SONG

As a team with Isa Wiss, the ZJO plays popular songs in a variety of styles. The outcome: «SONG».
This is the ZJO’s third CD. For the first time, the big band has teamed up with a singer. Together with Isa Wiss, the orchestra plays songs that have their origins in various styles. The result: «SONG».

This band has guts. It’s firmly rooted in traditions – but the roots stray into different fields. On one side, there’s an endless love for big band jazz; on the other, there’s an eternal aversion towards any kind of stand-still, especially musically. Yet, the Zurich Jazz Orchestra bridges this gap as if there was nothing more natural.
The combination of vocals and big band is as ancient as the concept of the big band itself. For decades, big bands used to accompany vocalists. Band director Rainer Tempel from Tubingen, Germany, has resurrected these good old times by writing homogenous, but never dull arrangements for songs of all styles. «I noticed that among the 150 or so tunes I have written for big band, there’s only a handful that has vocals», the conductor says. «But since I like listening to vocals, and since the category ‘song’ plays such an important role in history of music, I didn’t want to refuse this task any longer.»

With front lady Isa Wiss, the Zurich Jazz Orchestra is back on the concert stages. The Stones’ «Paint It Black» comes just as naturally as the Cole Porter classic, «I Love Paris»; the orchestra takes a bow for Police by doing «King Of Pain», and «The Morning Papers» cites Prince, the wizard. It’s the enthusiasm, but the mutual respect as well, that ties vocals and ensemble. It immediately becomes obvious: No matter if this band plays a leading role in a stage play of chooses to back up a singer and to end up between all traditions: The ZJO has style. Its very own style.

Songs

1 I Fall In Love Too Easily
(Music by Jule Styne, Words by Sammy Cahn)

2 Time After Time
(Words & Music by Cindy Lauper & Rob Hyman)

3 Video Killed The Radio Star
(Words & Music by Bruce Wooley, Geoffrey Downes & Trevor Horn)

4 How Deep Is Your Love?
(Words & Music by Barry, Maurice & Robin Gibb)

5 Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing
(Words & Music by Stevie Wonder)

6 In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
(Music by David Mann, Words by Bob Hilliard)

7 The Morning Papers
(Words & Music by Prince)

8 My One And Only Love
(Music by Guy Wood, Words by Robert Mellin)

9 Saving All My Love
(Music by Michael Masser, Words by Gerry Goffin)

10 King Of Pain
(Words & Music by Gordon Sumner)

11 Paint It Black
(Words & Music by Mick Jagger & Keith Richards)

12 I Love Paris
(Words & Music by Cole Porter, German Lyrics by Kurt Feltz)

Release concert dates

26. April 2012, Jazzclub Moods – Release
27. April 2012, Jazzkantine Luzern
28. April 2012, Zentscheuer Rottenburg
01. Mai 2012, Alte Feuerwache Mannheim
02. Mai 2012, BIX Jazzclub Stuttgart