Record Reviews

VOLKER GOETZE ORCHESTRA ~ NY 10027 G* (Barcode: 885767611573) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz Recorded: 2011 Released: 2011 This is an album by German (resident in NY) trumpeter / composer / bandleader Volker GoetzeFind albums by this artist and his Orchestra, which features the usual Big Band lineup with an extended ethnic percussion section on some of the tunes. A few guest musicians participate on selected tunes. The album presents seven original tunes, all composed and arranged by Goetze. Goetze, who studied with Marcus Stockhausen among others, is a prolific (on the verge of the positive side of hyperactive) composer and Jazz activist but also a film director, with an impressive bio and recorded legacy, all that before he reached his 50th birthday. The music is surprisingly original, with strong ties to World Music influences, superbly crafted and arranged, emphasizing the amazing possibilities of the Big Band, but using the orchestral parts in a non-trivial way. Even without the knowledge about the background Goetze comes from, it is apparent that the leader uses the European rather than the American approach to orchestral Jazz, closely resembling the NDR Big BandFind albums by this artist or WDR Big BandFind albums by this artist modus operandi and not that of the few remaining American Big Bands. The compositions are melodically and harmonically diverse and often unexpected, which helps to keep the listener enthralled for the duration of the album. The beautiful sound of the orchestra and the excellent soloing, strongly supported by the superb rhythm section create an overall perfect orchestral Jazz experience. Goetze demonstrates an affinity towards ethnic Cultures, especially African, which re-appears in several of the compositions in various degrees of transparency. In general his intellectual musical trickery audible to a trained ear is quite fascinating. Overall this is a superb orchestral Jazz recording, which is definitely worth being discovered, especially since orchestral Jazz seems to become an endangered species these days. Since I discovered this album completely by chance while browsing the web, I am not familiar with other recordings by Goetze, but if they are anything like this album, they are of course worth investigating, which I intend to do myself. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 05/10/2024Posted: 26/07/2019

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend