Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band
XXL

Perhaps we are not in the '30s. Nor even in the '40s, for that matter. But the musical phenomenon "Swing Jazz" continues to symbolize the union of elegance and fun, of style and outrageousness.

Goodwin's XXL presents itself with a bold manner: the cover shows the "chest" of an apparently charming representative of the fair sex. Whether you like the cover or not, Goodwin will entertain you anyway; we are talking about a way of doing jazz balancing between past and present.

The instrumentation of this ensemble, in fact, is unusual: in the general swingin', we find a nice electric bass; the drums are accompanied by the rhythm of congas and, generally, not everything is exactly "pure" jazz in this record. Assuming that a definition of "pure jazz" exists.

The music, also according to the cultural heritage of Stan Kenton, spans between classic swing, jazz fusion, Latin American melodies, and even commercial elements of cults such as the strong references to movie soundtracks like "The Blues Brothers".

Indeed, Goodwin's sound seems very suited for the music-image partnership. An example? "The Jazz Police", perhaps the best-executed track of the entire album (or maybe of Goodwin's entire production...), where our beloved wind instruments have to respond to the provocations of a very playful jazz guitar, with the bass holding the reins of the rhythm. The final effect? Ladies and gentlemen, this piece perfectly conveys the idea of a police chase in a comic and surreal setting, almost a children's "cops and robbers" played by fine gentlemen.

A second "hunt" can be found in "Hunting Wabbits": a very fast piece, Looney Toons-like atmosphere, classic sound, precise technique, but then at the fateful minute and thirty, the concert starts to unleash! On an ever-constant rhythm, all the voices of this Wabbit hunt follow one another (don't ask me what it is...) and excellent swing emerges in a general atmosphere of imagination and festivity.

The opening track, "High Maintenance", is slightly cooler, more traditionalist. If not for the presence of an electric guitar and double bass: the old and the new hand in hand. Another track I will talk about is "Horn of Puente". If you like Stan Getz, Cuban music, or Caribbean percussion, this is for you! Once again, our stout composer shows that he owes much to that second phase of swing which then dissipated into the air already in the '60s.

The last track I really want to bring to your ears is the splendid fortieth symphony of a certain Mr. Mozart from Salzburg... "Mozart 40th Symphony in Gm" opens with the piano, an instrument played and loved by Gordon. Actually, this rearrangement is not particularly faithful to the original, which makes it a very special experience and a really well-executed work. Placid and timid only at the beginning, well before the second minute, the saxophones get busy infusing "potential energy", and a crescendo of sounds begins, not far from the bombastic (almost deafening) style typical of the path started by Stan Kenton and pursued by Maynard Ferguson. The quantum leap occurs after the sixth minute, after our round musical friend has given us all the possible variations on the theme that came to mind, and finally, in full classical tradition, the finale reconnects to the opening notes.

I would recommend this album to everyone: music that can be experienced both individually as a form of Fusion Jazz, and in group occasions as a background for your memorable moments. I won't deny that some redundant and indiscreet passages might make the more intransigent jazz enthusiasts turn up their noses... I just say: don't take this music too seriously, instead try to delve into the fun side of it all and, without realizing it, you'll find yourself in the world of cartoons. And that's where the fun begins!