Brian Landrus Orchestra - Generations (2017)

2017-11-04T15:17:15Z

Brian Landrus Orchestra - Generations (2017)


01 Jeru Concerto, Mvt. 1 4:25
02 Jeru Concerto (Interlude) 1:10
03 Jeru Concerto, Mvt. 2 4:11
04 Jeru Concerto, Mvt. 3 4:33
05 Jeru Concerto, Mvt. 4 7:40
06 Orchids 3:23
07 The Warrior 8:41
08 Arrow in the Night 2:49
09 Arise 3:06
10 Human Nature 4:02
11 Ruby 6:16
12 Every Time I Dream 9:04

Brian Landrus - baritone saxophone, bass clarinet, arranger, composer
Jamie Baum - flute, alto flute
Tom Christensen - oboe, flute
Darryl Harper - clarinet
Michael Rabinowitz – bassoon
Alden Banta – contrabassoon
Debbie Schmidt – horn
Ralph Alessi – trumpet
Igmar Thomas – trumpet
Alan Ferber – trombone
Marcus Rojas – tuba
Brandee Younger – harp
Joe Locke – vibraphones
Billy Hart – drums
Justin Brown – drums
Mark Feldman – violin
Sara Caswell – violin
Joyce Hammann – violin
Meg Okura – violin
Lois Martin – viola
Mora Krohn – viola
Jody Redhage – cello
Maria Jeffers – cello
Jay Anderson - acoustic bass
Lonnie Plaxico - acoustic bass, electric bass
JC Sanford - conductor

Brian Landrus established himself as a composer of great strength and substance, and rose to his position as one of the foremost low reed specialists on the scene, through albums like the expansive Mirage (Blueland Records, 2013) and the trio-centric The Deep Below (Blueland, Records/Palmetto Records, 2015). But even well wrought and absorbing dates like those don't properly prepare you for this. Generations brings together a twenty-five piece jazz orchestra to realize Landrus' broad-minded, wide-eyed compositions in stunning fashion. We use terms like "breathtaking" and "awe-inspiring" with far too much ease these days, but both tags truly fit here. And you can add "brilliant" to the list.

It's tempting to dub this Third Stream art, boxing it up as we so often like to do with music, but that would be a huge mistake. History has shown us that said category tends to connote ambition or thought outpacing realization, something that surely does not apply here. Generations aspires to great heights and actually reaches them. It's an aural amalgam of incredible beauty, extensive thought, and intricate design, brought to life by a to-die-for cast with a skillful and charismatic leading man.

Landrus' Jeru Concerto—a four-movement work named for his son prior to his birth (and referencing the great Gerry Mulligan's nickname)—serves as the gateway into this orchestral realm. It's neither too plush nor anemic in content, striking a fine balance in shape and substance. The opening movement is propulsive and alluring all at once, as buoyant bass, light and motile drums, sweeping strings, here-and-there reeds and brass, shadowing vibraphone, and other aural accoutrements create a bed for Landrus' richly expressive baritone saxophone. A solo interlude for the leader follows, lighting the way to the wondrous and patient second movement, the sensitive and slow-flowing third movement, and the impactful fourth movement. It took Landrus a year-and-a-half to put this piece together, sussing out ideas on his 1948 Selmer, recording and transcribing the results, harmonizing those ideas, and orchestrating and arranging it all to create the end result. The care behind it all shows in every note and gesture painted across the Jeru Concerto.

While that magnum opus would've been more than enough to gush about, it's only the beginning here. Landrus adds another seven standalone compositions to the program after that, further highlighting his own instrumental voice(s) while showcasing various members of this incredible orchestra. "Orchids" is a beautifully floral piece with a light and slow reggae lilt behind it, building in passion and intensity while highlighting the work of harpist Brandee Younger; "The Warrior," a dedicatory design tipping its hat to Landrus' father, is resolute without ever being aggressive, giving pause to admire the contributions of trumpeter Igmar Thomas among others; "Arise" is an all-inclusive patchwork with a lightly funky groove driving the train; "Ruby," saluting Landrus' daughter by tracing a harmonic growth curve that mirrors her perceived development, shines a spotlight on a handful of heavyweights including vibraphonist Joe Locke; and the haunting "Every Time I Dream" uses Locke's poignant vibes voice, the leader's bass clarinet, and trumpeter Ralph Alessi's horn to light the way. Landrus' next level thinking, strong writing chops, and instrumental prowess, coupled with the contributions of his all-star assemblage, put Generations into a category all its own. It's a nonpareil work of high art destined for many a "best of" list. ---Dan Bilawsky, allaboutjazz.com

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Brian Landrus Trio - The Deep Below (2015)

2015-09-10T18:17:10Z

Brian Landrus Trio - The Deep Below (2015)


01 - Fly
02 - Sophisticated Lady
03 - The Beginning
04 - Fields of Zava
05 - Giant Steps
06 - Will She Ever Know
07 - It Comes Together At The End
08 - Just A Fading Memory
09 - I'm A Fool To Want You
10 - Orebro Treaty
11 - Ancient
12 - Open Water
13 - The Age
14 - Once Again

Brian Landrus - baritone saxophone, bass clarinet, bass saxophone, bass flute
Lonnie Plaxico - acoustic bass
Billy Hart – drums

If this recording can't kindle a love of the low end in your cochlea then nothing can. For The Deep Below, Brian Landrus-perhaps the most significant baritone saxophonist/low reed man to emerge in recent times-put together a trio with bassist Lonnie Plaxico and drumming icon Billy Hart. Together, they explore eleven Landrus originals and three classics, most of which manage to mask weighty sounds with lithe movements and, more importantly, lyrical thoughts. Part of the charm surrounding Landrus' work is built around his ability to make songbirds out of instruments that are often mistakenly seen as nothing more than hulking stabilizers. He conjures thoughts of Harry Carney while Hart and Plaxico occasionally flirt with double time during a gorgeous take on Duke Ellington's immortal "Sophisticated Lady," he brings a noir-ish sensibility to the fore with his bass clarinet work on "Fields Of Zava," and he delivers some spellbinding bass flute work on "Will She Ever Know." Sometimes Hart and Plaxico accentuate the allure in his work, and other times they play against it. "It Comes Together At The End," which finds Landrus beautifully adrift while Plaxico pulls at seams and Hart adds cymbal splashes and swelling rolls, is a strong example of the latter.

While trio interplay is at the heart of this record, Landrus also flies solo on more than one occasion. He paints an intriguing and appealing picture with nothing but his bass clarinet on "Just A Fading Memory" and "Open Water," and he delivers a stream-of-consciousness, sheets-of-sound semi-abstraction on "Giant Steps" that leaves the listener breathless, to say nothing of what it must have done to the performer.

Much of this material seems to exist in a dreamy haze, due in no small part to the nature of the instrumentation, the sensitivity and elegance of the players, dialed-down tempos, and the beauty in the writing. There are pieces that feed on movement-the album-opening "Fly," the aforementioned "Giant Steps," and a mutable swinger called "The Age"-but most of the music is more concerned with atmosphere and tripartite connectivity.

Some of these pieces seem to end a bit too abruptly, immediately breaking spells that have been cast, but it never takes Landrus long to regroup and cast a new one. It's a minor issue on an incredibly strong outing. The Deep Below presents some dead serious musical talent exploring material that's at once heavy and dreamy. That's no easy feat, but these men make it look easy. --- Dan Bilawsky

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Brian Landrus Orchestra - Generations (2017)

Brian Landrus Trio - The Deep Below (2015)