The beauty of The Soundtrack....... and of Jazz in particular, is that improvisation and great music takes the shape of many different forms and can borrow, rightly so, from many diverse sub-genres. Case in point, just about anything that classical arranger Claus Ogerman has released; unfortunately, those releases have been few (very few) and far between. I believe I have them all, but as with most things GRP*, coupled with that incredibly fertile period of 1988-1992 or '93, the 1991 release, Claus Ogerman Featuring Michael Brecker is a standout. Often I've tried to answer my own question as to why this particular Ogerman release stands out more than the others; the strongest justification that I can come up with is Ogerman's use of a full complement of instrumentalists, a band, on each song, as opposed to just an orchestra and the featured soloist that he's written for. There are times, when I just want the music, The Soundtrack Of My Life, to take me somewhere else - that place where only a true orchestral arranger, such as Ogerman, or Vince Mendoza can take me. My ear isn't advanced enough to listen to and appreciate true classical music, for me, this is about as close as it gets.
*I tend to listen to The Soundtrack....... in an organized sort of way, maybe it's my obsesive compulsive, over the top, organized, anal personality; in any event, I have a tendency to 'mine' a specific style, period, artist or label - before I'll move to the next 'chapter' of The Soundtrack Of My Life. With well over 8,000 recordings, it may be years, possibly a decade, since I've listened (discovered again?) a particular recording. I probably should learn to relax, or be more spontaneous in my music listening habits, unfortunately, that's probably not going to happen at this point in my life, but it does lend itself to some pleasant re-discoveries.
Listen to 'Corfu'
Boomp3.com
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