David Caffey Jazz Orchestra - At the Edge of Spring (2025)

With his album, At the Edge of Spring, composer and arranger David Caffey and his Colorado-based Jazz Orchestra not only defy the widely-held belief that big bands are dead, they emphatically blow that axium out of the water. This is an ensemble with no discernible weaknesses, as proficient and powerful as any that have come before it or are likely to follow. To verify that impression, you need only couple your ears with an open mind.

As icing on that auspicious cake, the orchestra has the pleasure of performing eight of Caffey's luminous charts, not one of which is less than perceptive and inspiring, and five of his well-drawn compositions (guitarist Steve Kovalcheck wrote "Old Hat," Wayne Shorter the session's last two numbers, "One by One" and "This Is for Albert"). Above all, they house the most potent weapon in any big band's arsenal: the ability to swing on any cue and at any given moment.

That capacity is clear from the first notes of the bright and prismatic opener, "Starlight" (as in "Stella By?") through the last shout chorus on "This Is for Albert." There is no letdown between them, as the orchestra smoothly slices and dices its way through the seductive title song, the ambling "Old Hat," rhythmic "Brazilian Dances for Brooklyn," the waltz-like "The Brothers" and rock-based "Direct Current." The ensemble is on its game from the outset, as are its stellar soloists, starting with tenor saxophonist Peter Sommer and pianist Dana Landry on "Starlight."

Others who leave an indelible mark are Kovalcheck ("Edge of Spring," "Old Hat," "Direct Current"), altos Wil Swindler ("Edge of Spring") and Drew Zaremba ("The Brothers"), tenor Andrew Janak ("Brazilian Dances," "One by One"), drummer Jim White ("Edge of Spring," "Old Hat," "Brazilian Dances," "The Brothers"), trumpeters Shawn Williams ("Edge of Spring") and Brad Goode ("One by One," "This Is for Albert") and trombonist Jonathan Bumpus ("One by One"). Enticing the heart on every number, however, are Caffey's superlative arrangements, which include elaborate soli for saxophones, trombones and even trumpets on "Starlight" and dense unison passages across the board, winding curves and sinewy contrasts designed to test even the most seasoned musicians and coupling xylophone with marimba to amplify color on "Old Hat" and flute with vibraphone on "Brazilian Dances."

While its premise may lie At the Edge of Spring, every other aspect of this strong and adventurous album is no less than dead-center. And whereas Caffey deserves the lion's share of credit for that, neither should the marvelous performance of his world-class orchestra be discounted. A strong and tasteful effort from start to finish.~By Jack Bowers