Randy Sandke - Uptown Lowdown / A Jazz Salute to the Big Apple (May 2021 nagel heyer records)

"The solos ring true; the band warms the room. Uptown Lowdon is jazz music of the highest quality. Why can't all dream bands sound like this?"

- Cadence

It took a German recording team to enable trumpeter/arranger Randy Sandke to assemble this all-American, 12-piece ensemble for a panorama of New York-inspired tunes, recorded in the Big Apple in the Sylvia and Danny Kaye Playhouse as part of the 1999 JVC Jazz Festival. In doing so, he raided the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, as well as several independent history-minded players in the area, and emerged with a band that fires off the numbers with crisp virtuosity in any idiom called for. Thankfully, there is also more than enough gusto in the playing, due in no small part to the live festival recording situation.

"The Harlem Medley," a lengthy leadoff stream of delicacies from the land of Ellingtonia, gets close enough to the Ellington sound to convey the idea without being slavishly imitative or ghostly. The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra boys know their Ellington craft well and apply the plunger mutes accordingly. From there, the band doubles back to Dixieland, works its way up to swing, and slides without a glitch into bebop ("Scrapple From the Apple"), a Mingus shuffle blues ("Nostalgia in Times Square"), transitional Coltrane ("Grand Central"), and some Monk ("52nd Street Theme"), before being deposited back in Harlem by -- naturally -- the "'A' Train."

In between the main tour stops, Concord Jazz teammates guitarist Howard Alden and clarinetist Ken Peplowski serve up another of their fluid duets on Irving Berlin's "Slumming on Park Avenue." Other high points include clarinetist Allan Vaché wailing in the trad flagwaver "Chinatown" and trumpeters Sandke and Warren Vaché duking it out on "42nd Street." In all, a well-recorded souvenir of what sounds like a heartwarming local celebration. AllMusic Review by Richard S. Ginell

1. Echoes of Harlem / Drop Me Off in Harlem 03:07

2. Jungle Nights in Harlem 03:37

3. Boys from Harlem 03:33

4. Sugar Hill Penthouse 02:31

5. Blue Belles of Harlem 03:07

6. Harlem Speaks 05:28

7. Chinatown, My Chinatown 03:09

8. Rose of Washington Square / Broadway Rose 06:43

9. Slumming on Park Avenue 05:13

10. 42nd Street 05:59

11. Scrapple from the Apple 05:48

12. Nostalgia in Times Square 08:14

13. Grand Central 08:31

14. Grand Central 04:42

15. Take the "A" Train 07:46

16. What's New * 05:09

* Bonus Track

Randy Sandke - trumpet

Warren Vaché - trumpet

Wycliffe Gordon - trombone

Ken Peplowski - clarinet, tenor sax

Allan Vaché - clarinet

Scott Robinson - alto sax, tenor sax, flute

Joe Temperley - baritone sax

Howard Alden - guitar

Eric Reed - piano

Mark Shane - piano

Rodney Whitaker - bass

Joe Ascione - drums

Recorded live at the 1999 JVC Jazz Festival New York.

Directed by Randy Sandke.

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Joe Ascione / Brian Ogilvie / Billy Mitchell - The Return (April 2021 nagel heyer records)

"...a nice, relaxed, swing style blowing session." Jazz Improv

Drummer Joe Ascione's love for drummer Buddy Rich is no secret as he goes to town with the 12 tracks on this CD. He fronts an octet through these standards like a hot knife through butter, and the group could not be more en fuego. Veterans Randy Sandke, trumpet, Dan Barrett, trombone, the legendary tenor saxophonist Billy Mitchell, Bob Haggart, bass (since passed on) join multi-instrumentalist Brian Ogilvie, pianist Mark Shane, and guitarist James Chirillo for a hard driving, soulfully swinging tribute to Rich. 

Throughout the date, Ascione, 35 at the time of this recording, acquits himself well. He's not as brash as Rich (who could be?) but pushes the band without being pushy. Everyone in the combo contributes arrangements, most noticeable is Barrett's bouncy, sprightly "Limehouse Blues," ultra cool "Soft Winds," and Ogilvie's uppity chart on "I Want to Be Happy" where he takes an extroverted alto sax lead. Sandke's duet with Ascione on "Nica's Dream" is quite stripped down and daring, and the 14:19 "Blues #5 (Blues for Kurtchen)" is a downtrodden finale where everyone in the band gets blue for Rich. Mitchell's feature on "J & B's Bag" is the CD's highlight, and it's great to hear this icon still very much in the game, his original, bluesy legato sound intact and vibrant. Rich was short and snappy, and so are these tunes for the most part.

At times you think their lamps are trimmed and burning, as if there's a prescribed cut-off point. There's a variance in tempo from up to down and back up, an interesting contrast in a tribute to a person who was generally pretty fiery. Kudos to Ascione and crew for a fine offering of pure, authentic, professional, mainstream jazz. Highly recommended for lovers of traditional, classic sounds. AllMusic Review by Michael G. Nastos

1. Cottontail 05:59

2. My Buddy 05:34

3. J & B's Bag 04:57

4. Here's That Rainy Day 05:06

5. Sing That 04:52

6. Limehouse Blues 04:58

7. Hi Fly 06:28

8. Nica's Dream 04:11

9. Funny How 05:24

10. Goodbye Yesterday (Blues #5) 14:20

11. Straight No Chaser 05:01

12. Soft Winds 05:53

13. I Want to Be Happy 04:16

14. The Return 05:21

15. Love for Sale 07:19

Remastered & Extended Version of NHCD 036

Joe Ascione - drums

Randy Sandke - trumpet

Dan Barrett - trombone

Brian Ogilvie – clarinet, saxes

Billy Mitchell – tenor sax

Mark Shane - piano

James Chirillo - guitar

Bob Haggart - bass

plus

Frank Vignola - guitar (#5, 9, 14)

Recorded on November 3, 1996 at Blue Noise Studio, Hamburg, Germany.

Track #5, 9 and 14 recorded at Nola Studios, New York City.

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