Record Reviews

WDR BIG BAND ~ COBURGER BIGBAND 1002 (Barcode: 4250459910023) ~ GERMANY ~ Big Band Jazz Recorded: 2008 Released: 2010 This is a wonderful album by the German NDR Big BandFind albums by this artist, one of Europe’s best Jazz Big Bands since many decades. The Big Band, conducted by Wolf KerschekFind albums by this artist, who also arranged all the music, includes some of the most impressive European Jazz soloists in its constantly changing lineup, for example my dear Friend, Polish keyboardist Wladyslaw SendeckiFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight tracks, all composed by the orchestra’s member, saxophonist Gabriel CoburgerFind albums by this artist (hence the title). Six of the tracks, all around ten minutes in duration, are the main program and two additional tracks are radio edits of two of the six tracks. The music is absolutely brilliant and often quite challenging, with frequent tempo changes and extended soli, which frequently border of Free Jazz, on top of extensive melodic themes. It is a superb example of Modern European Jazz, and specifically Modern European Big Band music, which is based on complex arrangements and high level of improvisational skills by the Band’s members. The album is a quintessential example of the European Big Band Jazz, which offers the concept of group improvisation and high level of cooperative performance, which turns the Big Band into a unified performing body, rather that the American model of sections and soloist. It is quite normal to have several soloists or even the entire Big Band becoming a group of improvisers performing coherently together. Overall, despite the intellectual effort required to embrace the seemingly chaotic development at times, the music is highly rewarding and insanely clever, as well as aesthetically impeccable. For lovers of Modern Big Band Jazz, this is an instant classic, which deserves an honorable place in a serious record collection.

Updated: 14/07/2026Posted: 14/07/2026

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