big band jazz and me

when i started listening to jazz i thought that the sextet was as far as i would go. the big band appeared so archaic and from an earlier, less hip, time. swing music did not interest me.

i wanted the spare and hip sound of miles davis playing 'so what' and not jimmy dorsey or cab calloway jumping around a stage with a bunch of guys sitting down. every note planned out seemed the antithesis of what i wanted from jazz.

then i met gil evans and saw what he could do with miles davis and a big band. then i learned about evans' album, out of the cool. it took all the best of cool jazz and added a big band. the full sound of the band not cheesy anymore. not swinging away with a clarinet, but beautiful and sparse and full.

have a listen.