Farther (still)

The Mike Dana Jazz Orchestra is a powerhouse big band project cooked up by veteran jazz guitarist, composer, and long-time educator Mike Dana. Far from a rigid academic ensemble, this group functions as an elite collective, regularly pulling in world-class heavyweights like Bob Mintzer, Eric Marienthal, and Wayne Bergeron to breathe life into Dana's rich orchestrations. On their 2026 album Farther (still), released through Origin Records, the band is a powerhouse in modern big band music. Backed by the clean production and stellar trumpet work of one of my personal favorites, Ingrid Jensen and piano work of legendary industry pro George Stone, the orchestra completely bypasses standard big band cliches—serving up a sound that is incredibly tight and sophisticated, but still packed with plenty of raw, loose energy.

Opening with heavily Latin influenced, Mi Respuesta, the track really hits the road running with heavy rhythms by George Stone on piano, Ron Suffredini on bass, Dave Tull on drums and Brian Kilgore on percussion. Alan Ferber stands tall on trombone with an excellent solo followed by Aaron Janik on nicely stylized trumpet and backed by David Becker on alto and tenor sax, Ron McCarley on alto and tenor, flute and clarinet, Michael Mull on bari sax, clarinet and bass clarinet, Jessica Hoffman on oboe and Lisa Nauful on bassoon. In addition Wayne Bergeron and Daniel Rosenboom on trumpets, Alex Iles, and Joe Turgeon on trombone and of course Mike Dana on guitar makes for a full house. Excellent opener. On funky, The Truth Is, tenor saxophonist Bob Mintzer, is showcased over the warm woodwind backing of Becker, McCarley, Mull, Hoffman and Nauful really laying it out there. If you're one of those guys (like me) who generally says, "I'm not into Big Band", better check your hat and reconsider. A calming guitar interlude by Dana on guitar gives the track real balance with a heartfelt solo that really gets in the groove, with solid brass backing by Bergeron and Rosenboom and swinging sax work by Becker and McCarley. Really nice.

On DePaul / Raye classic, You Don't Know What Love Is Aaron Janik really sails on trumpet with warm phrasing over excellent conga work by Kilgore and brassy trumpet work of Bergeron and Rosenboom. Dana's own guitar solo is warm and soulful adding significant power to an already strong track and Suffredini's bass strokes add just the right definition to anchor the track. December is a up tempo track with a sense of space featuring Ingrid Jensen on trumpet and Tim Ries on tenor sax. Extended solo phrasing by Jensen, backed by full woodwind section and rich and intense sax soloing by Ries flows seamlessly with full power of the horn section bringing up the power of the rhythm section. A more elusive sound by Ries, interwoven with Jensen's light trumpet play is a solid close. Wrapping the release is Confluential, a driving and sophisticated post-bop with super drum work by Tull and bright brass shining. A lustrous piano solo by Stone is just the ticket for this track, working the rhythm with Suffredini and Tull building the momentum and a sweet trumpet solo by Bergeron, cradled by Dana on guitar bridges into a full out bop solo by Dana. Eric Marienthal on alto saxophone really rips one to bring this track around the mountain and full running to the finish. Yeah, listen to this and tell me that you don't care for "Big Band".