Credited to Don Bonsanti and The 14 Jazz Orchestra, we have here a thirteen piece Jazz ensemble under the direction of Dan Bonsanti, consisting of four saxes/woodwinds, two trombones, three trumpets, guitar, bass, keyboard, and drums, so not exactly a big band but somewhat larger than a normal jazz band which means plenty of work on arrangements as there are too many musicians involved to bounce ideas around. Interestingly, while all the musicians are based in South Florida, the ensemble includes distinguished Jazz educators currently on the music faculties of Miami Dade College, Barry University, Florida Atlantic University, and the University of Miami. So it really isn’t a surprise they all know what they are doing. There are also plenty of guests who have been brought in to add their special talents, notably the multi-Grammy Award winner Randy Brecker, no wonder his name is slight apart from the others on the cover!
The result is an incredibly polished jazz album, with my single issue being that it is incredibly polished, so much so that much of the life has been taken away from it. For me there isn’t enough vitality, energy, danger or raw drive which means that for me this can never really be any more than background music, which is a real shame as these guys really do know what they are doing. It may not be to my tastes, but if you enjoy arranged ensemble jazz then this could well be for you.
Rating: 5/10
