Bob MacInnis cornet/flugelhorn, Craig Ball reeds, John Clark alto sax, Robin Verdier leader/piano, Albie Bernard tuba, Bill Reynolds drums.
The Monte Carlo Jazz Ensemble is the creation of pianist/arranger Robin Verdier; it is unique. This isn’t Traditional Jazz, or Dixieland. This is the fabulous dance music of the 20’s and 30’s – when couples actually danced together.
Robin Verdier
Composers and lyricists get most of the credit on a tune, arrangers are listed – sometimes. But what an arranger does to a melody changes its whole concept and tone.
When the arranger is a retired Physicist from MIT, you can bet that the arrangements are going to be precisely defined and intricate, requiring professional, reading musicians. They even had a rehearsal, and everybody showed up!
Robin researches each tune and gives us a brief narrative on it’s creator and history, along with some intriguing details.
The front line was Bob MacInnis on cornet, reed-men John Clark on alto sax, Craig Ball clarinet. They opened with Okay Baby, fine dance tune.
Bob & Sabrina had the dance floor all to themselves for a Fox Trot.
The Roaring 20’s and 30’s were the start of the Swing Era and ‘new’ dance styles. Somebody should tell the Balboa and Lindy Hopper crowd about this Ensemble – they would love it!
These artistic musicians play exceptionally sophisticated ensemble, with few solos, but Craig Ball had Bechet’s 1938 lovely Southern Sunset all to himself – on soprano sax, of course.
Bill Reynolds’ drums and Al Bernard’s tuba kept the rhythm burning. Dave’s drum introduced a 50’s jazz tune, Nullabor, probably named after a desert in Australia – maybe an aborigine song, with heavy drum accents. Nice clarinet by Craig, then outstanding ensemble, closing with more thunderous drums.
A new arrangement, Byron Gay’s Fate included traces of Native American drums. Al’s tuba doesn’t just push the beat – it is integrated into the group, and smartly in sync with Clark’s alto sax on Lena, Queen of Palesteena.
What-Cha-Call-’em Blues by Steve L. Roberts is not well known. The original title was extremely vulgar and didn’t make it into today’s PC society. Peppy dance tune, maybe Lindy Hop? This talented group performed it perfectly – you could tell by the smile on Robin’s face.
He created a new arrangement for Irving Berlin Puttin’ On The Ritz, beginning with a funeral dirge (?) before going upbeat into the more familiar tune.
There was one tune composed by Fats Waller that was not associated with Fats because Fletcher Henderson recorded it first in 1927. Mine All Mine; excellent brief solos followed by the distinguished ensemble that sets this group apart.
Robin’s Monte Carlo Jazz Ensemble never leaves without a Gershwin tune. They started with the verse on My One And Only, exciting ensemble, leading into lively alto sax by John Clark, backed by the rhythm boys.
Bob MacInnis was featured on flugel horn for Candy Lips, the ensemble interweaving a trace ofAlice Blue Gown.
Robin’s imaginative piano solo was backed only by Reynolds’s rim tapping. Nice!
In spite of his meticulous timing, we seldom make it to the end of Robin’s program. But they only missed one tune this time – the musicians are improving. They closed with Con Conrad’sMoonlight.
Here is Robin Verdier’s detailed Program for a A Super September Symphony.
We’ll get to Daybreak (Mississippi Suite, final theme) next time.