Fat Cat Big Band - Face (2009)

The Fat Cat Big Band has been electrifying crowds in New York City’s landmark jazz clubs since 2001. They’ve been described by All About Jazz as “one of the most refreshing groups to come along in years” and praised by Jazz Times “for adding to the legacy of big band music rather than emulating its past glories.” The unique eleven-piece lineup includes members of the Mingus, Vanguard, and Roy Hargrove big bands, as well as regular contributors to the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and has drawn comparisons to the iconic big bands of Ellington, Basie, Mingus, Quincy Jones, and Lionel Hampton.

Despite the analogies, however, the FCBB embodies a spirit entirely its own. The band is driven by the unstoppable energy of Jade Synstelien, who leads from the guitar chair with indomitable passion. The fierce originality of his compositions and arrangements are met by heart-stopping, full-throttle performances from each player in the band.

This rainbow of blazing musical talent—from Juilliard-trained virtuosi to self-taught mavericks—captures the scope of Synstelien’s influences, which range from Mingus to Bach to Hendrix to Native American chant. Through preternatural arranging savvy and a wellspring of musical energy, the Fat Cat Big Band does with eleven cats what other ensembles struggle to achieve with nearly two dozen.