Celebration from Josh Levinson Big Band

Album:  Celebration
Artist:  Josh Levinson Big Band
Label:  Wise Cat Records
Website:  https://www.joshlevinsonseptet.com/news

Trumpeter-composer Josh Levinson releases his fifth recording, appropriately named Celebration.  A multi-layered blending of big band, swing, hard bop, blues, hot jazz, and meringue, the tunes are deeply rooted in jazz traditions with a contemporary flare.  A veritable crowd pleaser, Levinson presents a dozen of his original works, entwining aesthetically pleasing motifs and fiery licks, parlayed into a harmonious whirlwind that keeps the audience's mood uplifted.

At the core of the compositions are the horns, performed by Josh Levinson on trumpet, Mike Troy, Itay Goldberg, Greg Lapine, Matt Knoegel, and Bryan Cowan on saxophones, Roger Garcia, Mark McGowan, and Ben Seacrist on additional trumpets, Tim Shneier, Matt McDonald, Glenn Mills, and John Alexander on trombones.  The collective produces tiers of elevating spirals across "Elevation," as the rhythm section of Anthony Pearlman on piano, Billy Newman on guitar, Peter Brendler on bass, and Ethan Kogan on drums propel the exuberance.   

The four horns pop, tremor, rattle, and rustle across "All Day Joy" with a New Orleans-style vibe that brings out a bluesy tone in their animated squeals and squawking.  The vibrant twinkles in Pearlman's keys ignite a hot jazz blaze, and the fiery squiggles discharged from the saxophones stoke the infectious romp, complimented by a bluesy vocal scat, which injects human emotion into the track.

Kogan's cymbals splash intermittently across "Without Struggle" as the swirling raptures coming from the horns fan out into a rustling flurry, eloquently layered and enhanced by the meringue-stride of the percussive beats.  Each musician displays an extroverted nature, captured perceptively through the tracks.  Their nature is shown in the merriment produced through "A Change of Course," spearheaded by a seamless rotation of each horn player contributing to the festivities, as the swinging rhythmic beats bustle with relentless excitement.

The lively atmosphere of "Alien Fever" is swathe in sizzling keys and whipping horns, transitioning smoothly as the septet slows to a casual amble laden with a gentle froth from the horns, cruising along a bridge that leads to the outro.  The comfy percolation of the horns create a tranquilizing mood along "Corona Blues," and switch to a noir jazz vibe in "No Sweat" with traipsing keys, shuffling beats, and squiggly horns reminiscent of 1930's radiance with a modern glimmer.

The meringue pulse of "A Blue Tale" heightens the sultry tone of the horns alight with a flirtatious glint, recalling of traditional jazz locution.  The recording closes with the title track, imbued with a Latin swing shimmer.  The serene sonorous of the horns flutter and flicker with an elegant penmanship that drives the feel good motifs.

Levinson's septet's blends their dynamic voices and extroverted natures into a cohesive and harmonious whirlwind.  Their music is an experience that audiences won't want to forget, and will likely be drawn to return for one encore after another.

Musicians:

Josh Levinson - trumpet, vocals, and compositions

Saxophones: Mike Troy, Itay Goldberg, Greg Lapine, Matt Knoegel, Bryan Cowan

Trumpets: Roger Garcia, Mark McGowan, Ben Seacrist

Trombones: Tim Shneier, Matt McDonald, Glenn Mills, Jahi Alexander

Rhythm Section: Anthony Pearlman - piano, Billy Newman - guitar, Peter Brendler - bass, and Ethan Kogan - drums