Ghost Bands that produced good records

[Rabshakeh]

Self-explanatory title.

What are some records by bands released after the death of their leaders that you consider to be good?

Some obvious examples that pop into mind are:

Mingus Dynasty - Chair In The Sky

Sun Ra Arkestra - Swirling

[mjazzg]

Do Old And New Dreams count? If so, then their albums definitely 

[Niko]

3 minutes ago, mjazzg said:

Do Old And New Dreams count? If so, then their albums definitely 

if they count, post-Syd Barrett Pink Floyd must also count 

[JSngry]

Great is stretching it a bit, but this one surprised me at how non-moribund it was. I think you can thank Buddy DeFranco for that.

and check this out, a token nod to modernity that has nothing to do with Glenn Miller!

 

[Gheorghe]

18 hours ago, mjazzg said:

Do Old And New Dreams count? If so, then their albums definitely 

I woudn´t say so, since Ornette was alive and well and creating wonderful stuff with Prime Time ! 

For me Old and New Dreams just was a working unit of some of the best players from the 60´s (Don, Dewey, Haden and Blackwell right ? ) . 

And by the way, around that time even Ornette himself went back for an acoustic gig with them on one of the Caravan of Dream albums, combining the old quartet and Prime Time, sometimes playing the same pieces, very interesting. 

Well, I didn´t even consider Marshall Evans Arkestra a ghost band. First I doubt there is still another guy alive, who played with the original RA Arkestra. 

I saw a Mingus Ghost band conducted by Jimmy Knepper and it was the saddest and most stupied things I ever heard or saw. A bored and tired old man "conducting" easy charts that you could play without a "conductor" or more so a non-conductor. 

For someone who practically "grew up " with Mingus´  music, this was a shame ! 

[Rabshakeh]

I'd also put Old and New Dreams in the category of "spin off" rather than ghost band. Not least because they weren't trying to use the Ornette name.

[Rabshakeh]

I guess there is a question over whether the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra could be considered a ghost band or not.

[Rooster_Ties]

I’ve said it before, but I sure WISH Sam River’s Florida big band — from his later years — had gone on as a ghost band.

An absolutely impossible endeavor, financially, I realize — but man, that band was just about the best larger-group Sam ever worked with, far as I’m concerned.

[Rabshakeh]

I actually don't think I know the records he produced with it. What are good places to start?

[Rooster_Ties]

13 minutes ago, Rabshakeh said:

I actually don't think I know the records he produced with it. What are good places to start?

Aurora (2005) and a Mosaic Select (2011) — so about four hours of material.

www.discogs.com/release/11160136-Sam-Rivers-Rivbea-All-star-Orchestra-Aurora

https://www.discogs.com/release/5301764-Sam-Rivers-The-Rivbea-Orchestra-Mosaic-Select-Trilogy

I seem to vaguely remember there was one (or two?) download album(s) too — which I never got the details of (and I never downloaded).

That band sounded like they played as if their life depended on it. And I used to say they sounded like if Arnold Schoenberg led a big band, with a more ‘free-jazz’-influenced version of James Brown’s rhythm section.  No shit, they were outrageous!

[Chuck Nessa]

[Big Beat Steve]

29 minutes ago, Chuck Nessa said:

Would never have imagined this might be considered a "ghost" band. But going strictly by the name on the covers, there is something to it ...

[optatio]

[gmonahan]

I like some of the things the Basie Orchestra did when Frank Foster and Grover Mitchell took it over.

 

[Rabshakeh]

21 minutes ago, gmonahan said:

I like some of the things the Basie Orchestra did when Frank Foster and Grover Mitchell took it over.

Which records are those?

[gmonahan]

6 minutes ago, Rabshakeh said:

Which records are those?

Here are a couple with Foster and one among many with Mitchell:

 

Edited August 29, 2023 by gmonahan

[optatio]

 

Directed by Frank Foster

Saxophones:

Danny Turner (played with Count Basie)

Manny Boyd

Kenny Hing (played with Count Basie)

Marshall McDonald

John Williams (played with Count Basie)

Trombones:

Mel Wanzo (played with Count Basie)

Robert Trowers

Clarence Banks

Bill Hughes (played with Count Basie)

Trumpets:

Mike Williams

Bob Ojeda

Derrick Gardner

Scotty Barnhart

George Caldwell piano 

Cleave Eaton bass (played with Count Basie)

Charlton Johnson guitar

David Gibson drums

Edited August 29, 2023 by optatio

[felser]

22 hours ago, gmonahan said:

 

 

I also like this one a lot, definite Foster influence on some of it.

[jazzcorner]

On 8/29/2023 at 11:07 AM, Rabshakeh said:

I guess there is a question over whether the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra could be considered a ghost band or not.

IMO its not a 'ghost' band but an orchestra on its own based on a majority of members of the former TH-ML Orchestra. The sound is very alike but missing are Thad's arrangements and Thas & Mel naturally. OTOH they had invited  some famous guests.

In connection with Sal Mosca (one of the leading members)  and another person connected to the former TH-ML Orchestra  we collected various concerts and produced for a little cicle of interested fans the following concerts from that band on private CD-Rs:

All I can say great  big band music missing so much in Organissimo