Afro Bop Alliance

Revelation

OA2 22134

Purchase

iTunes - $9.99


...with its rumbling percussion and spiky horn arrangements, skirts thrillingly close to Mingus territory. Danceable Afro-Cuban rhythms and cerebral jazz arrangements - that's a strong alliance, indeed.
DOWNBEAT MAGAZINE

Formed as a septet, drummer Joe McCarthy's Latin Grammy Award-winning Afro Bop Alliance expanded to a big band for two of its five previous releases. For their sixth, McCarthy adds further to the palette, blending stellar rhythmic creations and powerful, resonant horn voicings with steel pan virtuoso Victor Provost's pan quartet on two of his original compositions. Along with other music by Roland Vazquez, Vince Norman/Joe McCarthy, and Luis Hernandez, Revelation explores the unique combination of big band and steel pan as one, in a diverse recording that takes large ensemble writing and performance to a new level.


Track Listing:

1. CuBop 6:10
2. No Rest for the Bones of the Dead 10:48
3. Magharibi 5:29
4. Family of Four 10:30
5. Soufriere 6:13
6. Dialed In 8:17
7. Créencias 10:29

Performers:

RHYTHM
Harry Appelman - Piano
Jim Roberts - Guitar
Tom Baldwin - Bass 1,3,5,6
Oscar Stagnaro - Bass 2,4,7
Joe McCarthy - Drums/Percussion
Samuel Torres - Congas 2,4,7
Ed Fast - Vibraphone 2,4,7
Robert Quintero - Congas/Percussion 1,3,5,6

TRUMPETS
Brian MacDonald - Lead
Mark Wood - 2,4 / Lead 7
Rich Sigler - 1-3, 5-7
Chris Walker - 1,3,5,6
Dan Orban - 1,3,5,6
Tim Stanley - 2,6,7 / solo 3,7
Alex Norris - solo 4

TROMBONES
Matt Niess - Lead
Rhoades Whitehill - 1,3,5,6
Joe Jackson - 1,3,5,6
Jeff Cortazzo - 1,3,5,6
Victor Baranco - 2,4,7 / solo 7
Dave Perkel - 2,4,7
Matt Neff - 2,4,7

SAXOPHONES
Vince Norman - Lead Alto/Soprano / solo 1,4,5
Bill Mulligan - Alto/flute/piccolo 2,4,7
Pete BarenBregge - Alto/Flute 1,3,5,6
Joseph Henson - Tenor/Flute 1,3,5,6
Matt Stuver - Tenor / solo 4
Luis Hernandez - Tenor 2,4,6,7 / solo 2,6
Darryl Brenzel - Baritone/Bass Clarinet

STEEL PANS
Victor Provost - Lead / solos
Josanne Francis - Tenor
Khandeya Sheppard - Double Seconds
Adam Grise - Cello

Production Info:

Produced by Joe McCarthy, Vince Norman & Bob Dawson
Recorded & mixed by Bob Dawson at Bias Studios, Springfield, VA
Feb. 8 & 9, 2014, Nov. 7 & 8, 2015
Mastered by Mike Monseur at Bias Studios
Band photographs by Jim Robeson
Cover art by Donatas
Cover design & layout by John Bishop


Reviews of Revelation

Jazz Profiles (Steven Cerra)
Everytime I think I've heard it all in terms of Latin Jazz in Big Band configurations along comes something new and different to dazzle and surprise me. Such was the case with the latest from Grammy-award winning drummer Joe McCarthy and saxophonist Vince Norman who co-lead the Afro Bop Alliance. Their forthcoming CD is entitled Revelation and it w ...

O's Place Jazz Newsletter (D. Oscar Groomes)
O's Notes: This is a powerful Latin large ensemble that swings hard over eight compositions. Conductor Roland Vazquez, leader Joe McCarthy (d, perc), Victor Provost (steel pans) and Luis Hernandez (sax) all contribute original compositions to the mix. We especially enjoyed the vibrancy of "Creencias", "CuBop" and "Family of Four" making Reve ...

AXS (Carol Banks Weber)
Drummer Joe McCarthy brought out the big guns for the Afro Bop Alliance's next album, Revelation. There's nothing like an Afro-Cuban big band. Throw in four excellent steel pan players, including the return of Victor Provost (2014's Angel Eyes) in the lead, and you've got yourself another winning jazz showcase of larger-than-life performances and s ...

All About Jazz (Jack Bowers)
Revelation is the sixth recording by drummer Joe McCarthy's sixteen-year-old Afro Bop Alliance (the last three by the big band after three by smaller incarnations), the first that has come this way for review. As McCarthy's stalwart ensemble is based in the Washington, D.C. area, the supposition is that a number of topnotch armed services musicia ...

Drumhead Magazine (Editor)
On Revelation, we hear Grammy Award winning drummer/leader Joe McCarthy and colleagues reaching still higher levels of technical excellence and compositional adventure. From start to finish on Revelation is the Clave in all its elasticity and permutation, animated by a rhythm section of consummate clarity and finesse. McCarthy's lithe interplay wi ...

WTJU - Richmond (Dave Rogers)
The Afro Bop Alliance is based in DC and has been won a Grammy and the respect of jazz critics and fans alike. Led by drummer / percussionist Joe McCarthy, the band includes Luis Hernandez (tenor saxophone), Tim Stanley (trumpet), Vince Norman (alto saxophone), Victor Provost (steel pan), Harry Appelman (piano), Tom Baldwin (bass) and Roberto Quint ...

Latin Jazz Network (Raul da Gama)
The relatively small, yet deeply rewarding output of the Afro Bop Alliance Big Band is skillfully wrought, thoroughly idiomatic, inventive and communicative on every level and it is not surprising that each album finds favour with audiences and students of big band music. Moreover the music's variety of mood, conception and sheer exuberance is a mo ...

Sea of Tranquility (Jon Neudorf)
Revelation is the sixth album for Afro Bop Alliance Big band. Three of those records were major big band affairs including their latest. This massive band is led by Joe McCarthy who provides drums and percussion. There are no less than seven trumpeters, seven trombonists, seven sax players and four steel pan virtuosos. This is a difficult album ...

Downbeat (Brian Zimmerman)
Editor's Pick There's a grand precedent for Afro-Cuban big band jazz. If the genre had a Hall of Fame, it would be stocked with vivacious, exuberant figures: Machito's Afro-Cubans, Dizzy Gillespie's Big Band, Tito Puente. As Afro-Cuban big bands of today aim to extend this genre's great legacy, their success depends largely on how these ensembles ...

Smooth-Jazz (Germany) (Woodrow Wilkins)
Call it an audible adventure. The Afro Bop Alliance Big Band goes deep with Revelation (OA2 Records, 2016). Joe McCarthy is the leader, and handles drums and percussion. Rolando Vazquez conducts three songs. The rhythm section is comprised of Harry Appleman, piano; Jim Roberts, guitar; Tom Baldwin and Oscar Stagnaro, bass; Samuel Torres, congas ...









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