Act Big Band - Extrêmes (2012)

At time when jazz big bands are becoming increasingly rare, ACT Big Band was something of a phenomenon in Belgium having been around for seven years. And if ACT BIG BAND continued in their success, it’s due to the enthusiasm, initiative and motivation of the true jazzmen that made up the band.

ln 1986 the band received its first grant from the Conseil de la Musique de la Communauté Française de Belgique, enabling them to commission four pieces from Franey BOLAND, Michel HERR, Arnould MASSART and Jean WARLAND. These pieces appear on this compact disco (2, 3, 5, and 9)
This recording also gave us the opportunity to invite two very special guests: Joe LOVANO, one of the foremost tenor sax players around today, often associated with drummer Paul MOTIAN and with the Mel LEWIS Jazz Orchestra, and John RUOCCO who was a longtime member of ACT BIG BAND and who remains one of the soloists with Peter HERBOLlHEIMER’s international big band.