Audio Production,Arranger,Composer,Producer
Oliver Nelson   Composer
Lorenzo Farrell   Composer
Steve Baughman   Mixing
Chuck MacKinnon   Arranger
Steffen Kuehn   Photography
Chris Konovaliv   Assistant Engineer
Leonard Thompson   Composer