Mack
Avenue SuperBand is an all-star ensemble comprising many of the label's most
acclaimed artists. Live From The Detroit Jazz Festival - 2012, documents the
SuperBand's unveiling at the 33rd annual edition of the Motor City label's
hometown jazz festival during 2012's Labor Day weekend.The brainchild of Mack
Avenue president Denny Stilwell, the SuperBand is a fiery, celebratory conglomeration,
the sort of chemistry experiment whose success is predicated on its
combustibility.
The group brings together legends and label mainstays including
vibraphonist Gary Burton, guitarist Kevin Eubanks, alto saxophonist Tia Fuller,
trumpeter Sean Jones, and guitarist Evan Perri, with rising stars like pianist
Alfredo Rodríguez and vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant. The band is anchored by
the house rhythm section of pianist Aaron Diehl, drummer Carl Allen, and
bassist Rodney Whitaker (who also serves as musical director). Al Pryor, Mack
Avenue EVP of A&R and the record's producer, acknowledges the challenge
inherent in bringing such a loaded roster together on one stage, calling the
impressive result "a team effort."
Emphasizing the tight-knit dynamic
and Detroit pride of the Mack Avenue team and the experience of the Detroit
Jazz Festival's skilled crew, Pryor says that the concert's ultimate success
was due to the musicians' passion. "The artists were all enthusiastic when
we first approached them," he says, "and all brought something
special to the table." The diversity of the material reflects the equally
wide-ranging Mack Avenue roster, but this cohesive and captivating live
recording is representative of the label's ambitions, the vitality of its
artists, and the electricity of one September evening in Detroit.
No comments:
Post a Comment