The appeal of large ensembles! Recommended masterpieces and popular songs of big bands

Bumblebee MamboPeresu Puraado gakudan

Bumblebee Mambo — Pérez Prado Orchestra

Born from the classic masterpiece The Tale of Tsar Saltan, this work is a tour de force included on the 1957 album King Prado in Stereo.

Its arrangement, which fuses the elegance of classical melodies with Latin rhythms, greatly expanded the concept of mambo.

The majestic soundscape created by the powerful brass section and Ollie Mitchell’s trumpet performance vividly attests to Prado’s musical genius.

Prado, a native of Cuba, showcased his inventive arranging on TBS Television’s 1963 program Titans of Music, captivating viewers.

It’s a perfect track for a dance hall party or whenever you need an energy boost.

Mambo on SaxPeresu Puraado gakudan

Mambo on Sax

This irresistible track features a passionate Latin sound woven from a powerful brass section and lively percussion.

Included on the 1958 album “Mambo En Sax,” it showcases the Pérez Prado Orchestra, led by Cuban bandleader Pérez Prado, in a grand performance highlighted by soaring saxophone melodies.

The exquisite fusion of Latin music and jazz delivers dynamic rhythms and dazzling melodies that stir the soul.

Perfect for dance parties or whenever you want to savor a Latin atmosphere, it stands as an iconic performance of the 1950s mambo boom and continues to captivate music fans around the world.

Begin the BeguineCole Porter

Artie Shaw – Beguin The Beguine ( Cole Porter )

One of the jazz standards composed by Cole Porter.

It was used in the Broadway musical Jubilee.

The title “Begin the Beguine” plays on the dance “beguine,” which was popular in Paris at the time, and the English word “begin.” It’s a lively piece that showcases the clarinet, evoking the scene of dancing the beguine—a couple’s dance that mixes ballroom and Latin folk styles!

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HATSUMI

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BLUES ON PARADEHarunobu Hara to Shaapusu & Furattsu

Blues on Parade: Nobuo Hara and The Sharps & Flats

One of Japan’s premier big bands—and a group important not only in jazz but in the broader history of popular music—is Nobuo Hara and His Sharps & Flats.

With a glittering career that includes being the first Japanese band to perform at the Newport Jazz Festival in the United States, they stand as a truly great big band.

The central figure, Nobuo Hara, was not only a tenor saxophonist but also a gifted composer—he even wrote Misora Hibari’s famous hit “Makkana Taiyō” (Crimson Sun).

This time, let’s feature their performance of the standard number “ ”.

The original was by Woody Herman, a clarinetist who also made his mark as a big band leader, and it seems a 7-inch record was released in Japan at the time.

The sparkling, quintessentially big-band melody, the surging four-beat walking bass, and the shuffling drum groove make it sheer joy to listen to.

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KOH-1

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Open beautyDon Ellis

Don Ellis Big Band ‘ Open beauty ‘ – Tanglewood 1968

Distinguished from big bands of the Swing era, big bands from the modern jazz period are called modern big bands.

Don Ellis incorporated an electric sound into the big band.

This piece is one of the more challenging among them.

La vie en roseLouis Armstrong

La vie en rose – Louis Armstrong

Louis Armstrong, a trumpeter who came from the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra, sang as well as played the trumpet after going solo.

The classic chanson “La Vie en rose” is now so well known that his rendition with a big band backing is the more famous version.

Get UpBob Mintzer

Bob Mintzer Big Band – Get Up!

Even after the advent of the fusion era, big bands were sustained.

While thriving as a saxophonist, Bob Mintzer also led a big band.

This piece is a jazz-funk work inspired by James Brown’s funk.