From the Chicago premiere performance of music from their recording, More Amor – a Tribute to Wes Montgomery, the Chicago Jazz Orchestra featuring Bobby Broom play Wes's classic tune, "Four On Six."
Musical Director and Conductor, Jeff Lindberg, leads Chicago's longest operating big band in this powerful, ultra-swinging romp by arranger, Tom Garling.
The Chicago Jazz Orchestra is:
Woodwinds:
John Wojceichowski, Bill Overton, Scott Burns, Eric Schneider, Ted Hogarth, Kimberly Risinger
Trumpets:
Roger Ingram, Victor Garcia, Doug Scharf, Pharez Whitted, Art Davis
Trombones:
Steve Duncan, Luke Malewicz, Raphael Crawford, Thomas Matta
Rhythm Section:
Dan Trudell (pno), Dennis Carroll (bs), Kobie Watkins (drs)
Violin 1:
Steve Winkler, Natalie Frankes, Karla Galva, Wendy Evans, Daryl Silberman, Eden Crumbly
Violin 2:
Lisa Fako, Henry Zheng, Sheila Hanford, Melanie Sarapa, Emily Randle
Viola:
Jeff Yang, Danny Seidenberg, Mary Odin
Cello:
Dorothy Deen, Margaret Daly, Ronald Chambers
Videography and editing, audio recording and mixing by Joey Skoch.
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The Chicago Jazz Orchestra, under the direction of Jeff Lindberg, is Chicago’s longest regularly operating big band. In 2004, Lindberg reached out to acclaimed guitarist Broom about a Wes Montgomery tribute concert. After that successful performance, the two began thinking about this recording project, which is twenty years in the making!
Recorded on September 29. 30 and October 1, 2023 (during Montgomery’s centennial), More Amor consists of 10 songs, three arrangers–Charley Harrison, Tom Garling, and Alex Brown, who were commissioned to write brand new arrangements of songs already recorded by Montgomery. Two previously recorded arrangements were enhanced by Lindberg and are included. The result is a super-swinging, grand gesture, based on material associated with Wes Montgomery.
“For me, this project is a dream. I can vividly recall admiring the album covers by Wes, as the music played in my room in my New York City apartment when I was a teenager. To be asked, and to feel capable of doing this is almost surreal;” says Broom of the experience.
And when asked about the performances: “Every solo is stunning and holds up the banner for who we are. This is what we do. This is us in Chicago right now.”
