Poll: Big bands

Tom Storer · May-19th-2003, 08:15 AM

Or, alternatively, just post your favorites.

Pete C · May-19th-2003, 08:35 AM

20 choices & you forget Gerald Wilson? Shame on you.

Tom Storer · May-19th-2003, 08:41 AM

I would have had to bump Jackie Gleason!

Pete C · May-19th-2003, 08:43 AM

Except for Gleason, you actualy alphabetized the choices (by first name). Are you that type of person?

Tom Storer · May-19th-2003, 09:27 AM

I am only that type of person when it comes to written communication. In most other matters I am chaos personified. You should see my desk. I have my CDs in chronological order, but at any given time up to 20% of them are lying around in various rooms of the house in random stacks (to my wife's despair) because I don't always put them back when I've finished listening to them.

And even when writing things, I'm only that type of person sporadically and inconsistently. This makes me think I'm not really that type of person at all.

For the poll, I had written out a much longer list in Word, pared it to twenty and then on a whim sorted alphabetically.

Steve Reynolds · May-19th-2003, 09:28 AM

London Jazz Composers Orchestra

Pete C · May-19th-2003, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Steve Reynolds
London Jazz Composers Orchestra

You would say that...

SinginSumo · May-19th-2003, 10:50 AM

Maria Schneider omitted?

Toshiko Akiyoshi-Lew Tabackin omitted???

Steve Reynolds · May-19th-2003, 01:24 PM

or

Italian Instabile Orchestra

or

Berlin Contemporary Jazz Orchestra

or

Globe Unity Orchestra

and you would love the Instabile - with Trovesi in the band - the latest has a great Trovesi composition leading off the disc

surprised the *great* Tom Storer would miss 4 of the greatest big bands in his poll

yet no one forgets the silly Lincoln Center band

and this is not even considering that the *greatest* band of them all isn't actually a big band

and that is, of course, the Brotzmann Tentet......

Short Visit To Nowhere, baby

bostontricky · May-19th-2003, 02:34 PM

Didn't we have an avant BB thread here, somewhere?

Hmm, Woody Herman and Stan Kenton but no Don Ellis? No Michael Gibbs? I know my tastes run to the mid-60s to mid-70s, but this poll is a little rough.

(I did refrain from saying "No Maynard" though...)

Tom Storer · May-19th-2003, 04:58 PM

I had all those in my original list (well, not the Berlin Contemporary Orchestra, I must admit) but I wanted to cut it down to 20 so I just hacked away at it and devil take the hindmost. After all, you *can* just list your favorites.

I threw in the LCJO in case some brave soul actually likes them and is willing to admit to it here; and Jackie Gleason just for laffs.

EKE BBB · May-20th-2003, 06:50 AM

DUKE COOKS!!!

EKE BBB · May-20th-2003, 06:53 AM

btw
20 big bands and no Fletcher Henderson and no McKinney´s Cotton Pickers???

Troy D · May-20th-2003, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Steve Reynolds

and this is not even considering that the *greatest* band of them all isn't actually a big band

and that is, of course, the Brotzmann Tentet......

I can't remember if on the other thread there was a consensus on exactly how many members a band needed to have in order to qualify as a "big" band. I always thought 10 would be enough.

stonemonkts · May-20th-2003, 07:56 AM

I have to agree with Mr. Reynolds regarding the exclusion of LJCO (yeah they're relatively new to me, but I feel confident in my ability to recognize shizz-nit when I hear it).

And, come on...Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra??? I am assuming they were included as a sort of tongue-in-cheek gag. That band is more boring than a Sunday Catholic mass in the burbs.

I voted for Duke Ellington. To maintain a steady working band for nearly 50 years of (mostly) exceptional quality is mind boggling when you consider it.

By the way, Mr. Reynolds, I recall you referring to Globe Unity 1967/70 as a "disaster". If so, which others by that band would you recommend?

I've still not heard the Brotzmann Tentet. I did a cursory search for the Chicago Octet/Tentet 3 CD set but couldn't find it in the usual places. Any suggestions on this front?

EDIT: I just checked the most obvious place for Okkadisk releases (the Okkadisk website) which looks to be the best option, and prices seem more than fair ($30 for the 3 CD set).

Uli · May-20th-2003, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Troy D
I can't remember if on the other thread there was a consensus on exactly how many members a band needed to have in order to qualify as a "big" band. I always thought 10 would be enough.

If it moves us like a big band, it's a big band!

May-20th-2003, 04:01 PM

How come late '50s-'60s Maynard F. was excluded?
I mean raaaaaaly.

walto · May-27th-2003, 09:18 AM

Just curious. Why does the total say 16 votes when it isn't?

Tanager · May-27th-2003, 10:56 AM

/me peeks in and says, "Bob Moses."

Uli · May-27th-2003, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by walto
Just curious. Why does the total say 16 votes when it isn't?

My guess is that this is a mulitple choice poll and one vote includes multiple choices.

May-27th-2003, 05:35 PM

BASIE!

1937-1940

hornplayer · May-30th-2003, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SinginSumo
Maria Schneider omitted?

Toshiko Akiyoshi omitted???

DITTO!!!

LeMo · June-5th-2003, 12:26 PM

Martial Solal Dodecaband (not a total joke).

And as you live in France how could you forget to mention ONJ/ Orchestre National de Jazz? (this is more of a joke).

Capt. W./TX. · June-11th-2003, 11:19 PM

Shouldn't leave these out of the voting:

Gerald Wilson
Maria Schneider
Vanguard Jazz Orchestra (keepers of the flame...and much besides)
Claude Thornhill
Gerry Mulligan Concert Jazz Band
Mingus Big Band

Also: oughta be specific about the time frame on some...not all Duke's bands were that brilliant, but the '39-42 Webster-Blanton edition was classic, as was most of the '56-on vintage (up to Strayhorn's death in '67); one of the greatest sax sections of all time.

Basie's pre-W.W.II (the'Old Testament' band, as he called it) and the band from '52 (reformed thanks to Billy Eckstine's incessant nagging) on through the early 60's; it featured the likes of Joe Newman, Thad Jones, Snooky Young, Frank Foster, Frank Wess, Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis, Marshall Royal's classic lead alto, Henry Coker, Buddy Catlett, etc.

Dizzy Gillespie's mid-50's band (wth Phil Woods, Melba Liston, Billy Mitchell, Lee Morgan, Charli Persip, Wynton Kelly, etc.) not to be sneezed at, either...

BeBop · June-13th-2003, 11:01 PM

Few questions have such a definitive answer in my mind:
BASIE

I'm neither wishy nor washy on this one. (Which isn't to say anyone should agree with me...) Swing, drive, nuance, Pres...

Others:
Dizzy Gillespie
Earl Hines
Billy Eckstine

bobflo · July-19th-2003, 12:23 PM

My husband, Bob florence

Bill Barton · July-20th-2003, 03:16 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Uli
If it moves us like a big band, it's a big band!

Rahsaan, Root Strata..., roll out the garden hose and hang up the thunder sheet folks, it's Summer.

Fran · July-28th-2003, 11:06 AM

Looking at the voting I say the world is on the right track.
The top 5 are a good indication of the intelligencs, clear mindedness and purity of heart of the Jazz Corner World
I would alter the order some, and am ambivalent on Sun Ra, but yes! -------
Ellington
Herman
Basie
Tad Jones-Mel Lewis

Admittedly never got into Sun Ra properly perhaps

Elkhart1963 · August-4th-2003, 05:41 PM

BILL HOLMAN!!!

Jonny Miner · August-8th-2003, 01:06 PM

If you asked me w/o the guidance of a list, after Ellington I'd probably say Fletcher Henderson.

For more recent stuff, I'd certainly include William Parker's Lil Huey, Alan Silva's Celestrial Communications Orchestra (he maintains that they're not a big band, but tell that to half the players!), and Sam Rivers' various large ensembles...