I wrote this for the summer 2000 edition of One Final Note. Click here to read it on that site. This past March I wrote another review of The Other Bridge.

The Vinny Golia Large Ensemble
The Other Bridge (Oakland, 1999) (9 Winds)
review by Micah Holmquist
May 22, 2000

Vinny Golia is right to call this group his "Large Ensemble." The group that plays on The Other Bridge is large in not just size but also in the influences that they draw upon. There are bits to be found here of Miles Davis circa both Sketches of Spain and the second quintet. Swing and bebop influences play a part, as do echoes of fusion and free jazz. Classical and folk influences show up more than once as well. The result is that the Vinny Golia Large Ensemble does not seem self-conscious or appear to be throwing out references for the sake of testing listeners. This is music done for the sake of music.

The individual players generally seem strong although the occasional shortcoming does rise to the surface. Still there is a lot to like here. Saxophonist Bill Plake stylings stands out here with his stylings that recall Archie Shepp. Pianist and keyboardist Wayne Peet also makes his mark through the recording but particularly on a tune called "Push the Machine" where he plays the organ. His accompaniment to a solo by violinist Harry Scorzo on the whimsical closer "Master of the Playing Cards" is also excellent.

That said, the best material is usually when entire sections or the entire orchestra are playing together. Sometimes this means just covering a theme while at other points, like the startling two part composition "The Village of Forgotten Men," the sum of the collective is more chaos and confusion than anything else. A lot of credit for this belongs to Golia who both wrote all of the compositions and arrangements and, along with Stephanie Henry, conducted the group.

The Other Bridge is made up of two discs which together contain nearly two and a half-hours of music. The group recorded all of the material live this past August in Oakland, California. That this is a live recording is not a mere technicality since the entire release evinces the feel of a live concert. The crowd claps near the end of just about every solo and astute listeners will hear the same person punctuating the end of more than one tune with a loud "yeah!" Those listening to this recording on their stereos will tend to agree.

Tracks: Disc 1 "No One had ever waved to a lifeless object before (7:55)/Thread for Fred (17:05)/Something Heard (7:37)/The Evasion of Chaos — part two (12:25)/Bot (15:40)/The Evasion of Chaos — part one (9:10) Disc 2 Japur (dedicated to trombonist Thurman Green) (4:48)/Push the Machine (18:04)/The Village of a Forgotten Men — Part One (6:25)/The Village of Forgotten Men — Part Two (10:21)/RIP (10:37)/Master of the Playing Cards (25:23)

Personal:

John Fumo (trumpet, flugelhorn)/Jeff Kaiser (trumpet)/Rob Blakeslee (trumpet, flugelhorn)/Mike Vlatkovich (trombone)/Danny Hemwall (trombone)/Scott Ray (trombone)/Bill Roper (tuba)/Vinny Golia (soprano saxophone, conductor)/Kim Richmond (alto saxophone)/Paul Sherman (english horn)/Bill Plake (tenor saxophone)/Eric Barber (woodwinds)/Steve Adams (alto saxophone, bass flute)/Alan Lechusza (woodwinds)/Tara Speiser (woodwinds)/Sarah Shoenbeck (bassoon)/David Johnson (percussion)/Brad Dutz (percussion)/Alex Cline (percussion)/Wayne Peet (piano, keyboards)/Harry Scorzo (violin)/Jeff Gauthier (violin)/Jonathan Golove (cello)/Guenevere Measham (cello)/Colin Pearson (cello)/Ken Filiano (bass)/Stephanie Henry (conductor)

Recorded August 9, 1999 live at Yoshi’s in Oakland, California

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