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For you GRAMMY consideration
Chesapeake one sheet
Bill Milkowski's liner notes
Bill Warfield's notes
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New York City Jazz Record Review
Chesapeake
Bill Warfield and the Hell’s Kitchen Funk Orchestra (Planet Arts) by John Pietaro
The Hell’s Kitchen Funk Orchestra, founded and led by trumpeter bill Warfield, continues on its trajectory as not simply an ensemble, but as a moveable feast. the band, comprised of NYC studio, jazz and broadway mainstays, lives its designation well and enjoys each moment together, like commercial big band musicians of the ’30s working only for the after-hours gigs to come. And in that vein, Warfield attracts guests that continue to catapult the band further, such as the leader’s fellow baltimore native, alto saxophonist Gary bartz (who appears on half of the dozen tracks), and New York instrumentalists in saxophonist blue Lou Marini (absolutely aerial on “Wilpan’s Walk”) and trombonist Conrad Herwig (on five selections).
On Chesapeake, Eugene Albulesco’s solo piano album opener “beneath the Stacks” is pensive and dreamy: it’s Chopin as much as it is bill evans, ellington and the Chesapeake bay, to which this new release pays homage. but pulse was never far behind. the recording builds to a hip samba/mambo, “terrestris” (tom Harrell), its sinewy melodic lines a canvas for throbbing improvisations. And Warfield’s arrangement of the meters’ “Cissy Strut” encompasses the funk on every level, not the least of which comes through paul Shaffer’s r&b-loaded Hammond organ. this number explodes into Kurt Bacher’s baritone saxophone solo and Scott Neumann’s artfully fractured, utterly liberated drum breaks.
Herwig comes alive in mingus-bred fashion (he is after all a mingus big band alumnus) on “Nusia’s poem”, his understated but thoroughly thriving trombone shining in a solo-statement just prior to composer bartz’ singing alto improv. the reed-heavy ensemble, arranged by Warfield, captures some of Gil Evans’ later sounds, particularly as the soloists improvise and fill over the through-composed sections. Hoagy Carmichael’s well-known “Baltimore Oriole”, an album highlight, breathes new life through guest vocalist Jasia Ries, reminding this writer of a young Cassandra Wilson’s foray with the group New Air, but containing a darker, smokier sound. Another highlight is Warfield’s solo flight on “Wilpan’s Walk” (Cecil McBee), yet another pretty damned-perfect orchestration by the leader. And listen for woefully under-recognized Bruce Arnold’s shredding guitar on “Light”, mobilizing every voice about it.
This band boasts so much of Warfield’s time with the Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra—its innate swing over every groove, every tempo, and its resounding atmospheric tapestry with corners affixed from each participating musician’s moment on any bandstand, studio or pit.
Bill Warfield and the Hell’s Kitchen Funk Orchestra (Planet Arts) by John Pietaro
The Hell’s Kitchen Funk Orchestra, founded and led by trumpeter bill Warfield, continues on its trajectory as not simply an ensemble, but as a moveable feast. the band, comprised of NYC studio, jazz and broadway mainstays, lives its designation well and enjoys each moment together, like commercial big band musicians of the ’30s working only for the after-hours gigs to come. And in that vein, Warfield attracts guests that continue to catapult the band further, such as the leader’s fellow baltimore native, alto saxophonist Gary bartz (who appears on half of the dozen tracks), and New York instrumentalists in saxophonist blue Lou Marini (absolutely aerial on “Wilpan’s Walk”) and trombonist Conrad Herwig (on five selections).
On Chesapeake, Eugene Albulesco’s solo piano album opener “beneath the Stacks” is pensive and dreamy: it’s Chopin as much as it is bill evans, ellington and the Chesapeake bay, to which this new release pays homage. but pulse was never far behind. the recording builds to a hip samba/mambo, “terrestris” (tom Harrell), its sinewy melodic lines a canvas for throbbing improvisations. And Warfield’s arrangement of the meters’ “Cissy Strut” encompasses the funk on every level, not the least of which comes through paul Shaffer’s r&b-loaded Hammond organ. this number explodes into Kurt Bacher’s baritone saxophone solo and Scott Neumann’s artfully fractured, utterly liberated drum breaks.
Herwig comes alive in mingus-bred fashion (he is after all a mingus big band alumnus) on “Nusia’s poem”, his understated but thoroughly thriving trombone shining in a solo-statement just prior to composer bartz’ singing alto improv. the reed-heavy ensemble, arranged by Warfield, captures some of Gil Evans’ later sounds, particularly as the soloists improvise and fill over the through-composed sections. Hoagy Carmichael’s well-known “Baltimore Oriole”, an album highlight, breathes new life through guest vocalist Jasia Ries, reminding this writer of a young Cassandra Wilson’s foray with the group New Air, but containing a darker, smokier sound. Another highlight is Warfield’s solo flight on “Wilpan’s Walk” (Cecil McBee), yet another pretty damned-perfect orchestration by the leader. And listen for woefully under-recognized Bruce Arnold’s shredding guitar on “Light”, mobilizing every voice about it.
This band boasts so much of Warfield’s time with the Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra—its innate swing over every groove, every tempo, and its resounding atmospheric tapestry with corners affixed from each participating musician’s moment on any bandstand, studio or pit.
Review from Dark Blue Notes, Turkey
