Big Band Trane

by Scott YanowWhen one hears of an album titled Big Band Trane, it is assumed that the music will either be of songs by John Coltrane orchestrated for a full big band or pieces performed in his style. As it turns out, the Bob Mintzer Big Band only plays three tunes that have anything to do with the great tenor ("My Favorite Things," "A Love Supreme-Acknowledgment" and "Impressions") along with seven unrelated Mintzer originals. The leader himself does not solo on any of the 'Trane pieces and, despite some fiery soprano by Roger Rosenberg on "My Favorite Things," those three songs are disappointingly routine with the orchestra sounding like a professional college stage band. The originals are much better, particularly "Run for Your Life" (which is a little reminiscent of Thad Jones's "Fingers"), the funky "One People" (a good feature for Mintzer's tenor), "Ancestors," "Softly Spoken" and "Trane's Blues." With such soloists as Mintzer, Bob Malach on tenor, pianist Phil Markowitz, trumpeters Randy Brecker, Marvin Stamm and Michael Mossman and altoist Pete Yellin, there are many moments of interest on this modern straightahead disc, but the title was a definite mistake!