Mark Nightingale & Rias Big Band - Destiny (1997)

This is Mark's second solo album after his marvellous debut What I Wanted To Say.
I first had ideas that Destiny would be a great album too, when Mark asked me to proof the parts of all the arrangements before he recorded them with the RIAS Big Band directed by John "Jiggs" Whigham. They comprised arrangements by Duncan Lamont and Alan Ganley, two of our finest writers, arrangers and performers on sax and drums respectively, Steve Gray, and from the USA, Bill Holman. Mark also included two of his own original pieces.
I'm Old-Fashioned is a great opener with Mark starting with the melody solo with the band gradually building through to a solo followed by Bill Holman's sometimes cryptic but swinging writing. Mark's playing on My Foolish Heart is stunning. His control is remarkable and with Duncan Lamont's unmistakable voicing using muted brass and flutes makes this track really beautiful. When I first heard it I thought it was a little too long, but it has grown on me since.
Alan Ganley's arrangement of The Song Is You has Mark playing a great straight-ahead swinger. After the tune and solo (another blinder), he swaps eights with the band followed by an energetic soli/drum solo to the melody and out with a driving coda.
Duncan Lamont's Solitude is a bossa-ish version of the Ellington evergreen. The intro and outro are beautifully written and original. Don't Mention The Blues is one of Mark's originals, a real twelve bar groover with a great sax soli and some marvellous trumpet writing and playing - a great example of what can be done with a twelve bar blues. Destiny is another of Mark's and is a lovely waltz, again played so effortlessly. It is also the title track which Mark, newly married, dedicated to his wife, Ali.
Whisper Not is one of my favourite tunes which suits the trombone perfectly. Another thoughtful and artistic Alan Ganley arrangement; however, the recording sound of Mark's solo seems to have been compressed when he's playing forte.
What Is This Thing Called Love arranged by Steve Gray is the most original track on the CD. The Big Band really have their work cut out and manage it admirably. Wolfgang Kohler plays a beautiful piano solo, and although it is difficult to pick a favourite track on the CD, this is mine.
This is a marvellous album and I applaud Jiggs and the RIAS Big Band for their performance. Mark really has come up trumps not only in his playing and writing but to get all of those marvellous arrangers and musicians together for such a great project. Perhaps the rhythm section sometimes sound a little staid and do not give enough energy, though this could be a result of the mixing. The sound of Mark's trombone "giving it one" is different from when he plays live. It seems as if he's closing up rather than opening up but I feel this is down to the recording technique. But these are minor criticisms and I would strongly recommend you to buy the album. I'm confident it will be a classic in the not-too-distant future.

Personnel:

Mark Nightingale (trombone); Ingo Cramer (guitar); Oliver Leicht, Gregoire Peters, Rolf V. Nordenskjold, Walter Gauchel (saxophone); Greg Bowen, Christian Grabandt, Till Brönner (trumpet); Dan Gottshall, Andy Grossman (trombone); Hans Dekker (drums).

TRACK LIST:


1. I'm Old Fashioned ~ Jerome Kern, arr. Bill Holman [5:16]

2. My Foolish Heart ~ N. Washington/V. Young, arr. Duncan Lamont [8:02]

3. The Song Is You ~ Jerome Kern, arr. Allan Ganley [5:37]

4. Solitude ~ Duke Ellington, arr. Duncan Lamont [5:57]

5. Don't Mention the Blues ~ Mark Nightingale [7:16]

6. Destiny ~ Mark Nightingale [5:03]

7. Whisper Not ~ Benny Golson, arr. Allan Ganley [5:14]

8. What is this thing called love ~ Cole Poter, arr. Steve Gray [7:55]