Bill Homan: Outstanding Arranger

[White Lightning]

For the past few days, I've been listening to the 2 Bill Homan CDs on JVC: "A View from the Side" and "Brilliant Corners: The Music of Thelonious Monk". I haven't span these sides for maybe 2 years, and I was delighted on how incredibly wonderful they are!

Everything Holman does in these 2 CDs is outstanding and very very fresh. I've never heard such a great Monk orchestration - ever!

From his Kenton days onwards, Holman is one of the greatest arrangers, full of Swing, Humor and a great sense and understanding of Modern-Classical Music.

Any love for Bill Holman?

[Larry Kart]

Try to track down his "Further Adventures" with the Netherlands Metropole Orchestra (Koch), rec. 1996. IMO the four-movement, circa 35-minute title work is one of the best long-form jazz compositions there is.

[ghost of miles]

Lots of love here for Bill Holman. Even in minor places, such as the Mark Murphy Capitol sides circa 1960, I find his presence to be immensely beneficial. Wish I'd gotten that Mosaic Kenton once upon a time, though some of the material has since been reissued on single CDs.

[John Tapscott]

Like this one

and this one

Scott's Yanow's review of this one at AMG is very lame and even misleading. Sometimes I wonder about Scott.

[Head Man]

Scott's Yanow's review of this one at AMG is very lame and even misleading. Sometimes I wonder about Scott.

Only sometimes?

[Scott Yanow]

Only sometimes?

[Late]

White Lightning — if you don't already have this one, it's definitely worth seeking out:

This one sets the bar high for arranging. I only wish that it might be remastered again for compact disc reissue. Right now, the sound is only so-so. The music, however, is amazing.

[Chas]

White Lightning — if you don't already have this one, it's definitely worth seeking out:

This one sets the bar high for arranging. I only wish that it might be remastered again for compact disc reissue. Right now, the sound is only so-so. The music, however, is amazing.

Laton is right , this one is utterly indispensable . Soundwise I think the CD sounds pretty decent , though IIRC it was remastered in the late 80's . I first heard this on a mono original pressing and the sound was stupendous , but where a decent stereo recording exists ( the CD is in stereo ) , I prefer that for big band records . The sound engineering on this date was by the great Bones Howe ( read more about him here ) .

Also , don't miss the date Bill did for Coral:

Available on CD from Fresh Sound . Can't vouch for the sound on that one , as I have the Sackville vinyl reissue . Fine music though .

[michel1969]

Bill is fantastic on this one : "West Coast Wailers" a 1955 session for Atlantic led by Conte Candoli and Lou Levy. Also great in "Jive for Five" (Andex) !!!!