presents his last Cd:

The new project
In 2004, after over 30 years of "trad jazz" mostly inspired by the California style of the Yerba Buena Jazz Band and a lot of successful events in all the main European, American and Australians contests, the Milano Jazz Gang decided to turn over a new leaf and to begin a new adventure: the old seven-member group leaves its place to a quintet. The objective is ambitious: developing a new sound, a new rhythmic, a different repertoire. Little by little, the structure of the new band takes on its shape:



the rhythmic section with sousaphone and tenor banjo supported by the piano, on one side, and on the other side the melodic lines developed by trumpet, baritone saxophone, 2 clarinets, soprano saxophone, transverse flute, tenor saxophone, 2 alto saxophones, c melody saxophone, thus making up a body of as many as 13 instruments played by 5 musicians. This type of "sound potential" requires special care in writing arrangements and, of course, an accurate performance. The orchestra manages, in this way, to obtain a nonchalant and spontaneus sound, that can be sweet and naïve but also suddenly stormy and vibrant. Tunes that now almost esclusively belong to modern jazz, even though they were composed during the Golden Era, are brought back to their original "hot" flavour. "We are back", accordingly, includes classical jazz titles of the twenties, marked by a lot of improvisation by the front line, both in solos and in choruses, as well as tunes with a more significant melodius component, typical of America in the thirties.

Herbert Christ



We met Herbert for the first time during one of several artistic tours around Europe (probably in Germany and certainly during the last century), when the band still followed the "San Francisco Style". In 2006, when this new project was already under way, Herbert listened to some of our interpretation, found them interesting and decided to start his enthusiastic and fruitful collaboration; ever since he has taken part, as our Guest star, in the main international meetings and festivals where the Milano Jazz Gang has performed. Many Tunes in this record witness to how the personality and experience of this famous musicians notably enrich the front line and the band as a whole.

Helmut Schlitt



Helmut played his cornet with the Milano Jazz Gang from 1974 until 2005. He insisted on this new project more than anyone else: right from the beginning, with the first rehearsals full of uncertainty but also full of determination. He had already prepared some tunes for this record but he was not able to finish what he had begun. Now the record is ready and Helmut is here with us with two of the latest recordings we did together "Just A Mood" and "You Took Advantage Of Me". This record is our loving "thank you" for the passion, the steadfastness, the engagement and the friendship with which our friend led, organised and served the Milano Jazz Gang relentlessl to his last.

 

1) SING YOU SINNERS
2) HOME
3) STEVEDORE STOMP
4) SOMEDAY SWEETHEARTH
5) DUSKY STEVEDORE
6) DOWN IN HONKY TONK TOWN
7) SWEET DREAMS OF LOVE)
8) NAGASAKY
9) NUAGES
10) HARLEM BOUND
11) NIGHT AND DAY
12) IN THE DARK
13) YOU TOOK ADVANTAGE OF ME
14) JUST A MOOD