thecapitol - Amplifier

THE CAPITOL SESSIONS
1 Brazilian Fantasy (7:23) Ascap
Composed and Arranged by John Fedchock
Soloists
Alex Nyman alto saxophone
Alexis French
trumpet
2 One O’clock Jump (8:26) CC
Composed by Count Basie
Arranged by Bill Cunliffe
Soloists
Anita Schwabe
Nick Granville Dean Scott Andre Paris Nick Tipping Ben Hunt
Alexis French 3 Top Daddy (6:27) Ascap
piano
guitar
trombone
baritone saxophone
bass
trumpet
trumpet
Composed and Arranged by Matt Harris
Soloists
Anita Schwabe
piano
Andre Paris baritone saxophone
Nick Granville guitar
4 Just Squeeze Me (5:49) CC
Composed by Duke Ellington
Arranged by John Fedchock
Soloist
Rodger Fox
trombone
5 Song For Louise (5:32) Apra
Composed by Colin Hemmingsen
Arranged Jeff Driskill
Soloist
Colin Hemmingsen
tenor saxophone
6 Rockin’ in Rhythm (6:37) CC
Composed by Duke Ellington
Arranged by Bill Cunliffe
Soloists
Mike Isaacs
tenor saxophone
Colin Hemmingsen tenor saxophone
Lance Philip
drums
7 Honeysuckle Rose (3:23) CC
Composed by Fats Waller
Arranged by Frank Foster
Vocalist Erna Ferry
8 Maxine (4:17) Apra
Composed by Sharon O’Neill
Arranged by Jeff Driskill
Vocalist Erna Ferry
12 Left Bank Express (11:58) CC
Composed and Arranged by Pete Jackson
Soloists
Alex Nyman soprano saxophone
Rodger Fox trombone
Andre Paris
baritone saxophone
Jon Papenbrook
scream trumpet
Lance Philip drums
9 Love Of My Life (4:33) Apra
Composed by Bruce Brown
Arranged by Jeff Driskill
Vocalist Erna Ferry
Soloist
Rodger Fox trombone
10 Ain’t Got Nothing But The Blues (4:40) CC
Composed by Duke Ellington
Arranged by Jeff Driskill
Vocalist Erna Ferry
Soloist
Nick Granville guitar
Lance Philip plays Yamaha drums and uses Regal Tip sticks
11 Roger With A ‘D’ (7:05) Apra
Composed by Christopher Fox
Arranged by Bill Cunliffe
Soloists
Colin Hemmingsen
Alexis French
Alex Nyman
13 Jimi (12:41) Ascap
Composed and Arranged by Bill Cunliffe
Soloists
Colin Hemmingsen
tenor saxophone
Alexis French trumpet
Andre Paris baritone saxophone
Mike Isaacs
tenor saxophone
Christopher Fox trombone
Nick Granville guitar
Lance Philip drums
tenor saxophone
trumpet
alto saxophone
Nick Granville plays Elixir strings, Cusack pedals and Lollar pickups
Rodger Fox plays Yamaha trombones
THE RODGER FOX WELLINGTON JAZZ ORCHESTRA
Rodger Fox Erna Ferry
trombone / musical director
vocalist
Hayden Hockly Colin Hemmingsen Alexis French Sebastian Soldrzynski SAXOPHONES
Alex Nyman TRUMPETS & FLUGELHORNS
lead alto / soprano / flute
alto / flute
tenor / clarinet
Mike Isaacs tenor
Andre Paris baritone / bass clarinet
Jon Papenbrook Ben Hunt
Chris Selley
lead on tracks 3, 6, 7, 10, 12
lead on tracks 2, 5, 9
lead on tracks 1, 4, 8, 11, 13
TROMBONES
GUITAR
Christopher Fox - lead
Nick Granville
Dean Scott
Damian Forlong
Kurt Gibson - bass
KEYBOARDS
Anita Schwabe
BASS
Nick Tipping
DRUMS
Lance Philip
Jazz has a habit of flying in the face of market
orchestras, many owing their inception to the influence
has become hackneyed in modern reportage
surprising that a Capitol Studios recording should be
logic. Its dogged endurance alone testifies to that,
of Rodger Fox. The Rodger Fox Wellington Jazz
but this is a legitimate description of these
so good, but let’s not take anything away from the
despite an increasing output of crass commercial
Orchestra’s previous album (Journey Home, featuring
studios: an echo chamber designed by Les Paul,
band. This is an orchestra with the punch of the WDR
offerings. It is however in the DNA of modern music
the music of Alan Broadbent) won Best Album at the
with the ghosts of Frank Sinatra and Nat Cole
and a finely tuned sense of swing. Achieving this
and popular culture. Acknowledged or not, it is
2012 Tui Jazz Awards. It was their first award, but Fox
hovering over every note – a fitting place to
requires hyper-awareness of what others are doing,
here to stay in its various and evolving forms.
has picked up a heap of them over his long career.
record a big band at the peak of its powers.
impeccable time keeping, and a lot of very hard work.
New Zealand is a country of four million people, so
In late 2012, Rodger took the WJO to Los Angeles
As you move through the tracks your attention is
The track list is balanced between standards (Basie,
it is perhaps surprising that it has a number of jazz
to record at Capitol Studios. The word ‘iconic’
drawn by the vibrancy of the sound. It’s hardly
Waller, Ellington), lesser known but well-established
big band numbers, and some very welcome New
opener as it confidently draws you in from the
Abstract Truth - Take Two (released on the Resonance
Zealand compositions. While the perennially popular
first bar, the kind of tune that stops you in your
label), elevated him to the pantheon of first class
Me Stand Next to Your Fire. This pattern repeats as the
provides a yardstick to measure a band by, it is the
tracks and tells you that you are in for an enjoyable
modern arrangers. In addition there are arrangements
band recalibrates their viewpoint after each section.
originals and explorative tunes that prove character.
journey. Big band music is at its best when it says
by Jeff Driskill, Matt Harris, Frank Foster, Rodger
something new while referencing its origins. Swing
Fox and Pete Jackson. Cunliffe’s Jimi is particularly
is about dance and this track dances like crazy.
impressive, a composition that dives straight into the
The first track, Brazilian Fantasy, was composed
and arranged by John Fedchock. Fox has previously
worked and recorded with Fedchock, so he’s
There are compositions and arrangements by Bill
familiar with his work. This is an especially good
Cunliffe, whose recent album, The Blues and the
psychedelic painted world of Jimi Hendrix. The blare of
horns tracks along the jagged edges of discord, until
we find ourselves happily buffeted by the vamp of Let
Drummer Lance Philip supports the orchestra in
the best tradition of big-band drummers. It’s a
specialised skill, and here he shows his true class.
Guitarist Nick Granville carries the lion’s share of
the soloing with ease, soaring like a guitar-god.
It’s a great track, reminiscent of the edge that Gil
with the best of them. Nick Tipping is one of New
Evans attained but without attempting to ride upon
Zealand’s most highly regarded bass players and
his coat tails. Jimi’s fire still burns fearsome hot.
his propulsive bass lines manage to cushion and
Pianist Anita Schwabe is a solid presence throughout,
and her take on Basie in One O’Clock Jump is confident
and thoroughly enjoyable. There have been many
attempts at approximating the bouncy minimalist
hard swinging lines of Basie, and this sits comfortably
move the band without domination – exactly what’s
required from a big-band bass player. Nick Granville,
Dean Scott (trombone), Andre Paris (baritone), Alex
Nyman (alto), Ben Hunt and Alexis French (trumpets)
deliver superb solo performances as well.
Song for Louise features its composer, tenor
Zealand singer/song writer Sharon O’Neill). Jazz
America and Europe at this moment. Ultimately,
sax maestro Colin Hemmingsen. Colin has a
arrangers and performers are no longer afraid to tackle
the recording is a testimony to the leadership of
gorgeous tone and solos with effortless skill. His
material outside of the genre. The awkwardness of the
Rodger Fox, who, with so many gifted soloists at
attractive ballad approximates a Jobim-like vibe,
past is long-gone, and music by the likes of Hendrix
his disposal, never loses sight of the collective.
offering the orchestra a chance to show that it
and O’Neill now offers valid and vital material for
can swing just as hard in a gentler mode.
exploration by jazz orchestras – long may it continue.
There are four tracks featuring singer Erna Ferry,
The Capitol Sessions stands confidently alongside
JazzLocal32.com
including her signature take on Maxine (by New
the great jazz orchestra albums coming out of
Member Jazz Journalists Assn.
John Fenton
The Capitol Sessions Acknowledgments:
Massey University, Professor Neil Quigley, Deputy Vice
Tommy’s Real Estate, Mark Malpass, Grant Willis,
Orchestra, E & P Jamieson, CM Jones, KM Marshall, Derrick
William Rowlands, Sharon, Nick Granville, Neil Brown,
Chancellor of Victoria University, Professor Elizabeth
Catherine Fox, Alex Nyman, Jane & Paul Dyne, PM Scott,
Halford, Richard Keller, Matthew Marshall, Natalie Hunt,
Kavin King, Jeff KIngsford-Brown, Miriam Alice Dixon,
Hudson, Director of the New Zealand School of Music, The
David Greer, Phil & Sue Monk, Irek, Elizabeth Maxwell,
Judith Bell, Grant Burns, Cameron Kidby, Philip Verstraaten,
Paul Toulson, Roger Brasell, Stuart Hubbard, Karen Carter,
Griffiths Family Trust, The Performing Arts Society, Rt Hon.
Terry Collier, Brian Ensor, Julie Boddy, Duncan Wylie, Mike
Anna Guenther, Pablo, Stacey, Bruce Forman, John Kliem,
Ian Hunt, Belinda McFadgen, Paul Toulson, Antony Fox,
Winston Peters, The Wellington Jazz Club Inc, Paula & Alan
and Holly, Grant Crowley, John Crawford, Bruce Paulson,
Chanel Haami, Hemi Frires, Julie Bevan, Jenni Bedford,
Darren Watson, Rick Henderson, Mike Lewis, Kathy Jones,
Keall, Sir John Todd, Max Bradford, Graham Warren, Group
Paul Matthews, David Balham, Les Stephens, Rob Winch,
Tom McLeod, John McCormick, Larry Koonse, Gilbert
Fiona Boddy, Ben Wilcock, Alice, Phil, Liam Ryan, Annette
Events (Aust), Ian Collier Air New Zealand, The NZ Jazz
Community Radio 104.7fm Waikanae, Greg Crayford,
Hadfield, Kirsten Henderson, Arie Rozendaal, Lisa Tong,
Straugheir, Genevra Scott, Jenn Jones, Krzysztof Zieniewicz,
Foundation, Chris Parkin, Upper Hutt Music Centre, Peter
Chris Cresswell, Susan Donaldson, Richard Isaacs, Tony
Janna Ferry, Cathy Sneyd, Kevin Downing, Jake Baxendale,
Pieter Bos, Catherine Leining, Paul Sanders, Chris Hipkins,
Dixon, Hayden Hockly, Anne French, Jennifer Bogoievski,
Joyce, Ross Culver, R Bradley, Ms V Leighs, Auckland Jazz
Jim Hollis, Richard McKenzie, Shannon Lawn, Michael
James Tait-Jamieson, Richard Thai & Scott Cooksley
SPECIAL THANKS
David Hyams – Band Manager
Marsha Ross – E-String Jazz Club Las Vegas
Grant Crowley – Secretary Wellington Jazz Orchestra Inc
Kuko -Typhoon – Los Angeles
Clem Griffiths - The Grand Hotel Wellington
Jared Segawa – Talent Buyer, Saint Rocke – Los Angeles
Paula Salvatore - Sr. Director / Manager Capitol Studios
Leon Grice – New Zealand Consul-General, Los Angeles
Evan Avery – Head of Music, Crossroad
School of the Arts Los Angeles
Tina Hellier - Executive Assistant to the
Trevor Davis – for lending Nick Tipping a double bass
Consul-General/Events Manager Ben Shepherd – for lending Nick Tipping a bass rig
P J Ochlan – KJazz Los Angeles
Bruce Forman – for lending Nick Granville a guitar amp
April Williams – Talent Coordinator,
Vitello’s Jazz Club – Los Angeles
Musicworks NZ & Lyn McAllistar - for support of
LancePhilip with drum equipment To book the band,
please contact Rodger Fox on Email [email protected]
Please visit our website - www.rfwjo.com