What big band albums do you suggest we play for our high school students?
Mel Lewis / Bob Brookmeyer
- “Live at the Village Vanguard”
The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra
- “Likety Split” (Music of Jim McNeely)
- “Big Band in a Jazz Orbit”
Rob McConnell & the Boss Brass
- “Two Originals”
Count Basie and His Orchestra:
- “Basie Straight Ahead” (Nestico arrangements)
- “Ease It” (Frank Foster arrangements)
- “Sinatra at the Sands” (Quincy Jones Arrangements)
- “April In Paris”
Duke Ellington:
Woody Herman:
- “1963 The Swingin’est Big Band Ever”
- “Big New Herd at the Monterey Jazz Festival”
Buddy Rich:
- Big Swing Face
- Swingin’ New Big Band
Stan Kenton:
- “Contemporary Concepts”
- “New Concepts of Artistry In Rhythm”
- “Evanescence”
It is hard to know where to quit. Other important big bands, leaders and arrangers include:
Gerald Wilson, Clayton / Hamilton, Charles Toliver, John Fedchock, Bob Mintzer, Mario Bauza, Machito, Toshiko Akyoshi, Jimmie Lunceford, Fletcher Henderson, Bob Curnow, Bob Florence, Louis Bellson, Mike Barone, Terry Gibbs, Maynard Ferguson, Gil Evans, the Mingus Big Band, Slide Hampton, Michael Abene, Jimmy Heath, Gerry Mulligan, Kenny Wheeler….