Listen & Be Heard Weekly Archives

Band leader, pianist, arranger, composer Larry Vuckovich brought a night of great arrangements from the golden era of big band orchestras (Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Woody Herman, Stan Kenton/Bill Holman, Harry James and Dizzy Gillespie) with his 18-piece orchestra as part of [tag]COPIA?s summer concert series[/tag] in the city of [tag]Napa[/tag].

Many of the musicians assembled by Larry actually played with Ellington, Goodman, Basie, Herman, Gillespie, as well as with Tito Puente, Buddy Rich, Ray Charles, Benny Carter, Maynard Ferguson, Louis Bellson and Gil Evans.

Here are the musicians: trumpeters Allen Smith, Fred Berry, John Worley, Louis Fasman; saxophonists Noel Jewkes, Jules Broussard, Pete Yellin, John Agro; lead alto/clarinetist Jim Rothermel (who also directed the band); trombonists Wayne Wallace, Chip Tingle, Chuck Bennett, Joe Gove; guitarist Josh Workman, bassist Nat Johnson, drummer Matt Guggemos in addition to Larry on piano and guest vocalist Jaime Davis.

Setting a theme for an evening of music is one thing, however in choosing the song to set things in motion is akin to ordering the proper wine for the first course of a 5 course meal for several diners. This is exactly what maestroVuckovich did with ?Opus One,? composed and arranged by Sy Oliver for the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. Those who were old enough (and they were plentiful) to remember that era of music were jolted by a volt of remembrance. Noel Jewkes took the first solo to initiate an entire evening of brilliantly swinging solos from those musicians given such an opportunity, followed by guitarist Matt Guggemos, Larry, who then gave the tune back to the entire orchestra who in turn gave it back for 4 bars to Jim Rothermel (clarinet) whereupon everyone took the tune out to its swinging conclusion.

Larry, in his presentation, wanted to acknowledge the several arrangers who were responsible for furthering the careers of big band leaders. Arrangers such as the aforementioned Sy Oliver, Ray Coniff, Bill Holman, Jimmy Dupree, Bill Byers, Neal Hefti and Sammy Nestor.

The next song I recalled being performed in a movie directed by John Huston by John?s father Walter (more spoken than sung), ?September Song…? oh the days dwindle down to a precious few, September, November…and these few precious days I?ll spend with you, these golden days I?ll spend with you.? This Ray Coniff arrangement was done up tempo and sans lyrics. Trumpeters Allen Smith and John Worley maintained the quality and energy of the evening?s presentation with their solos respectively.

Bill Holman?s arrangement of ?Bright Eyes? took the audience out of the 1930s and 1940s into the next generation. This arrangement was more driving and musically demanding. Driving is the key identifying word here, as even though the musical lines were descending in leading to Allen Smith?s solo (16 bars), the entire orchestra (without overplaying) kept pushing the song to it?s ultimate limits. After Allen?s solo, the orchestra came back in before giving it up to NoelJewkes, followed by guitarist Josh Workman. In a timeless ?old school? gesture, each section of the orchestra took turns standing up simultaneously and continued playing until the director signaled the end of the song. Classic.

The next two songs (?Night and Day? and ?All Right, OK, You Win?) were performed by long time bay area big band singer Jaime Davis. Jaime brough this own richly written arrangements with him, though the arranger(s) were not named. The combination of Jaime?s powerfully well rounded voice and his ability to swing with the sensitive (?Night and Day?) and swingin? ?till the girls come home (?All Right, OK…?} Vuckovich musicians added yet another hip dimension to the first set.
The last song of the first set performed by the orchestra was originally written for the trombone section of the Woody Herman Band, was entitled ?Four Others? (a takeoff on Herman?s ?Four Brothers?). The trombone section was definitely up to the task as was the rest of the musicians. A song seldom heard or performed. Wonderful selection.

After the intermission, night had fallen upon us and whatever notes I jotted down were done so in the dark.

The first song was, as I recall, ?Cinnamon? which had a 1950s beatnik era feel and sound to it, complete with bongos (Shanna Craig). ?Hipsters, flipsters, finger poppin? daddies, lend me your lobes!? I felt Lord Buckley?s presence.

?Satin Doll? is always associated with Duke Ellington, as it should be, however, it has remained a favorite of generations of audiences due to the understated yet swinging (there?s that word again) arrangement by Billy Byers.

Larry pulled some magic out from under his beret with an arrangement he wrote while studying at San Francisco State (University) over 35 years ago of McCoy Tyner?s ?Passion Dance.? A very impressive interpretation and as fresh as though it had been written the day before.

Jaime came back on stage and did a very lush arrangement of Ray Noble?s ?The Very Thought Of You.?

The orchestra then was broken down to a quintet which featured Allen Smith and Noel Jewkes soloing masterfully on yet another song associated with Duke Ellington (written by Billy Strayhorn), ?A Train.?

The full orchestra returned for Neal Hefti?s ?Splanky? which was arranged by Sammy Nestor for the Count Basie Orchestra. If you closed your eyes, you could have sworn you were actually listening to the Basie orchestra.

Throughout the evening, couples were dancing wherever space could be found. This is always an exclamation point for musicians. It not only means that they are saying something that people want to hear, it also means that everyone is on the same page.

Larry?s ?cats? closed the evening in rollicking style with Eubie Blake?s ?Bugle Call Rag,? which was arranged by Teddy Wilson for the Benny Goodman Band.

There are a number of ?ghost? bands (Nelson Riddle to name one) that just show up and play the charts and do so without any feeling or sense of dynamics. Corny and dull. Well, the Vuckovich led orchestra not only lived the arrangements, they brought them to life vivaciously. Bravo, gentlemen and encore!

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