The Rodger Fox Big Band - X: Plays New Zealand (2016)

The Rodger Fox Big Band follow their 2015 Michael Houstoun collaboration (Concerti) with this collection of big band arrangements of nine pieces by contemporary New Zealand composers, including Nick Granville, Norman Meehan, Phil Broadhurst, Fat Freddy's Drop, and even one from Mr Fox himself.

Recorded by Troy Kelly at STL Studios in Wellington, and mixed and mastered by Talley Sherwood at Tri-Tone Studios in Los Angeles, X is a continuation of the style Rodger has fostered with enormous commitment and enthusiasm for over 40 years, a tight, groove-based, high-energy programme of unashamedly joyful big band jazz.

Featuring the compositional, arranging, and soloing expertise of Nick Granville, Matt Harris, Bill Cunliffe, Bryn van Vliet, Roger Manins, Lauren Ellis and others, X celebrates established and emerging New Zealand jazz talent with great pride and conviction. This is big band jazz played with great verve and vitality, an album with the potential to appeal to a broad range of music fans.

Tracklist:

1. Roma In The Present Tense (6:43) – Composed Norman Meehan, arranged by Matt Harris
2. Mr. Brown (6:21) – Composed and arranged by Nick Granville
3. Wandering Eye (6:39) – Composed by Fat Freddy’s Drop, arranged by Jesper Riis
4. North of the Apricots (9:53) – Composed and arranged by John Rae
5. Matakana (4:34) – Composed and arranged by Nick Granville
6. John Scon (7:57) – Composed by Roger Manins, arranged by Daniel Hayles
7. Panacea (7:22) – Composed by Phil Broadhurst, arranged by Matt Harris
8. Arching Birch (6:14) – Composed by Anita Schwabe, arranged by Jeff Driskill
9. X – Juicy (7:00) – Composed by Rodger Fox, arranged by Bill Cunliffe

Personnel:

Rodger Fox (musical director, trombone)
Anita Schwabe (keyboards)
Nick Granville (guitar)
Rowan Clark (bass)
Lauren Ellis (drums)

Saxophones
Chris Buckland (soprano and alto)
Bryn van Vliet (alto and tenor)
Roger Manins (alto and tenor on tracks 1, 5, 6, 7, 9)
Jake Baxendale (tenor)
Andre Paris (alto on tracks 2, 3, 4, 8)
Eilish Wilson (baritone)

Trumpets
Jon Papenbrook (lead on tracks 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9)
Ben Hunt (lead on tracks 2, 6)
Imogen Thirlwell
Chris Selley

Trombones
Christopher Fox
Cameron Kidby
Sean Tickle
Kurt Gibson