Review by: Bud Monaco

CD

Bill McFarland and The Chicago Horns “LIVE FIRE” CD Record Release Show was surely a highlight of the big Chicago Jazz Festival weekend in Chicago during September of 2009. Presented by Sopro Records in the Grand Bar of Chicago’s finest night club, The Joynt on Dearborn, this performance by Bill McFarland and The Chicago Horns proved once again that The Chicago Horns are the premier Jazz Project in Chicago.
Kicking off the show with material from their new “LIVE FIRE” CD, The Chicago Horns started the set with the beautifully orchestrated version of Freddie Hubbard’s “Little Sunflower”. Band leader, Trombonist Bill McFarland, and Saxophonist Hank Ford led the band into a fine start of the show with their touching horn notes as Keyboardist Kirk Brown, Bassist Jack Zara and drummer Shirazette Tinnin delivered an also touching, medley and rhythm section which matched up perfectly with Bill and Hank’s horn performances. Bill’s Trombone solo and Kirk Brown’s Piano solo early in the song set the bench mark for the rest of the show which would be a wonderful evening of Chicago Jazz at its finest. Bassist Jack Zara followed Kirk’s Piano solo with his personalized Bass solo that quickly caught the attention of all in attendance. Then Drummer Shirazette Tinnin took the spotlight during her pristine Drum solo that followed with Jazz perfection.
Bill then led the band into their island jumpin’ version of Sonny Rollins “Saint Thomas”. Bill and Hank traded off horn segments early in the song as the band accompanied them vibrantly and then had the crowd in the palm of their hands as these Jazz music lovers hung on every note performed. Kirk Brown then showed his Piano versatility with a finely crafted Piano solo to the delight of everyone.
Then it was time for some Jazz love as Hank Ford took the lead solo and eased the band into The Chicago Horns ‘Medley’ of Duke Ellington’s “In A Sentimental Mood”, Gene DePaul’s “You Don’t Know What Love Is” and Thelonius Monk’s “Round Midnight” with Kirk Brown’s Piano solo following, in dramatic fashion.
Following this great “Medley” performance, Bill took The Chicago Horns and their fans in attendance back in time with a song from their previously released debut CD “Fire Horns” with Webster Lewis’ “Mild Wind”. With Bill and Hank showing their dynamic Horn presentations that they are nationally know for, their version took this beautifully orchestrated song to another level of greatness. Again, trading off Horn solo’s, Bill and Hank, along with the continual outstanding performances of the band, set up the finale of the show, showing their versatility, and professionalism of traditional world renowned Jazz perfection. There surely was more than a mild wind blowing through this night club in the Windy City during their performance.
Closing this outstanding Jazz performance on a beautiful September evening in Chicago, Bill led the band into his own original Jazz creation featuring The Chicago Horns trademark song “Harold The Great”. Once again, as it has been flawlessly performed many times in the past, “Harold The Great” now held The Chicago Horns fans attending the show in shock and awe with their dynamic performance and the devastating brass attack of Bill McFarland and The Chicago Horns.
All in all, Bill McFarland and The Chicago Horns CD Record Release on Sopro Records of “LIVE FIRE” now joins their previous CD Releases “Fire Horns”, “Alive and Live” and their DVD Release “Totally Live” into the Jazz world of Chicago and across America as some of the finest Jazz Music in the Nation. Bill McFarland and The Chicago Horns have proven once again that they are one of the premier Jazz Projects in America, featuring their timeless traditional Jazz arrangements and their provocative new millennium Jazz style of dynamic performance.

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Following The Chicago Horns CD Record Release performance, the second portion of the show featured Sopro Music’s new, experimental debut Big Band/Swing Revue took to the stage at The Joynt with great expectations. These expectations were not unfounded as the new project was an exceptional endeavor to say the least.
With The Chicago Horns Band supplying the Big Band, Swingin’ backbeat, Sopro Music Promoters Bud Monaco and Red Rose brought to the stage and introduced Vocalist ‘Diva’ Deb Seitz to the crowd which was looking forward to her performance with highly regarded anticipation. Deb Seitz did not disappoint them as she kicked off the Big Band/Swing Revue with her own styled version, reminiscent of Lena Horn’s performance of Frank Sinatra’s “Lady Is A Tramp”. Deb’s beautiful voice, which can cut down deep into your soul like a razor blade of song, brought big smiles to everyone in the house.
Deb’s next song, a Ruth Brown styled version of the timeless hit “Summertime”, showed Deb’s vocal versatility as the magic of her sultry vocals was mesmerizing and just downright beautiful. Saxophonist, Tony Ferraro performed a dazzling, propulsive Sax solo that capped off Deb’s performance and a beautiful song arrangement by the band.
Next up on stage was Vocalist Todd MacGillivray and Todd kicked it right off with his version of Bobby Darren’s timeless hit “Mack The Knife”. Todd’s thundering vocals had the audience’s undivided attention as he told the story of ‘ol Mackie being back in town to the delight of everyone in attendance.
The Big Band/Swing Revue was then taken to another level of showmanship, or should it be said,
‘show-women-ship’, as Deb Seitz returned to the stage with Sopro Records recording artists, Vocalists France Marie and Victoria Talerico, all beautifully and fashionably dressed to kill as if they were taking the stage at world renowned Chicago Theater or New York’s Carnegie Hall. The show now shifted into the next high gear as these three ladies ripped into an outstanding and jaunty version of The Andrews Sisters hit song of the ‘40’s, “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B”. The ladies dedicated this song to all the American Veterans of
WW II as well as all American Veterans of all Wars and especially to the present day American Armed Forces Men and Women fighting the present day Wars ‘overseas out there in the sand and mountains’ in the mid-East. Donning original military soft hats reminiscent of past Andrews Sisters performances, Deb, France and Victoria lit up the crowd as they harmonized together in grand fashion. Each one of them performed solo verses as well and their angelic voices held the crowd’s rapture and cascaded out into the streets of Chicago through the front doors of the club in perfect harmony.
Deb, France and Victoria then continued to kick out their magic, as their voices blended together perfectly, leading the band into Louie Prima’s great hit, “Jump, Jive and Wail”. These three fine ladies kept the song moving gracefully along, Bill McFarland, Hank Ford and Kirk Brown added their exceptional music prowess with some dynamic horn and piano solos as the rhythm section of Jack Zara and Shirazette Tinnin steadily held the Big Band back beat.
The three songbirds then performed the aptly chosen Frank Sinatra song “Chicago: My Kind Of Town” which was the perfect choice for performing at The Joynt on Dearborn in the entertainment heart of downtown Chicago. Magically and vocally in sync, the trio performed gracefully yet powerfully harmonically rich, and had the crowd reminiscing of the glory years of Big Band/Swing music from a timeless past.
Deb then closed out the show with a wonderful version of Ella Fitzgerald’s hit song “Cheek To Cheek” as she sang her heart out with a vocal rapture that had many couples in the crowd getting up from their seats and dancing together cheek to cheek across the floor of the Grand Bar in The Joynt nightclub.
A great evening of Jazz, Big Band/Swing Music and Song was totally engrossing and enjoyed by all in attendance as we look forward to the next time all these performers take to the stage sometime soon further on down the road.
The show was produced and directed by Sopro Music’s, Sopro Record’s Producers Bud Monaco and
Red Rose along with Sopro Music’s Executive Producer Bob Teutsch handling the sound and recording. The show was documented visually by SoproFoto photographer Gala LaPorte and videographer Randy Reding. The Joynt nightclub in-house production and hospitality was handsomely produced by owners Stanly Wozniak, Johnny Marano, Cory Duffy and Andy Gofis.