Flying Dream

I've always considered myself more a small group bebop - piano trio type of guy and not so much into big bands. Then why in the heck do I have such an enduring admiration for Duke and Basie and such respect and wide eyed amazement with Bill Holman, Bob Florence and Thad Jones-Mel Lewis? Go figure, but along comes Portland piano veteran, the vastly talented Gordon Lee and a host of his City of Roses pals (plus one or two "foreigners" from that state just south of us) to make a big band record that's fun, that swings and that contains some exceptional writing and solowork. Providing that solo spark are such PDX cats as Gary Harris, alto; Renato Caranto, tenor; Stan Bock, trombone and the leader himself, Gordon Lee. Some of the best tunes included the insistent and muscular Vicious Cycle; the growing intensity of Sentimental Fool; the sense of intimacy on the bossa-built Wait For Her; and the in-the-pocket rendition of the album's one standard, Where Or When. With the wide distribution of Seattle's OA2 Records, Gordon Lee has a chance to be heard by many a new listener. Gordon's been in the game a long time now. He's deserving of the good things this CD could bring him.