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GJazz Records Reviews
Live Review of George Gee Big Band at Birdland by: Dr. Roberta E. Zlokower Tonight’s first set at Birdland was a selection of Frank Foster arrangements for the George Gee Big Band. Frank Foster, renowned arranger and composer, was Guest of Honor at this tribute. George Gee and Foster go back together many years, and they would be collaborating the very next day on a CD recording, their first studio album, to celebrate Mr. Foster’s music. The last performance of Frank Foster and the George Gee Big Band was in 2002 at Frankie Manning’s birthday party at Roseland. In 1995, Foster and George Gee performed together at the Metropolis Jazz Club, with Foster on saxophone. Foster and George Gee are mutual admirers, and it showed tonight, as Foster was invited to lead this 17- piece band. The first piece, Out of Nowhere, led by George Gee, was smooth and seamless. The trombones were muted with little hats. When Your Lover Has Gone included an excellent ballad on trumpet, a beautifully fused arrangement with backup. Ellington’s In a Sentimental Mood, was romantic, mellow, and warm. The sax trills were effervescent and evocative. Charlie Parker’s Scrapple from the Apple included a blazing and buoyant sax, followed by a trumpet solo. Powerful horns, back and forth, Edmond’s trumpet and one sax, went wild. George Gee has perky personality and presence. The snare drum took off with rim blasts, and George Gee pretended he was shot, a cute effect. Trowers on trombone and Cowherd on piano added to this dynamic dimension. Carla Cook, vocalist, added a warm, vibrant dimension to this evening’s celebration of the imminent recording. The upcoming pieces were announced by Frank Foster, Guest Bandleader, as Cirrhosis Blues, or Liver Come Back to Me. In The Very Thought of You, Ms. Cook exuded deep, distinctive tones. The Big Band evaporated, to allow her throaty vocalization to continue uninterrupted. Autumn Leaves was sung in a bouncy, energetic, jazzed-up version. When Joe Cohn was featured on guitar, there were sax and trumpet enhancements of pure brass that gave this Swing rhythm legs. The next piece, led by Daryl Hall on bass, set up a skipping rhythm, with Frank Foster still leading the band. Kudos to Frank Foster, George Gee, and Gianni Valenti’s Birdland for this memorable evening of quintessential Swinging Big Band.
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