Yes! Now I can listen to the Captain Black Big Band whenever I want to. Listening to this live recording takes me right back to actually being there watching them perform. Orrin Evans leads the 18 piece jazz big band through seven tracks that flow like a story. This is not your grandfathers Big Band either. This band is young, daring and super talented. The solos start off slow and build to a climax. If I didn't know better I would think that the tenor sax solo on track two, "Here's the Captain" was John Coltrane back from the grave. It's not though, it's a cat from Philadelphia, Victor North who obviously has studied the master. His phrasing and tone fools me every time. The last solo on the disk is another tenor sax player originally from Philadelphia named Jaleel Shaw. Track seven, Jena Six is about a horrible unjustified hanging and Jaleel has you feeling the pain. Like the solos before him he starts off slow and builds to an emotional frenzy that brings tears to your eyes. It feels somehow wrong to single out just a few musicians because each one is as talented as the next. World class musicians getting together and just having a ball playing music with each other. The recordings were made both in Philadelphia and in New York City. Each night was recorded in front of a live audience. I was fortunate enough to be present for one night in each city. I photographed both nights and between this disk and those pictures I will never forget the experience. If you are reading this and have never heard the band please treat yourself and spend ten dollars and purchase it. That ten dollars will buy you hours of listening pleasure.

Jazz has never left and is still alive and Captain Black Big Band has proven that.