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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
The 52-musician Dutch Metropole Orkest (15 violins, 5 violas, 4 cellos, 3 contrabasses, 2 flutes, oboe, French horn, harp, 4 trumpets, 5 saxes/clarinets, 4 trombones, bass, piano/Hammond organ, guitar, drums, 2 percussionists) conducted by Grammy-winner American jazz director and composer Vince Mendoza meet renowned American jazz guitarist John Scofield for these beautiful studio recordings taped between 9-13 March 2009 and mastered at Abbey Road Studios.
Nine tracks, 7 by Scofield (some already heard in his previous releases) and 2 by Mendoza, where the raw and distorted electric guitar of Scofield wonderfully interacts with the dynamic and swinging orchestra that sounds more as a jazz big band a la Duke Ellington than a classical European ensemble. Plenty of space for Scofield, in very good shape and unquestionably the leader in all tracks. Interesting and welcomed improvised contributions from various members of the orchestra (mostly piano/organ, saxes, trombone, drums). Echoes of past Scofield albums, such as 1997 "A Go Go" and 1996 "Quiet" can be heard, completely reinvented in fresh and intriguing ways. The result is a joyful, swinging, and totally entertaining jazz. Superb recorded sound, dynamic and naturally detailed. Enjoy!
Nine tracks, 7 by Scofield (some already heard in his previous releases) and 2 by Mendoza, where the raw and distorted electric guitar of Scofield wonderfully interacts with the dynamic and swinging orchestra that sounds more as a jazz big band a la Duke Ellington than a classical European ensemble. Plenty of space for Scofield, in very good shape and unquestionably the leader in all tracks. Interesting and welcomed improvised contributions from various members of the orchestra (mostly piano/organ, saxes, trombone, drums). Echoes of past Scofield albums, such as 1997 "A Go Go" and 1996 "Quiet" can be heard, completely reinvented in fresh and intriguing ways. The result is a joyful, swinging, and totally entertaining jazz. Superb recorded sound, dynamic and naturally detailed. Enjoy!
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Guitarist Scofield (Sco) and Vince Mendoza first recorded together on Mendoza's first album 'Start Here'(1989) They later teamed up for another Mendoza album 'Instructions Inside' in 1991.
Mendoza is primarily a composer/arranger and the inclusion of Sco works very well on all 3 recordings they have done together. On Mendoza's directorship of the Metropole Orchestra he decided to do arrangements of mainly Scofield songs in orchestral arrangements and include Scofield again as the main performer. Members of the Metropole also play solo improv spots within the works and they can really swing, they certainly understand the jazz idiom. It is in their bones. Mendoza conducts the orchestra very well and the feel is big band (of which i am not really a fan of) I make a definite exception here as the orchestra and sco complement each other very well. It is obvious both parties are having great fun and this really shows through the union of the various parties in the overall music.
I believe the title'54' refers to the number of members of the orchestra + star cast.
The recording is excellent and dynamics do justice to the drama within the music.
Sco fans who have heard his collaborations with British composer Mark Anthony Turnage please note - that these arrangements are of a more 'straightforward' nature. Turnage's were more creative inventions based on Sco's music. I did enjoy the album 'Scorched'very much but '54' is just as enjoyable but in a more visceral manner.
Sco's rough bluesy style playing is a good counterpoint to the more smooth Metropole Orchestra, though the orchestra can and does at times 'rough it up' to echo Sco's sound. This and the wonderful arrangements underpin Sco's playing very well and both integrate in the same soundscape where the music is the victor overall.
2 of the cuts are Mendoza compositions/arrangements, 2 of the arrangements are by Jim McNeely and Florian Ross whom Sco has also worked with in the past. ('East Coast Blow Out' with the WDR big band 1992)
I recommend this album to any Sco fans as the arrangements show different aspects of his songs while also retaining enough of the original to be ground at home. Many guitarists have recently gone the big band orchestral route including the new release by Kurt Rosenwinkel. If you also are aware of and enjoyed the Bob Curnow arrangements of Pat Metheny/Lyle Mays compositions on CD you will definitely enjoy this one. Metheny also worked with the Metropole in 2003 on his arrangements which saw a bootleg DVD version.
Mendoza is primarily a composer/arranger and the inclusion of Sco works very well on all 3 recordings they have done together. On Mendoza's directorship of the Metropole Orchestra he decided to do arrangements of mainly Scofield songs in orchestral arrangements and include Scofield again as the main performer. Members of the Metropole also play solo improv spots within the works and they can really swing, they certainly understand the jazz idiom. It is in their bones. Mendoza conducts the orchestra very well and the feel is big band (of which i am not really a fan of) I make a definite exception here as the orchestra and sco complement each other very well. It is obvious both parties are having great fun and this really shows through the union of the various parties in the overall music.
I believe the title'54' refers to the number of members of the orchestra + star cast.
The recording is excellent and dynamics do justice to the drama within the music.
Sco fans who have heard his collaborations with British composer Mark Anthony Turnage please note - that these arrangements are of a more 'straightforward' nature. Turnage's were more creative inventions based on Sco's music. I did enjoy the album 'Scorched'very much but '54' is just as enjoyable but in a more visceral manner.
Sco's rough bluesy style playing is a good counterpoint to the more smooth Metropole Orchestra, though the orchestra can and does at times 'rough it up' to echo Sco's sound. This and the wonderful arrangements underpin Sco's playing very well and both integrate in the same soundscape where the music is the victor overall.
2 of the cuts are Mendoza compositions/arrangements, 2 of the arrangements are by Jim McNeely and Florian Ross whom Sco has also worked with in the past. ('East Coast Blow Out' with the WDR big band 1992)
I recommend this album to any Sco fans as the arrangements show different aspects of his songs while also retaining enough of the original to be ground at home. Many guitarists have recently gone the big band orchestral route including the new release by Kurt Rosenwinkel. If you also are aware of and enjoyed the Bob Curnow arrangements of Pat Metheny/Lyle Mays compositions on CD you will definitely enjoy this one. Metheny also worked with the Metropole in 2003 on his arrangements which saw a bootleg DVD version.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I happily endorse all the comments made by the first reviewer. Mendoza has been responsible for some very moving and beautiful music. The Metropole Orkest has worked with other guitarists such as Steve Vai and Mike Keneally. Scofield is a very talented player. It comes together really well, allowing plenty of space both for Sco to solo and for the orchestra to play. I am certainly enjoying it more than any Sco CD since the great Blue Matter band. Strongly recommended.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Super-sized Sco'
Despite touring with a cracking band led by Mike Gobbs in the early 90's, there isn't a great deal on record of John Scofield playing in a big band context. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Ian Thumwood
Too many covers
Another great recording from the maestro but was it necessary to cover tunes which he has previously released ??? I must say he has a habit of doing this !!
Published 18 months ago by Bartman
Sco's best for ages!
No need to dither about this one - immediate 5 stars. Mendoza is the finest arranger in modern jazz today, the Metropole Orkest are stunningly tight, an incredibly high standard,... Read more
Published 20 months ago by J. MILLER
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