“This is not your grandfather's brass quintet! How can I describe this listening experience? Think about the various rock and roll "super groups" that have been formed over the years - Cream, Crosby, Stills, and Nash, and Traveling Wilburys. Add Manhattan Brass to that list. With the lineup of Wayne du Maine and Lew Soloff, trumpets, Michael Seltzer, trombone, David Taylor, bass trombone, and hornists Ann Ellsworth (Bernstein/Schnyder) and RJ Kelley (D’Rivera/Marsalis) the “supergroup” description fits. Huge talents are combined here to make an even more impressive whole. Manhattan Brass has opened a whole new world of brass quintet performance. They are carving their own special niche - they are stellar.

In the West Side Story set they play with impressive rhythmic energy, excellent balance, and a style that should be seen as an ideal to achieve. Jack Gale’s arrangements are absolutely first class and this recording should be heard by any brass quintet that is planning to program these Bernstein songs.

Daniel Schnyder's Euphoria is a new masterwork to be added to the brass quintet (plus soprano saxophone) repertoire. It musically tells the Biblical story of Abraham, his wife Sarah, and Sarah’s servant girl Hagar. The seven movements are evocative and beautifully describe the scenes and events of this story. The soprano saxophone is artfully fused into the brass quintet as an equal member. Schnyder’s music is completely capable of standing alone but every time I listened to it I wondered if some choreography would enhance the experience and help emphasize the story line.

Thank you, Paquito D’Rivera for Four Songs. They are Wapango, Danzon, El Cura, and Sofia. Exquisitely and virtuosically written, they will challenge performers, even those with very high technical skill and musical maturity. This is exceptional music played with emotion, energy, and flair.

Spiritual & Blues by Wynton Marsalis was written for Manhattan Brass. They are musical gems. Wayne du Maine has written, “The two movements on this recording are some of the most exciting, deep, fun, and proud compositions we have ever performed”. They are certainly all of things, and when performed by truly exceptional musicians who are also enjoying themselves, the listening experience is profound. Ann Ellswroth, who has since left the group, and her successor R.J. Kelley are strong and essential elements in this quintet. They both play with virtuosity, precision, and a stylistic mastery that could be matched by few, surpassed by none.

The Horn Call, Magazine of the International Horn Society

Calvin Smith

02/01/2011