Williams and tenor David Chael are out front on “Rumble, Mair (alto) and Doug Talley (soprano) on “‘A’ Train, Talley (tenor) and trumpeter Steve Molloy on “Corner Pocket, flutist Bob Long and flugel Bob Harvey on “Sunday, Williams, Talley and flugel Jay Sollengerger on “Jump. Kessler’s burnished flugel is featured with pianist Charles Williams on Lennon/McCartney’s “Michelle and with baritone Theodore Wilson on Ernie Wilkins’ “Jenny. Duke Ellington is represented by his composition “Come Sunday and Billy Strayhorn’s “Take the ‘A’ Train.Clark Terry’s “Tee Pee Time is a cooker, with solos to match by tenor Doug Talley, trombonist Paul McKee and trumpeter Stan Kessler. And what better way to open a KC-style session than with Benny Carter’s “Vine Street Rumble, building a solidly swinging groove in which everyone is loose and comfortable.Later on, the band offers a trio of snappy salutes to the legendary Count Basie, a founding father of the Kansas City school of big band jazz-the Count’s classic “One O’Clock Jump, Freddie Green’s “Corner Pocket and Neal Hefti’s “Cute (the last showcasing guest drummer Harold Jones). Deciding on a name for the album was easy, as most numbers were neatly wrapped up on Take One. After honing its chops during three highly successful concerts, the band entered KC’s Soundtrek Studio in November ’04 to establish a more permanent record of its burgeoning prowess.Keenly aware of the long and glorious tradition of big band jazz in Kansas City, the KCJO was eager for the challenge, and everything seemed to fall neatly in place. The debut recording by the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra marks the pinnacle of a dream come true for cofounders Jim Mair and Gene Hall-a repertory orchestra comprised of top-notch musicians from the Kansas City area, patterned after others around the country with local sponsors, a board of directors and national grants to lend financial support.

Kansas city jazz orchestra pics