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Posts: 1685
Oct 24 08 11:50 AM
"As always the playing is excellent, but I can't help feeling that the arrangements are rather formulaic.....Any opinions?" I agree with nochops1 in that "Gordon is not alone in having recognizable "patterns" in his writing." To which I will add voicings as well. A good arranger and band leader will always try to make their band sound distinguishable from another's.... to come up with a formula to become sucessful. Gordon has done this well. You can see this "formulaic" trait going to back to the beginnings of successful big bands. Lunceford probably started the "Swing Era" with his charts for the Goodman band. Each band during that era had it's own style and sound. Most distinguishable probably was the Miller sound. Ellington had his own formula, as did the arranging staffs for Les Brown, Harry James, Basie.. etc., etc. But these were primarily Dance Bands. And it was good! Along came Kenton and things started to change. Writers like Kenton, Shorty Rogers, Pete Rugolo, Bill Holman and Johny Richards came up with new, more modern exciting arrangements, more suited to the concert setting than the dance floor, but still "formulaic". With these arrangers came new band leaders including Maynard and others who took big bands to a new level.... and still are.... And it is good! I think Gordon is going in still another direction. He has found his formula. A style and the sounds that have become successful for him.... And it is good! There are a couple of others like Gary Urwin following somewhat the same track. My hope is that this new direction doesn't get too far away from the Hard Hitting, Driving, Exciting charts that we all love. Some are right there "in the pocket", but a few others need a slide rule to both play, and listen to. .... and it is good! IMO Jimmy.
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