Soundscapes Bob Mintzer & WDR Big Band Cologne

• 1 A Reprieve 05:53
• 2 The Conversation 05:50
• 3 Stay Up 06:13
• 4 Montuno 05:04
• 5 Whack 07:18
• 6 Canyon Winds 07:11
• 7 Herky Jerky 06:43
• 8 New Look 09:29
• 9 One Music 07:51
• 10 VM 06:33
• Total Runtime 01:08:05

Info for Soundscapes

Bob Mintzer has the knack. Whether he developed it during his brief association with the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra, his two years with the Buddy Rich Big Band, or his time with Jaco Pastorius' Word of Mouth Big Band is unclear. What is certain, however, is that the great tenor saxophonist has continued to perfect his instincts for orchestration and counterpoint over the years. With Soundscapes, the maestro now returns as leader of the WDR Big Band with ten newly arranged pieces. "At WDR, there is, after all, a tradition that the chief conductor implements a project of his own writing at some point during his tenure," he explains. "So I pulled together some of the things I've written for the band over the last five years, as well as a number of brand new numbers, for this recording." Soundscapes, an amalgam of moods, grooves and complex textures, not only showcases Mintzer's work for this widely acclaimed ensemble, but he does double duty. After all, he is also featured as the main soloist on tenor saxophone and the Electronic Wind Instrument (EWI), while spotlighting other outstanding soloists - such as longtime WDR members Paul Heller on tenor saxophone, Karolina Strassmayer and Johan Hörlén on alto saxophone, Ruud Breuls and Andy Haderer on trumpet, and Andy Hunter on trombone. Recorded in December 2019, the album is certainly among the very best of Mintzer's long career.

Bob Mintzer, tenor saxophone
WDR Big Band Cologne

Bob Mintzer
is an internationally celebrated jazz musician and longtime faculty member in the Jazz Studies program at USC Thornton. The saxophonist, conductor, and composer/arranger is a longstanding member of the GRAMMY Award-winning Yellowjackets, the fusion supergroup that released its first album in 1981. He leads big bands across the globe, performs with his own quartet, and plays with numerous artists.

In addition of an active performance schedule, Mintzer writes for orchestra, concert band and big band with over five hundred charts to his credit. His big band music is performed by groups all over the world. He has also written works for the National Symphony Orchestra, Metropole Orchestra of the Netherlands, HR Big Band in Frankfurt, and was commissioned to write a piece for concert band and tenor sax, Go, by a consortium of 50 universities.

Mintzer recently became the chief conductor of the WDR Big Band in Cologne, Germany. He honed his big band writing and playing skills in the bands of Tito Puente, Buddy Rich and Thad Jones-Mel Lewis.

As an instrumentalist, he has worked with Art Blakey, Jaco Pastorius, Sam Jones, Randy Brecker, Gil Evans, GRP All Star Big Band, Mike Manieri, and The New York Philharmonic, to name a few. He has done session work for James Taylor, Steve Winwood, Queen, Donald Fagan, Milton Nascimento, and countless others.

A respected educator, Mintzer is the recipient of the Bowen H. “Buzz” and Barbara M. McCoy Endowed Chair in Jazz Studies at USC Thornton. A professor of Jazz Studies, he is the conductor of the USC Thornton Jazz Orchestra.

Based in Los Angeles, he continues to conduct clinics and workshops worldwide. He has also written nearly twenty books which are an important part of the curriculum of jazz education everywhere.

This album contains no booklet.