CHASE — Chase (review)

CHASE — Chase album cover Album · 1971 · Pop/Art Song/Folk Buy this album from MMA partners
4.5/5 ·
FunkFreak75
Released in April of 1971, Bill Chase was a Schillinger House of Music (later renamed the Berklee College of Music)-trained jazz trumpeter who had cut his teeth in the 1950s playing for Maynard Ferguson, Stan Kenton, and Woody Herman's Thundering Herd. He is often seen on lists of the greatest trumpeters of all-time. This band and album was Bill's attempt to give the "hot ticket" of jazz-rock a try. Sadly, Bill died only three years later in a plane crash at the young age of 40.

1. "Open Up Wide" (3:48) amazing full-throttle brass rock. (8.875/10)

2. "Livin' In Heat" (2:54) a little Broadway musical feel to this one (as well as BS&T). I guess the lead vocals hear must be attributed to Dennis Johnson. (8.875/10)

3. "Hello Groceries" (2:56) R&B brass rock. Jerry Van Blair's lead vocal is pure R&B. (8.75/10)

4. "Handbags and Gladrags" (3:23) slowed down New Orleans funereal music start turns into New York City open air style jazz-rock. Love the wavy, layered horn arrangements in the back ground. Lead vocalist Ted Piercefield sure sounds like David Clayton Thomas. (9/10)

5. "Get It On" (2:59) (8.666667/10)

6. "Boys and Girls Together" (2:56) Ted Piercefield again in the lead vocals. (8.666667/10)

7. "Invitation to a River" (14:13) so much like the soundtrack and arias from a single act of a Broadway musical. Even so, it would be considered great, moving theater music. (27.75/30) a) "Two Minds Meet" - Dennis Johnson again on lead vocals? b) "Stay" - slow and atmospheric with choral background vocals supporting Dennis' plaintive lead. c) "Paint It Sad" - there's that David Clayton Thomas sound and feel again. d) "Reflections" (ad lib) - Astounding horn play--especially from lead trumpeter Bill Chase. e) "River" - more akin to the slow and plaintive music and lyrics of the second movement.

Total time - 33:09

This is an album that sounds as if the Don Ellis Orchestra produced Blood Sweat and Tears and they composed for Broadway musicals. The horn play is amazing throughout this album--so crisp and clear, creative and powerful--but the songs aren't always as engaging and are rarely inventive or forward-thinking (except for the horn arrangements) as some of the other J-R Fusion artists of the day. I feel that Bill and company's compositional and stylistic orientations are quite similar to the music Stephen Schwartz was doing for musical theater.

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of theatric brass rock.
Share this review

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Sunset Park Post Bop
TOBIAS MEINHART
Buy this album from MMA partners
Carlos Zíngaro, Carlos Bechegas, Ernesto Rodrigues : Spleen Jazz Related Improv/Composition
CARLOS ZINGARO
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Alicante
RENAUD GARCIA-FONS
js· 1 day ago
She's Forty with Me
WILTON CRAWLEY
js· 1 day ago
Tall Tillie's Too Tight
WILTON CRAWLEY
js· 1 day ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us