We're Back! (CSULA album)
Encyclopedia
We're Back! is a 1986 album (LP Vinyl) released by the California State University, Los Angeles
Jazz Ensemble, it was the springboard for the Bob Curnow
's arrangement of the Pat Metheny
's work The First Circle
. The group proved to be one of the finest college jazz orchestras of that era with having placed in the finals of the Pacific Coast Collegiate Jazz Festival. The jazz band had numerous student musicians that have made a name for themselves as professionals to include Sharon Hirata, Luis Bonilla
, Phil Feather, Jack Cooper
, Charlie Richard, Eric "Bobo" Correa, Mark Gutierrez, Vince Dublino, and José Arellano.
).
The qualities of the LP that set it apart from numerous university jazz records of that era is the fact it was entirely written and composed by the students and faculty of CSULA at such a high level.
There is a consistent tradition of musicians coming from the CSULA program who have worked with major musical acts, on major studio and movie projects, and hold positions in higher education in music. The roster on this album is self evident as to the diversity and level of student musicians CSULA developed at that time and has for many years dating far back to musicians (graduates) such as Lennie Niehaus
and Gabe Baltazar
.
California State University, Los Angeles
California State University, Los Angeles is a public comprehensive university, part of the California State University system...
Jazz Ensemble, it was the springboard for the Bob Curnow
Bob Curnow
Bob Curnow is an American musician who served as a trombonist, staff arranger and producer for the Stan Kenton Orchestra during the 1960's and 1970's. As a composer and arranger he has become well known for large ensemble jazz music set to contemporary fusion and rock music of groups such as...
's arrangement of the Pat Metheny
Pat Metheny
Patrick Bruce "Pat" Metheny is an American jazz guitarist and composer.One of the most successful and critically acclaimed jazz musicians to come to prominence in the 1970s and '80s, he is the leader of the Pat Metheny Group and is also involved in duets, solo works and other side projects...
's work The First Circle
First Circle (album)
First Circle is a Grammy Award winning album by Pat Metheny Group released in 1984. On the album Pat Metheny is joined by Lyle Mays on piano and keyboards, Steve Rodby on bass, drummer Paul Wertico and vocalist and percussionist Pedro Aznar...
. The group proved to be one of the finest college jazz orchestras of that era with having placed in the finals of the Pacific Coast Collegiate Jazz Festival. The jazz band had numerous student musicians that have made a name for themselves as professionals to include Sharon Hirata, Luis Bonilla
Luis Bonilla
Luis Bonilla is an American Afro-Cuban jazz and Latin jazz trombonist born in Los Angeles, California of Costa Rican descent. He is a Grammy Award- winning performer, composer, and Music Professor, about whom the New York Times has described as the artist who "explodes the usual musical structures...
, Phil Feather, Jack Cooper
The Chamber Wind Music of Jack Cooper
The Chamber Wind Music of Jack Cooper is the first classical/new music studio recording featuring numerous performing artists recording chamber wind music of the composer on the Centaur Records label.- Music :- Background :...
, Charlie Richard, Eric "Bobo" Correa, Mark Gutierrez, Vince Dublino, and José Arellano.
Music
Background
In 1984 and 1985 the California State University, Los Angeles Music Department and CSULA Associated Students decided to fund LP recordings of the jazz ensemble to better serve as a teaching tool for student music, jazz groups. We're Back! is the second of six albums to come from CSULA during the 1980s featuring the award winning CSULA #1 Jazz Ensemble. The LP contains tracks from the #1 CSULA Jazz Ensemble to include compositions of three students and from the two directors (professors David Caffey and Bob CurnowBob Curnow
Bob Curnow is an American musician who served as a trombonist, staff arranger and producer for the Stan Kenton Orchestra during the 1960's and 1970's. As a composer and arranger he has become well known for large ensemble jazz music set to contemporary fusion and rock music of groups such as...
).
The qualities of the LP that set it apart from numerous university jazz records of that era is the fact it was entirely written and composed by the students and faculty of CSULA at such a high level.
There is a consistent tradition of musicians coming from the CSULA program who have worked with major musical acts, on major studio and movie projects, and hold positions in higher education in music. The roster on this album is self evident as to the diversity and level of student musicians CSULA developed at that time and has for many years dating far back to musicians (graduates) such as Lennie Niehaus
Lennie Niehaus
Lennie Niehaus is an American alto saxophonist, arranger, and composer on the West Coast jazz scene. He has played with the Stan Kenton big band, and various other jazz bands on the West Coast of the U.S. Niehaus has arranged and composed for motion pictures, including several produced by Clint...
and Gabe Baltazar
Gabe Baltazar
Gabe Baltazar is a Filipino-American jazz alto saxophonist.Considered as one of the last great alumni from the Stan Kenton Orchestra, Baltazar moved to the U.S. mainland from Hawaii in the mid-1950s, to record music with Paul Togawa in 1957, and spent a brief unrecorded period in 1960 with the...
.
Track listing
Recording Sessions
- Recorded: May 10, 17, and 23, 1986, Sage and Sound Recording, Hollywood, California
- Mixing: June 23, 25, 26, 1986, Sage and Sound Recording, Hollywood, California
Musicians
- Conductor: David Caffey
- Saxes and woodwinds: Charlie Richard, Sharon Hirata, Phil Feather, Jack CooperBig Band Reflections of Cole PorterBig Band Reflections of Cole Porter is the first album by the Jazz Orchestra of the Delta and features trumpeter Marvin Stamm and vocalist , this was released in June 2003 on the Summit Records jazz label. The CD has been extensively reviewed across the United States and the U.K...
, Scott AckermanCoast to Coast (McDonald's Jazz Band LP)Coast to Coast is a 1984 album released by McDonald's All-American High School Jazz Band under the direction of Bob Curnow. The group was formed in 1981 as a part of the McDonald's All-American High School Band program that had started back in the late 1960s to feature talented, up and coming... - Trumpets and flugelhorns: Tim Neff, Barry ParrCoast to Coast (McDonald's Jazz Band LP)Coast to Coast is a 1984 album released by McDonald's All-American High School Jazz Band under the direction of Bob Curnow. The group was formed in 1981 as a part of the McDonald's All-American High School Band program that had started back in the late 1960s to feature talented, up and coming...
, Ken Montgomery, David Leon, Jim Bynum - Trombones: Gary Smith, Luis BonillaLuis BonillaLuis Bonilla is an American Afro-Cuban jazz and Latin jazz trombonist born in Los Angeles, California of Costa Rican descent. He is a Grammy Award- winning performer, composer, and Music Professor, about whom the New York Times has described as the artist who "explodes the usual musical structures...
, Tom Griffith, John Sandhagen, Brent Decker - Guitar and Piano: Mark Gutierrez
- Vibraphone and marimba: Cory Estrada
- Bass: José Arellano
- Drums: Vince Dublino
- Percussion: Eric Correa
Production
- Recording engineers: Jim Mooney and Jerry Wood
- Mixing engineers: Jim Mooney and David Caffey
- Mastering: K Disc
- Cover art: Randy Piland