INVITATION

2,5 stars. The competent modern big band orchestra in this format with no keyboards provides an original and quite memorable sound. Brass sections, harmonica and bass guitars stand in the forefront. Bass playing is the most advanced out of all and is inspirational to many aspiring jazz bass players. The main problem is that this concert is a mixed bag of incoherent pieces - basically the longer the track is, the higher potential it has. Some shorter track are disposable and won't likely appeal to a fusion fan. Highlights are the first dynamic track with all players ready to run, "The Chicken" and the "Giant steps" from the lengthy 10-minute track because it is also quite experimental and close to fusion. Therefore 2.5 stars of otherwise a 3-star jazz album.