Ari's Funhouse

5-STARS The music on this album is captivating from the first to the last note and demonstrates not only Ben Markley's arranging skills, but above all the class of the composer and drummer Ari Hoenig. In his earlier quartet recordings with Greg Osby ("Basic Economy") or Joel Frahm ("Slow Play") and his excellent big band recording with Terell Stafford ("Clockwise"), which was dedicated to the compositions of the pianist Cedar Walton, Ben Markley gave his musicians plenty of room to improvise. Ari Hoenig met Markley at a festival in Texas in 2019 and Marley asked a few months later if he could arrange some of Hoenig's compositions for his big band, which is mainly made up of musicians from Denver. Seven compositions made it onto the album "Ari's Funhouse", including the magnificently swinging "Birdless", in which the saxophone section, alongside Will Swindler (as) and Ben Markley (p), delivers a sensational chorus. Or the ballad "For Tracy", in which Greg Gisbert (tp) and Evan Gregor (b) shine as soloists. Also outstanding is "Lines of Oppression" with great solos by tenor saxophonists Peter Sommer and John Gunther. But Ari Hoenig's drumming skills are not neglected either, as he has plenty of room to develop as a soloist, as in the tracks "Arrows And Loops" or "Green Spleen".