Mazel Tov Kocktail!, the newest recording by the Ira B. Liss Big Band Jazz Machine, is a swinging, rollicking collection of new and standard big band numbers performed by a tight-knit group of top-notch musicians. The band is well known in Southern California for its fun and engaging performances that have often featured some of the top names in jazz, like Bob Mintzer, Barbara Morrison, Wayne Bergeron, Holly Hofmann, and Eric Marienthal, to name just a few. This is the band’s 6th recording project, and like all the others, it features new compositions and newly imagined arrangements of standards. Liss says, “The band is the sum of its parts, and every chair is important. Big bands need a creative vision to push the music forward, and I like a lot of variety.” The music on this recording is indeed varied, with six arrangers contributing to the project. The Big Band Jazz Machine is a well-oiled group of musicians whose ensemble playing and solo work is sophisticated and compelling. Under the direction of conductor and producer Ira Liss, MAZEL TOV KOCKTAIL! is a high-energy, crowd-pleasing, romp through a diverse slate of tunes old and new.
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