MIKE BARONE BIG BAND - CLASS OF' 68 (CD-2009)

Vintage big band recordings from 1968/69 featuring world class LA musicians released here for the first time

Mike Barone, leader, trombone TRUMPETS: Larry McGuire, Buddy Childers, Gary Barone, Steve Huffsteter TROMBONES: Charlie Loper, Vince Diaz, Unknown player, Ernie Tack, Jim Trimble, Pete Myers, SAXES: Med Flory, Bill Perkins, Lou Ciotti Bill Hood, Jack Nimitz, Tom Scott RHYTHM: Cliff Briant, Mike Wofford-piano, Jim Hughart, Monty Budwig-bass, John Guerin-drums

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review by Paul J. Youngman - KJA Advocate for VINILEMANIA.NET

Class Of ’68   by composer, arranger, trombonist and big band leader Mike Barone is a new release of some vintage recording sessions. The album is a mix of three sessions, one in a recording studio in early 1969 and two sessions from Donte’s Jazz Club recorded in 1968 live off the floor. This is Mike Barone’s, Wednesday Night Band, a group of some of the best west coast studio musicians getting together weekly at a jazz club to do what they love to do, create beautiful music in a contemporary, swing, bebop style.

The recording is comprised of eleven tracks, four are recorded in the Amigo Recording Studio in California. The liner notes indicate this is the first line personnel, except for Tom Scott who subbed for Bill Hood on tenor sax. Tom Scott would have been 21 at this time and just starting to build his impressive discography, he’s a sideman on more than 400 recordings. The rest of the compositions are recorded at Donte’s Jazz Club. 

The live at Donte’s sessions are not to be confused with another recording by the Mike Barone Big Band, Live At Donte’s, 1968 on the VSOP Label and released in 1998. The material from Class of ’68 has never been released, although it is from the same recording dates.

The live at Donte’s session has Bill Hood back in the line up, another musician with an impressive discography; he’s joined by Med Flory, the founder of the famed saxophone quartet, Supersax. They’re joined in the reed section by Lou Ciotti, Bill Perkins and Jack Nimitz. The tracks that are recorded live at Donte’s Jazz Club were not part of a scheduled recording session. They were recorded at two different times, November and December of 1968.

The recordings that are from Donte’s are excellent, the energy level is extreme. There are two songs included from the November session; most of the regular line up is included although there are a few substitute musicians.  Mike Barone’s original compositions, “Medalist” and “Real Neal” are performed and they cook – “Medalist” features Lou Ciotti on tenor sax and Larry McGuire is featured on lead trumpet. “Real Neal” is a bluesy ballad and features soloist Mike Barone, trombone and brother Gary Barone on muted trumpet. Gary Barone is another musician who has a most impressive discography, recording with a diverse crowd, from Sarah Vaughan to Frank Zappa.

The arrangements are the outstanding feature on most of these tunes, with most of the arrangements and six of the songs written by Mike Barone. Med Flory adds one composition and an arrangement on the song “Tempi”. Trombonist, Charlie Loper adds an arrangement for “Somewhere Along The Way”.  The song “More Than You Know” is given an arrangement by Bill Hood for soloist Buddy Childers on flugelhorn. Buddy Childers should be well known to the swing crowd for his long time involvement as lead trumpeter with the Stan Kenton Orchestra.