Excellent Modern Day Big Band !!!
Keep It Real | Albuquerque, NM | 10/26/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
""Temptation" is an first class Big Band CD! Ladd McIntosh demonstrates on this CD that he is one of America's best big band arrangers. Ladd's charts on these 'standard' songs are highly original and the band's playing is top notch. Ladd's Los Angeles Big Band includes many of the very best musicians in L.A. The band is beautifully recorded and the ensemble playing is very tight. Check out Ladd's great arrangement of "Under My Skin" (amazing sax section writing), clever variations on "Savoy", and hard hitting Latin grooves on "Temptation" and "Dansero". Solo highlights include: Jon Crosse's beautiful clarinet feature on "Ill Wind" (originally written for Eddie Daniels), Kurt McGetterick's Bari feature on "I Got It Bad", Fred Seldon's alto catching fire on "Dansero", the outrageous playing of trombonist Eric Jorgensen, and wonderful trumpet solos by Bob Summers, Sal Cracchiolo, and Stan Watkins. Dick Weller is fantastic on drums throughout. Highly recommended!"