Vanguard Jazz Orchestra

An album featuring the music of VJO's pianist conductor Jim McNeely. McNeely has given the VJO some remarkable pieces to play on "Up From the Skies," and the ensemble (which of course began life as the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra in 1966) more than returns the favor with stirring solo work and a loving attention to the often exquisite details of McNeely's orchestral thinking.

PERSONNEL:

NICKI MARCHIONE, FRANK GREENE, GREG GISBERT, SCOTT WENDHOLT, trumpet
JOHN MOSCA, LUIS BONILLA, JASON JACKSON, DOUGLAS PURVIANCE, trombone
DICK OATTS, alto & soprano sax
BILLY DREWES, alto sax, flute, clarinet
RICH PERRY, tenor sax, flute
RALPH LALAMA, tenor sax, clarinet
GARY SMULYAN, baritone sax
JIM McNEELY, piano
DENNIS IRWIN, bass
JOHN RILEY, drums

Recorded at Bennett Studios, Englewood, NJ.

TRACKS:

01. Up From The Skies
02. The Life Of Riley
03. In This Moment
04. Don't Even Ask
05. Almost Always
06. Hardly Ever
07. You Tell Me
08. We Will Not Be Silenced