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Arranger/composer Jack Cortner intended for his initial big-band Jazzed Media CD, Fast Track, to be a one-time affair, but soloist Marvin Stamm, who was extensively featured on trumpet and flugelhorn, immediately prodded him into thinking of a follow-up recording. Many of the other musicians from the first session returned, including Stamm's frequent collaborator pianist Bill Mays, plus the cream of the crop of New York-based session players, many of whom (like Stamm and Mays) are leaders in their own right. The program mixes time-tested standards, well-known jazz compositions, and the leader's originals, all of which are scored with tight section work to complement Stamm's sparkling solos. Cortner's unusual setting of "Yesterdays" is light and airy, showcasing Stamm's crisp muted trumpet. Cortner's tasty blues "Sound Check" could easily be mistaken for the type of piece that Count Basie might have played on a typical record date of the '50s or '60s, complete with Jay Berliner's rhythm guitar channeling the late Freddie Green and Mays' understated piano recalling Basie's minimalist approach, while the leader's brisk blues "А la Mode" sizzles with energy. At Stamm's suggestion, Mays at times freed himself from the piano vamp in Herbie Hancock's "Cantaloupe Island" by adding a bit of campy blues; the tune also showcases a potent solo by alto saxophonist Jon Gordon. It is very likely that Marvin Stamm and the rest of the musicians have already been discussing a third record with Jack Cortner, if they haven't already scheduled the studio time. Highly recommended! ~ Ken Dryden, All Music Guide
Tracklist:1. Strike Up the Band (4:44)
2. Speak Low (5:24)
3. Sometime Ago (5:18)
4. Cantaloupe Island (5:43)
5. Sound Check (4:56)
6. Yesterdays (6:34)
7. Caravan (5:17)
8. Cinema Paradiso Love Theme (5:11)
9. a la Mode (4:35)
10. You and the Night and the Music (5:22)
11. It's All Right with Me (6:09)
Personnel:Jack Cortner - Primary Artist
Jon Gordon - Alto Saxophone, Soloist
Jerry Dodgion - Alto Saxophone
Lawrence Feldman - Alto Saxophone
Dave Tofani - Tenor Saxophone, Soloist
Dennis Anderson - Tenor Saxophone
Bob Malach - Tenor Saxophone
Kenny Berger - Baritone Saxophone
Marvin Stamm - Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Soloist
Tony Kadleck - Trumpet
Bob Millikan - Trumpet
Bud Burridge - Trumpet
Danny Cahn - Trumpet
Frank Greene - Trumpet
Dave Gale - Trumpet
Jim Pugh - Trombone, Soloist
Tony Studd - Trombone
Birch Johnson - Trombone
Keith O'Quinn - Trombone
Paul Faulise - Bass Trombone
Jay Berliner - Guitar
Jeff Mironov - Guitar
Bill Mays - Piano, Soloist
Jay Anderson - Bass
John Riley - Drums, Soloist
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