Metropole Orkest, Arakatak, V2 Records **** recommended

Stephen Graham

3 months ago

Making other arrangements

Going for some 80 years this is a dazzling collection from the Dutch Metropole Orkest featuring the work of 8 composers.

Bursting with great writing, energy and vitality that snaps all notions of what a contemporary big band & crucially strings together should sound like, Arakatak is a clear candidate to become the recipient of a hatful of awards, surely. It’s big tent cinematic jazz that’s brimful of passion. If you are into the Heritage Orchestra then no need to wait for the Proms, when they often figure, as that feeling has come early. But this if anything is even better given how varied and impactful the writing is.

The title track was composed by horn player Morris Kliphuis and there’s work too from Vince Mendoza, Donny McCaslin, permanent guest conductor Miho Hazama, Tineke Postma, Mark Guiliana, Shai Maestro contributing the delicious ‘Crown Jewels’ and Louis Cole.

Miho Hazama, Live Life This Day: Celebrating Thad Jones, Edition ***

I enjoyed this more than the also very notable Live Life This Day Hazama’s recording with the Danish Radio Big Band, another of Europe’s most distinguished larger long running big band outfits. Mainly that’s because of the wonderful Hazama penned ‘Splash The Colors’ and the vibrancy of the Tineke Postma piece ‘Into the Dawn of Light.’

Of their recent work I also liked what Metropole did with Rufus Wainwright on his Kurt Weill themed album I’m a Stranger Here Myself issued last year on the track ‘Lost in the Stars.’