Bob Mintzer - Art Of The Big Band (1991)

This big-band date by Bob Mintzer from the early '90s utilizes some of the Big Apple's top available musicians of the era, including trumpeters Marvin Stamm and Randy Brecker, saxophonists Scott Robinson and Roger Rosenberg (both of whom double on clarinet), and pianist Phil Markowitz. Mintzer has moved freely between contemporary and mainstream jazz depending on the record date and personnel, but on this DMP release he incorporates a bit from each style. At times that's a problem, because straight-ahead fans will find the smooth jazz-like rhythm section in the standard "Without a Song" rather lame compared to the writing for the brass and reeds. Fortunately, when electric bassist Lincoln Goines is replaced by acoustic bassist Michael Formanek, as in "Christopher Columbus" (where Robinson swings like mad on tenor) and Mintzer's inventive chart of "Easy Living," all is well. The originals are a mixed bag, with the dynamic "Art of the Big Band" and the tricky "Weird Blues" being especially noteworthy. -- Ken Dryden