Thilo Wolf Big Band - Big Band Shout (2006)

Thilo Wolf's Big Band Shout, we are informed in the booklet, was "recorded live . . . on the occasion of taping the television production SWING IT, the only plausible response to which is "wow! One simply can't imagine a television program of this caliber on any outlet—network, cable or public—here in the States. This is for the most part the sort of uncompromising big-band jazz that hasn't graced TV screens in these parts for too many years (read: decades). And judging from the response, the German audience is clearly elated, even before Wolf welcomes his special guests: trumpeter Ray Anthony and blues/gospel singer Joan Faulkner and her backup group, the Expressions.

After four instrumentals including Cole Porter's "Easy To Love and Lester Young's "Tickletoe, Anthony, an octogenarian who has been making beautiful music for more than seventy years (and still has decent chops), enters with his signature theme, "Man With A Horn. He's front and center again on "All Of Me, "Tenderly, "It Had To Be You, "Mr. Anthony's Boogie and the strapping finale, Count Basie's venerable "One O'Clock Jump. Faulkner's showpieces include "He's Got The Whole World, "Ain't Misbehavin', "Let The Good Times Roll and "Amazing Grace. The power-laden band is beyond reproach, as are soloists Wolf, Axel Kühn, Lennart Axelsson, Norbert Nagel, Otto Staniloi, Werner Tauber and Thomas Zoller. It's a shame one has to be in Germany to see and hear music as admirable as this on television, but at least the CD is here to offer some solace. ~Jack Bowers