Chris Walden's big band uses some of the same Los Angeles-based players but his arrangements are generally more modern, even when the pieces are "Cherokee," "Stolen Moments" and "You Took Advantage Of Me." Walden is clearly quite familiar with post bop while also loving the big band tradition. His arrangements are full of subtle surprises and heated solos. The soloists, most of whom are just featured on one song apiece, are trumpeters Kye Palmer, Bobby Shew and Ron King, trombonists Alex Iles and Bob McChesney, altoist Jeff Driskill and Brian Scanlon, Rob Lockart, Rick Keller, Pete Christlieb and Brandon Fields on tenors, Bob Sheppard on soprano, accordionist Frank Marocco, guitarist Mitch Holder and Tierney Sutton (who sings "How Long Has This Been Going On"). Walden himself takes a flugelhorn solo on his "Home Of My Heart." An inventive reworking of "Cherokee," Brian Scanlon's explosive alto on the medium-tempo blues "Film Noir Part III," Rob Lockart's feature on "Charlie Haden's "Here's Looking At You" (a song that deserves to become a standard) and a medium-tempo treatment of "Here's That Rainy Day" are definitely worth hearing. Recommended.