Tommy Igoe and the Birdland Big Band – Eleven – Self-produced

Tommy Igoe and the Birdland Big Band – Eleven – Self-produced 76:17 ****:
There is an old English proverb that says “like father like son” and this would seem to apply in the case of Tommy Igoe. His father, who recently passed away, was Sonny Igoe, a highly regarded drummer in the bands of Woody Herman and Benny Goodman among others. Tommy Igoe who has been drumming since the age of two, is the driving force behind the Birdland Big Band and a wonderful dynamic band it is. The latest release Eleven, is a swinger from start to finish.
Rather than use the standard Great American Songbook as their starting point, the band builds out their musical framework with compositions from present-day composers such as Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock and Michel Camilo. Their charts are far more intricate and require a high degree of artistry from the band members. This spirited set of eleven tunes covers a lot of musical ground with a high quotient of Latin and modern jazz.
A Latin-flavoured “New Ground” starts off the proceedings with percussionist Rolando Morales-Matos and drummer Igoe laying the groundwork for the challenging music to come. As the band lays into Bobby Timmons’ “Moanin”, the arrangement by Rob Middleton features an unusual  parlay of Rod Paparozzi on harmonica to up the musical stakes. It is clear that Igoe and the band like the robustness that Latin-flavoured compositions provide, as both Chick Corea’s “Armando’s Rhumba” and Michel Camilo’s “On Fire” are given exemplary readings. Nathan Childer’s soprano sax leads the way on the first tune, and Latin pianist Hector Martignon shows his dexterity on the latter.
This sixteen-piece organization has found a couple of compositions that are perfectly positioned to display just how a big band should sound. On Don Grolnick’s “Uncle Bob” the band speaks with one voice even though  drummer Igoe along with trumpeter Glenn Drewes and tenor man Dan Willis offer some interesting breaks. “Open Invitation” has the same feel although somewhat more laid back, with Drewes again in a featured spot. The disc closes with another Latin styled romper “Alma llanera” with drummer Igoe setting the tone with his simmering introduction.
This aggregation has cleanly and effortlessly executed a scintillating performance showcasing a string of excellent solos to produce an exciting listening experience.
TrackList:  New Ground; Moanin’; Common Ground; Armando’s Rhumba; Got A Match?; Spherical; Uncle Bob; On Fire; Butterfly; Open Invitation; Alma llanera
—Pierre Giroux