USA: Mason Jazz-Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Swing(2016)

 

This CD represents a new era of Mason Jazz Studies. Director of Jazz Studies, Dr. Darden Purcell leads the Jazz Vocal program which is represented by tracks "I Can't Believe You're In Love with Me" and the Pentatonix hit "Run To You." The top big band, the Mason Jazz Ensemble (directed by saxophonist Jim Carroll) can be heard swingin' their way through Nestico's "Magic Flea" and Count Basie's "Blues in Hoss' Flat." The Jazz Combo program, run by pianist Wade Beach, is represented by "This I Dig of You" and Jerome Kern's "Yesterdays." A star in the Steel Pan world, Victor Provost has brought his expertise to Mason, that can be heard on the tracks "Samba Ouro Verde" and "Spontaneous Reggae." World-renowned Traditional Jazz expert Dave Robinson leads an excellent ensemble, navigating "Early Jazz" of the 20th Century with "Washboard Wiggles" and "Minor Swing." Latin-Grammy award-winning bandleader and drummer, Joe McCarthy directs the Mason Afro-Cuban Ensemble on tracks "Cha Cha Cha" and "Afro-Cuban Fantasy."