Review - The Brooks Tegler Big Band - "That's It!"

The Brooks Tegler Big Band - "That's It!"
(MAXNGRUBER RECORDS MNG-899)
Collective Personnel: RHYTHM - Brooks Tegler - drums; Tommy Cecil - bass; Larry Eanet - piano on Tracks 3, 5, 6, 11, 12, 14 & 15; Robert Redd - piano on Tracks 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 17 & 18 -also 4th trumpet on Tracks 3, 6, 11 & 15); Tom Mitchell - guitar on Tracks 2, 3, 4, 9, 12, 13 & 15. REEDS - Joe Midiri - solo clarinet on Tracks 3, 6, 11, 12 & 15; Marty Nau - lead alto sax, except on Track 14, also alto sax solos on Tracks 8 & 11, clarinet solo on Track 2; Bill Mulligan - alto sax on Tracks 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 10, 11, 13, 15, 16, 17 & 18, also lead alto sax solo on Track 14; Leigh Pilzer - alto sax on Tracks 9 & 12, baritone sax on Tracks 3 & 5, baritone sax solos on Tracks 6 & 11; Scott Silbert - tenor sax on all tracks, tenor sax solos on Tracks 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 12, 14 & 16, also clarinet solo on Track 5; Don Lerman - tenor sax on all tracks, tenor sax solos on Tracks 9 & 15, alto sax on Tracks 2 & 4; Jeff Suzda - baritone sax on Tracks 1, 2, 7, 8, 10, 13, 16, 17 & 18; John Doughten - tenor sax solos on Tracks 4 & 13, baritone sax solo on Track 10; Bruce Swaim -tenor sax solo on Track 18. TRUMPETS - Kenny McGee - lead trumpet on all tracks, also trumpet solos on Tracks 11 & 16; Randy Reinhart - trumpet on Tracks 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 10, 13, 16, 17 & 18, and trumpet solos on Tracks 1, 8 & 17; Marc Weigel - trumpet on all tracks, trumpet solo on Track 7; Vince McCool - trumpet on Tracks 3, 5, 6, 9, 11 12, 14 & 15, trumpet solos on Tracks 6 & 9; Paul duBois - trumpet on Tracks 7, 8, 13, 16 & 17; Clyde Hunt - trumpet on Track 13. TROMBONES - John Jensen - trombone on all tracks, also trombone solos on Tracks 2 & 4; Jay Gibble - trombone on all tracks, also trombone solo on Track 11; Jen Krupa - trombone on Tracks 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, & 18, also trombone solos on Tracks 5, 14 & 17; Paul Midiri - trombone on Tracks 3, 6, 11, 12 & 15, also trombone solo on Track 12, also vibes solos on Tracks 3 & 11; Jim Lester - trombone on Tracks 7, 13, 16 & 18. VOCALS - Lynn McCune - vocal on Tracks 3 & 15; Jim Stephanson - vocals on Tracks 7, 13, 16 & 18. Recorded at Bias Studios, Springfield, Virginia in May, 2007. Recording engineer: Bob Dawson. Producer: Brooks Tegler. SONGS: Track 1 - "THAT'S IT!"; Track 2 - INGIE SPEAKS"; Track 3 -"GOODNIGHT MY LOVE"; Track 4 -"JOHN'S IDEA"; Track 5 - "JACK THE BEAR"; Track 6 - "THE GLIDER"; Track 7 - "NOW I KNOW"; Track 8 - "GYPSY MOOD"; Track 9 - "SLOW FREIGHT"; Track 10 - "PUSSY WILLOW"; Track 11 - "KEEPER OF THE FLAME"; Track 12 - "IF DREAMS COME TRUE"; Track 13 - "SWEETIE CAKES"; Track 14 - "HY'A, SUE"; Track 15 - "I HAVE EYES"; Track 16 - "SNAFU JUMP"; Track 17 - "SUCH SWEET THUNDER"; Track 18 - "ALRIGHT, OKAY, YOU WIN." Total playing time is 60:00.

I guess I could be called a product of the BIG BAND ERA, since I was born in 1928, started listening seriously to the radio in, probably, 1938. Slowly, but surely, I became quite aware of the then popular music, which was mainly big bands, with a sprinkling of vocals. The first big band I became aware of was, and I blush, that of Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians, which, upon looking back, did provide some wonderful music for dancing. Along about 1944 I became aware of the Bob Crosby Big Band, and, especially the band's recording of "South Rampart Street Parade." After hearing that number, there was no holding me back; big band music became my food and drink.

What a treat, then, to receive this fine compact disc. Each track has its joys, but please permit me to pick out a few tracks that really impress.

Back on March 16, 1949 the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra recorded Bill Finegan's composition and arrangement of "Pussy Willow." Until Brooks Tegler took it on, I can't remember any other band recording this terrific number. The original had, I believe, a short tenor sax solo by Boomie Richman. On the Tegler recording, there is a fine baritone sax solo by John Doughten.

It was a great treat to hear another band's version of Duke Ellington's recording of "Hy'A, Sue," which was recorded for Columbia away back on August 14, 1947 by The Duke and his band, with a wonderful "Tricky Sam" Nanton-influenced trombone solo by Tyree Glenn. On the Tegler band's version, trombonist Jen Krupa (a relative of Gene?) does the growl solo in fine style.

And I never thought that any other big band could duplicate the light, airy feeling of Woody Herman's December 30, 1948 recording of the Shorty Rogers composition and arrangement "Keeper Of The Flame." Hats off to the reed and rhythm sections. Marvelous!

Other joys are"Ingie Speaks," "Jack The Bear," "Slow Freight"and "John's Idea." And hats off, also, to the fine engineering of Bob Dawson; the music jumps right out of the speakers!

The literate album notes were composed by Jerry J. Brennan, a jazz historian/archivist/writer and collector from the U. K. Good job, and good reading.

Thank you, Brooks Tegler, and everyone else involved in bringing this superior big band recording to light. I hope there is a follow-up in the works. If not, there surely should be.

More information regarding this desirable compact disc can be found at http://www.capitalcombinations.com/

Bill Garts, the writer of this review, is a producer/host of the long-running radio program "Saturday Swing Session" on radio station WQLN-FM, Erie, PA. The program can be heard each Saturday evening from 8 p.m. until 11 p.m. EDT at http://www.wqln.org/

P. S. At a later date, I will be reviewing another fine Brooks Tegler offering: "It's Been So Long" recorded by Brooks Tegler's Capital Combinations. Information about this recording can be obtained at http://www.maxngruber.com/