Reviews of: The Chase-David White Jazz Orchestra

The Chase Second CD by the David White Jazz Orchestra,

Released April 8, 2014 Mister Shepherd Records (MSR­10615)

Published In: DownBeat Magazine Publication Date: June 23, 2014 Author: Jon Ross 4 STARS ­The Chase, the 17­piece David White Jazz Orchestra’s follow­up to 2011’s Flashpoint, explodes out of the starting block. On the first tune, “Mister Shepherd’s Misadventures,” the sizzling, articulated melody—which is played at a blistering pace by the saxophone section, backed by trumpet accents—sets a relentless pace for the rest of the album. The hard­driving, madcap pace moves below the surface for the gospel­tinged “And The People Could Fly”—propulsive drums and a percussive piano ostinato needle on a reflective melody. While this soaring passage is passed around the ensemble, the rest of the group blends together perfectly, providing a delicate background.

White, on trombone, weaves compositions that use his band in equal measure. As a trombonist, he seems to have no great bias toward brass, and in fact, some of the best writing on the album is given to the woodwinds, who serve as the base layer for saucy, uptempo numbers like “Persistence” and “The Shakedown.” White’s ability to write pieces with many moving parts makes the majority of The Chase’s tunes exciting and enjoyable. —Jon Ross

Published In: The NYC Jazz Record Publication Date: July 1, 2014 Author: Donald Litman Orchestral color and the unexpected are the key notes of trombonist/bandleader David White's new album. The band bursts forth immediately with "Mister Shepherd's Misadventures", saxophones wailing a theme over the brass section. Saxophonist Sam Dillon digs in for a hot solo accompanied by the pointed jabs of the rhythm section and 'sings' on through several choruses, soon complemented by smart accents from the band. Those accents continue over a fiery solo by trumpeter Miki Hirose. The end of the tune comes as a true surprise, the band disappearing and the rhythm section left to riff the basic rhythm to a simple but satisfying end. In one five­minute track, White has utilized the power of the full band, the textures of the sections and that approach that never quite lets on exactly where it's going. White gives himself only one solo feature, but it's a beauty. "Persistence", is, the composer has noted, inspired by Steve Reich's Music for 18 Musicians. It's a repeated, rhythmic groove over which darkly pitched saxophones and then the whole band play apposite figures. White's playing is forceful and insistent and as it moves forward the orchestra comes back with more of that rich palette just before and then during the impassioned wailing of alto saxophonist Andrew Gould, who is also featured on "The Shakedown", a funky, danceable 24­bar composition with a perpetuum mobile feeling. He's joined by trombonist Dan Reitz for another potent and to­the­point solo. There's a beautiful ode in White's "Blues for Sally Draper", a moody, 12­bar blues, dedicated to a character on the popular TV show Mad Men, White's favorite. The melody is attractively sinuous and insinuating, with Rick Parker, yet another trombonist, taking the first solo. It's burly and raucous but perfectly in keeping with the color of this piece as a whole. Omar Daniels, on alto, follows suit and takes us for a ride that leaves us breathless and longing for more. There are two other White originals here, both of which add to the sterling repertoire that White has created with a vital big orchestra.

Published In: Hot House Jazz Magazine Publication Date: July 1, 2014

Author: Seton Hawkins Trombonist and composer David White is among a new generation of jazz artists keenly committed to reviving the big band medium and exploring the vast musical potential of the format. While certainly a potent horn player in his own right, the Buffalo native has made a particular name for himself as a big band leader. Developing his ensemble as a vehicle for original works, White proves himself a remarkable composer whose willingness to stretch textures and tonalities without sacrificing a sense of swing might remind listeners of great ensembles like the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra.

Published In: Jazz Weekly Publication Date: June 19, 2014 Author: George Harris Who says the Big Band Era is over? Here are a couple of recordings that are both intelligent and swinging... David White directs an exciting and fervent collection of six originals here, with a frenetically exuberant “Mister Shepherd’s Misadventures” being highlighted by tenor saxist Sam Dillon, and the swinging for the fences “And the People Could Fly” featuring Pablo Masis on trumpet. An ear catching duet between Rick Parker/tb and Sam Dillon lead into a grooving “The Sweetest Bite of Cherry” before Sam Taylor’s tenor takes the baton to the finish line. Your neck will be in supple form by the time the band gets to “Blues for Sally Draper,” making this short but sweet session a tasty treat. Get these guys to LA! ­George Harris

Published In: All About Jazz Publication Date: June 18, 2014 Author: Jack Bowers Flashpoint, released three years ago (in 2011), introduced listeners to a splendid New York­based orchestra led by composer / trombonist David White. On The Chase, White proves that Flashpoint was indeed no

fluke, guiding what is essentially the same ensemble through its paces on half a dozen of his admirable charts. There is one sizable difference, which will be addressed in due course; in musical terms, however, White and the orchestra are as a rule beyond reproach. He writes tasteful melodies, and the orchestra carries out his game plan to the letter. Brass and reeds are sharp and focused, while the rhythm section—firmly anchored by drummer Ryan Cavan—keeps the power plant running smoothly and the machinery in place. White's grandfather gave him the nickname Mister Shepherd, and the session opens suitably with "Mister Shepherd's Misadventures," a fast­moving theme with virile solos by tenor saxophonist Sam Dillon and trumpeter Miki Hirose. "And the People Could Fly" takes wing behind emphatic statements by pianist Nick Consol and trumpeter Pablo Masis, after which tenor Sam Taylor strides forward to savor "The Sweetest Bite of Cherry," whose appetizing rhythms vary from straight 4/4 to a more laid­back quarter time. "Persistence," the album's most strident theme (in fact, the only one that veers even modestly from harmonious), was inspired, White says, by minimalist composer Steve Reich's "Music for 18 Musicians" (one more than White's orchestra employs). White takes his lone solo there, and it's a good one, deftly complementing forceful testimony by Cavan and alto Andrew Gould who solos in a lighter mood with trombonist Dan Reitz on the funky "The Shakedown." Trombonist Rick Parker and alto Omar Daniels are front and center on the seductive finale, "Blues for Sally Draper," named for a character on White's favorite television series, Mad Men. Musically, one couldn't ask for much more than White and his orchestra deliver. On the other hand, it is hard to endorse without caveat a CD whose playing time is a scant thirty­four minutes, less than half of a disc's storage capacity of eighty minutes (hence the "sizable difference" alluded to earlier). That's a full forty minutes less than White's earlier enterprise, Flashpoint. What we are left with is an otherwise exemplary album that spans only thirty­four minutes, none of which is misspent. If that doesn't bother you, go for it. ­Jack Bowers

Published In: O’s Place Jazz Newsletter Publication Date: May 28, 2014 Author: Oscar Groomes O's Notes: David White plays trombone and is the musical director for his orchestra, a brass rich ensemble that is precise and polished. It is a large variety of vibrant songs with excellent dynamics. The core rhythm section (punctuates the performance especially on songs like "Persistence". Put your seatbelt on and enjoy the ride! ­D. Oscar Groomes

Published In: The Jazz Page Publication Date: May 16, 2014 Trombonist/composer David White returns with the second recording of his amazing 17­piece orchestra. The Chase highlights the dexterity of White as a writer and that of he and his ensemble as players. The writing is truly engaging and the delivery of the material is impeccable. White’s work here shows the capabilities of a larger musician base in a modern context. The tunes are mix of the mellow toned and big brassy numbers, all written by the band’s leader. The unit features Pablo Masis on trumpet, Andrew Gould and Omar Daniels on alto saxophones, Sam Dillon on tenor saxophone and Ryan Cavan on drums. It’s great to find talented artists keeping this genre of jazz alive and White does it exceptionally well.

Published In: Jazz History Online Publication Date: May 6, 2014 Author: Thomas Cunniffe Big Bands Of Our Time­ DAVID WHITE: “THE CHASE” (Mister Shepherd 10615) There is a great urgency to the music on David White’s album, “The Chase”. It was funded by a Kickstarter campaign, and while the disc only runs 34 minutes, all of it was recorded in a single day. Perhaps the need to get these arrangements on tape with a minimum of retakes gave the music its undeniable momentum. As a big band composer and arranger, White rarely surprises the listener with new combinations of instrumental colors, but structurally his pieces are quite compact, and they move forward with astonishing vigor. The opening track, “Mister Shepherd’s Misadventures”, has composed and solo sections in three distinct styles. The soloists, tenor saxophonist Sam Dillon and trumpeter Miki Hirose, are required to solo in all three styles, but White limits their solo time, as the entire piece is over in just over five minutes! The band’s other soloists include pianist Nick Consol and trumpeter Pablo Masis on the hyperactive “And The People Could Fly”, tenor saxophonist Sam Taylor on “The Sweetest Bite of Cherry”, with dramatic tempo changes in unexpected places, and alto saxophonist Andrew Gould and trombonist Dan Reitz on the fast and funky “The Shakedown”. White’s trombone is featured on “Persistence”, an agitated piece inspired by Steve

Reich’s minimalist masterpiece “Music for 18 Musicians”. Only on the final piece, “Blues for Sally Draper” does the tempo relax and the soloists Rick Parker (trombone) and Omar Daniels (alto saxophone) get the opportunity to stretch out. It’s a very effective contrast to the rest of the album, but I suspect that the CD might have been better as a whole if there wasn’t so much unbridled intensity elsewhere. ­Thomas Cunniffe

Published In: Jazz Wax Publication Date: April 28, 2014 Author: Marc Meyers David White Jazz Orchestra—The Chase (Mister Shepherd). Four years after trombonist, composer and arranger White first formed a 17­piece big band in 2007, he released their first album. Now White has released their second, which features arrangements that wrap around original compositions in a fascinating way. Instead of smashing songs to bits with blaring solos or swinging them over the moon, White's charts take the Thad Jones approach, creating interesting silos of original lines by using sighing sections and plenty of space, time changes and warm textures. The Sweetest Bite of Cherry is a perfect example. The same goes for Blues for Sally Draper. A thinking artist's approach to big band writing that comes across almost cinematic in its measured, moody approach. ­ Marc Myers

Published In: The Buffalo News Publication Date: April 20, 2014 Author: Jeff Simon David White Jazz Orchestra, “The Chase” (Mister Shepherd). Trombonist, composer and bandleader David White not only grew up in Buffalo but was 14 when he began playing in Macy Favor’s big band at the Colored Musicians Club of Buffalo. “Macy was an important figure since I had a single mother and my

grandfather had passed” he says now. “Music was always something that added discipline in my life. There’s the discipline of practicing. There’s the discipline of being in bands, which is more responsibility than a lot of 14­year­olds would have had. It let me get a lot of my trial and error out of my way at an early age. “He moved to New York in 2003, began playing with Charli Persip’s and Valery Ponomarev’s Big Band and began his own big band in 2007 which included musicians he’d known since high school in Buffalo, including drummer Ryan Cavan. He wants to explore “a whole palette of orchestral colors within the big band that are not always tapped into.… It’s like having a giant box of crayolas where you can color and draw anything you can imagine.” His orchestral imagination is certainly unusual but by no means radical. On the other hand, how many jazz orchestras do you know where a composer/arranger is influenced by Steve Reich’s “Music for 18 Musicians” and names tunes after Sally Draper on “Mad Men”? His band is a good one, full of good soloists including tenor saxophonist Sam Dillon and pianist Nick Consol. ΩΩΩ (Jeff Simon)

Published On: Wondering Sound Publication Date: April 16, 2014 Author: Dave Sumner It isn’t until the latter half of the second track that this album comes together, and from there, it just keeps getting better. White’s big band carries the weight of a big sound with aplomb as it develops a shifting motion that is more than just about speed. Even during the uppest of the up­tempo pieces, White’s ensemble is able to vacillate its speed in a way to give the music, at times, a casual grace that really pulls the ear in. Good stuff. Last track is entitled “Blues for Sally Draper” which I mention just for the sake of mentioning it. ­Dave Sumner

Published On: All About Jazz Publication Date: April 14, 2014 Author: Dan Bilawsky The Chase is one heck of a wild ride. Trombonist David White has followed up his Jazz Orchestra's debut—Flashpoint (Mister Shepherd Records, 2011)—with an album that's short on material but rich in content. A scant thirty­four minutes of music can be found on this one, with all but one of the six tracks falling in the four­to­six minute range, but better to focus on what White does with the time than the time itself. White's greatest achievement here surrounds his ability to create and manipulate momentum. Virtually every track plays on the idea of forward motion as a major design element. "Mister Shepherd's Misadventures" runs right out of the gate, swinging, punching, and dropping in on a backbeat for a bit before returning to swing; "And The People Could Fly" takes flight and takes shape over an insistent but controlled rhythmic figure; "The Sweetest Bite Of Cherry" toys with the balance between balladry and propulsion; "Persistence" builds over a repetitive rise­and­fall figure; and "The Shakedown" uses funk as a foundation, pushing forward with tight hits and compacted grooves. The album­ending "Blues For Sally Draper" is the only number that doesn't really rely on drive, but that's the point. That one succeeds with a cool­as­ice design. Plenty of big band projects from lesser known outfits feature a marquee guest to try to stir up interest, but White doesn't go that route. The David White Jazz Orchestra doesn't need any help, for it's interesting all on its own. This band has forged a solid identity, with plenty of simpatico section players and lots of solo power shaping the sound. White, tenor saxophonist Sam Dillon, alto saxophonist Andrew Gould, trombonist Rick Parker and a handful of others all get to shine on these well­crafted tunes. There's often a de­emphasis on rhythmic motion in new big band work, as many composer's today only focus on ever­expansive harmonies, often at the expense of movement. People seem to forget that pulse is what keeps all of us alive; it does the same for music, so it's nice to hear from a big band composer that understands this. ­Dan Bilawsky

Published On: All About Jazz Publication Date: April 9, 2014 Author: Karl Ackermann Some of the same high school kids that we're jamming with composer/arranger/trombonist David White more than fifteen years ago still occupy a space alongside newer faces in his New York based jazz orchestra. Tradition and transition are very much at the core of White's approach to progressive swing. White continues to express his unique style of progressive swing on his sophomore release The Chase. Like his debut Flashpoint (Self­Produced, 2011), The Chase pushes instrumental boundaries while paying just enough respect to convention. White's democratic process allows his band mates plenty of spotlight time. The traditional swing opening of "Mister Shepherd's Misadventures" is quickly possessed by blistering solos from saxophonist Sam Dillon and trumpeter Miki Hirose. "And The People Could Fly" incorporates a bluesy element and standout work from pianist Nick Consol and trumpeter Pablo Masis. "The Sweetest Bite of Cherry" slows the pace down initially while saxophonist Sam Taylor and drummer Ryan Cavan create a palpable tension, agitating for greater acceleration. White himself takes a rare turn at soloing on the cinematic "Persistence," serving a reminder that his skills include being a fine player. White is one among five trombonists in the ensemble and another, Dan Reitz, gets to show his chops on "The Shakedown." Alto player Andrew Gould offers prominent performances on both of the aforementioned pieces. Yet another trombonist, Rick Parker, and alto saxophonist Omar Daniels get their chance to shine on the mid­tempo closer "Blues for Sally Draper." While White deliberately places the solos in these tightly arranged pieces, they unfold spontaneously and have an organic improvisational feel. This seamless integration of swing and improvisation give White's original compositions a captivating quality. The rejuvenated condition and status of big band music has been intimately tied to a handful of modern­day composers among which White is prominent. He is a musical activist encouraging risk without tormenting the music to accomplish the task. White continues to grow as a ground­breaking composer and a forceful orchestrator. ­Karl Ackermann

Published On: amazon.com Publication Date: April 8, 2014 Author: Dr. Debra Jan Bilawski What is the difference between a jazz big band and jazz orchestra? Mainly history, as "big band" is associated with the 1930s to 1960s, and "jazz orchestra" is the term of choice today. But there is another distinction, one in which David White and the 17­member David White Jazz Orchestra excel: complex interactive sectional writing, as in a classical orchestra. Although this album, the second from the Orchestra, is essentially a big band of trumpets, trombones, saxophones plus drums, bass, and piano, the tracks have the ensemble break down into small groupings plus soloists, with the full orchestra adding punch at times. Like with the Maria Schneider Orchestra, there is sophistication and orchestral color. David White is a New Yorker whose trombone training at the Purchase College Conservatory included performances with classical, Latin, and jazz groups. He gained further appreciation of orchestration from his membership in the Charli Persip and Valery Ponomarev Big Bands. All the compositions here are his originals. The album opens with a fast moving, driving tune lead by a tenor saxophone, drums, and piano that is carried on by trumpet; the instruments are reduced to a piano and then stops. The second piece of four meshing melodies features piano and later trumpet solos; influenced by Charles Mingus and gospel shouts, it fades at the end. Next, a duet of trombone and tenor saxophone is the core. Piano and drums keep the movement, a joyous urbane swirl, flowing while sonorous harmony from the other instruments add emphasis; it too ends quietly. Persistence, track 4, is said to have been suggested by Steve Reich's Music for 18 Musicians and its propulsive sections. Here, with 16­bar structure, the piece gallops with full brass flourishes and drum solo. The Orchestra gets a tad funky with the 24­bar The Shakedown, with alto saxophone and trombone taking the solos. The final piece of this 34­minute album is Blues for Sally Draper, named after a character on TV's Mad Men series. It is taken slow, with walking bass, solo trombone and alto saxophone laying down the melody until piano and then the full band adds volume and energy. This is a grand composition to end a very satisfying album. White regards the album as a story arc, with all the tracks reflecting his now developed 'true voice.' The David White Jazz Orchestra proves its musicianship. Some of its members are decades old friends of White. Together, they have made a strong statement, which when coupled with their earlier album, proclaims a new voice in the big band, er, jazz orchestra tradition. ­Dr. Debra Jan Bibel

Published On: midwestrecord.com CHRIS SPECTOR, Editor and Publisher Publication Date: March 28, 2014 Taking their time to make a second album as smoking as the first, this crew not only likes it big, they like it bold as well. With the trombonist leading the other 16 cats into battle, the listener always comes out the winner as the sonic palette is always fully loaded and no one on board is afraid to use it. It's not accurate to say big band never sounded this good, but this set sounds like top shelf stuff in the hear and now. A winner throughout.

Published On: www.criticaljazz.com Publication Date: March 26, 2014 Author: Brent Black David White continues to impress as perhaps the most creative force on the jazz orchestra scene! Buy it for the cover art, stay for the music...The Chase contains six stunning originals from music director and trombonist David White. The David White Jazz Orchestra bridges the gap between old school big band and the more colorful voicings of a Gil Evans. White takes a hybrid and then builds another layer of rhythmic flavor and percussive pop which are indicative of his own unique vision for where this often overlooked format may be heading. A thoroughly modern riff on the traditional creates a lyrical sense of urgency that borders on the addictive. White's sense of musical style allows him to crawl inside a chart and look for color combinations and nuances that others may miss. Perhaps the perfect example of White's progressive compositional explorations are found in "Persistence" which is a tune inspired by minimalist composer Steve Reich. No notes are wasted yet the harmonic punches thrown are sharp and melodically connected to a melodic sense of purpose. "Blues For Sally Draper" is a jazz sexy number inspired by the character on the hit show Mad Men. While most of White's contemporaries are serving up the standard bill of fare, David is charting his own path of harmonic least resistance with compositions that are cutting edge, vibrant and diverse in execution.

The large ensemble format is far from dead. David White's exponential growth in all phases of his musical life should now catapult him to the top of the heap for jazz orchestra. The Chase is a release one should definitely catch! ­Brent Black

Web Site: www.davidwhitejazz.com

/davidwhitejazz @davidwhitejazz Media Contact: Terri Hinte 510­234­8781 [email protected] www.terrihinte.com Follow: @terrihinte