After a six-year hiatus, Ray Brown's Great Big Band has reassembled to record one last time-the result is pure jazz-enjoyment!..with a Holiday Spirit!

GENRE: Jazz/Big Band

Five (5) Christmas tunes included

Also included: America The Beautiful and The City Medley

When he was in eighth grade, Ray's brother Steve played him a Maynard Ferguson recording of 'Where's Teddy,' an arrangement by Maynard's tenor saxophonist and writer, Willie Maiden.

From that moment, Ray decided he would learn to write big band Jazz just the way Willie did. Thirteen years later he found himself sitting next to him on the Stan Kenton Band playing his arrangements every night for fifteen months. Many years after that, when his own big band book reached fifty arrangements, he started the 'Great Big Band.' After twenty-seven years of performing (including two CDs), and after a six-year hiatus, the band reassembled to record one last time. With two six hour sessions in the studio, the band recorded twenty one tunes, including five Christmas arrangements. The players' great skill and expert musicianship performing Ray's music have brought this album to fruition. All twenty of them hope big band Jazz aficionados everywhere will enjoy this performance.

That said, this is Ray Brown's 'Great Big Band,' and, THIS IS HIS BOOK!

Track Listing

• The City Medley
• America The Beautiful
• Spring is Here
• You Are The Sunshine of My Life
• How About You?
• How Long Has This Been Going On?
• Blues for the Two Ks
• I Could Write A Book
• The Shadow of Your Smile
• Patterns
• The Touch of Your Lips
• The Fugue/Airegin

• It Might As Well Be Spring
• Little Jeannette Leigh
• Stella By Starlight
• If I Should Lose You
• Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
• Christmas Time Is Here
• The Christmas Song
• Jingle Bells
• A Christmas Love Song

Additional Details

Label: Summit Records

Genre: Jazz

Run Time: 103:45 mins

Region: 0

Release Date: 04/05/24

UPC: 099402821924