barabara sounds sez:New Herd Play John Coltrane: the album subtitle is all you need to know. And it's big, bad, big-band brilliance. Just look at that line-up; four trumpets, four trombones, five saxes. Fasten your seat belt and hang on for the ride!
The three numbers on side one warm you up nicely, mixing some fine modal soloing with slick-smooth ensemble playing on those classic compositions. And then you're ready for side two: all four parts of A Love Supreme like you've never heard them before. Yamaki's charts are just superb. This is probably the best thing Miyama ever recorded with his New Herd. It's certainly one of my favorites – if only for that beautiful cover art. Bottom line: it's a barabara classic!
musicians:
Miyama Toshiyuki leader/conductor; Yamaki Kozaburo guitar/arranger; Takeda Kazumi 1st tp; Kishi Yoshikazu 2nd tp; Yamaguchi Kojiro 3rd tp; Kamimori Shigeru: 4th tp; Kataoka Teruhiko 1st tb; Uetaka Masamichi 2nd tb; Shiomura Osamu 3rd tb; Fukushima Teruo btb; Suzuki Koji 1st as; Shirai Atsuo 2nd as; Mori Mamoru 1st ts; Nukita Shigeo 2nd ts; Tada Kenich bs; Takano Kiyoshi p; Fukushima Yasushi b; Nakamura Yoshio dr.
tracks:
1. Impressions; 2. Naima; 3. Giant Steps;
4. A Love Supreme i) Acknowledgement; ii) Resolution; iii. Pursuance; iv) Psalm
rec. Mar/Apr. 1977; issued Denon YX-7566-ND; CD reissue 2005
