Record Reviews

JAZZ DOCK ORCHESTRA ~ TONIGHT ANIMAL MUSIC 116 (Barcode: 8594211850209) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Big Band Jazz Recorded: 2023 Released: 2023 This is the debut album by the Czech Jazz Dock OrchestraFind albums by this artist, a full scale Big Band of the Prague Jazz Dock club, founded in 2018 and co-led by British (resident in Prague) saxophonist / composer Andy SchofieldFind albums by this artist and Czech trombonist / composer Jan JiruchaFind albums by this artist. The album was recorded live at the club and presents six original compositions, four of which were composed by Schofield and two by Jirucha. The music is an example of excellent modern Jazz, based on complex melodic themes, intricately arranged for the orchestra, which offers a highly unusual sound and aesthetic approach, which can only happen in Europe, where Big Bands are treated in many unconventional ways, creating music related to but distinctly different from the America Big Band tradition. The balance between the instrumental sections, the soloing, the arrangements and most of all the treatment of the orchestra as an organic multi-headed musical organism, rather than a collection of musicians playing together from the charts, is especially significant here. Spiced with very unusual pulsations by the rhythm section, which are high in the mix and often “around” the time rather than right on time, the music creates an interesting and unusual result, which takes time to get into, but is exceedingly effective. Of course the individual contributions by the orchestra members are all perfectly spotless. The orchestral arrangements are all a true work of Art: original, sophisticated and surprising at every step, which could serve as a school example of what can be achieved in the idiom. With all my experience and love of orchestral Jazz, this album managed to surprise me constantly, which is definitely something that does not happen very often. Overall, this is a very interesting and unusual orchestral / Big Band recording, one of the best that came across my desk lately, which might prove somewhat challenging to listeners used to the American variety, but grows on the patient listener with every listening session. The Czech players are among the European most inventive Jazz artists, which this album proves beyond any reasonable doubt. Fascinating stuff!

Updated: 21/01/2024Posted: 21/01/2024

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