Adam Lane's Full Throttle Orchestra
The band:
- Nate Wooley (trumpet),
- Taylor Ho Bynum (trumpet),
- Reut Regev (trombone),
- Tim Vaughn (trombone),
- David Bindman (tenor, soprano sax),
- Avram Fefer (alto sax),
- Matt Bauder (tenor, baritone sax),
- Adam Lane (bass),
- Igal Foni (drums).
A little big band (sometimes no more than a large group) with variable geometry, the Full Throttle Orchestra has very wide parameters, in order to achieve the "multi-dimensional sonic qualities" intended by its leader, composer and arranger, the contrabassist Adam Lane. The references, if not imediatly recognizable, are disseminated in every turn and adopted form: Charles Mingus and Duke Ellington, of course (what else could do anyone interested in getting that particular "orchestral effect" of the swing and be bop eras?), but also Iannis Xenakis and Luigi Nono (ant that means structural complexity and harmonic sofistication), Black Sabbath, Motorhead and Melt Banana (you now know from where comes all the energy and roughness). Also the soundtrack to the movie "Forbidden Planet" (feeled in the futuristic and "exotic" atmospheres), crossing boundaries between jazz, contemporary classical, punk, metal, noise and... "music of questionable worth", as Lane puts it himself with humour. If you think everything was already done in the big band domain, prepare yourself: you're gonna be surprised.
Selected videos
Project details / press:
The world finally took note of this incredible composer and bass player after the release of his landmark CD, Ashcan Rantings (Clean Feed, 2010). After three recordings with his West Coast version of the band, the first recording of his New York one has won him praise and glory. The Full Throttle Orchestra is one of the most compelling big format bands to arise in decades. Amazing writing and playing presented in Europe for the first time.
"Joy, as Lane points out in the liner notes, should elevate musicians and listeners to an absolute level of pleasure and fun. Result achieved fully, because the disc combines a sublime listening pleasure with the quality of the music, the beat of his feet with that of the heart, the thought with action, the flashes of individual genius with the compactness, the peculiarities of writing based on cells and development given unpredictable melodic inventiveness of the performers. Breathtaking!"
Vincenzo Roggero, All About Jazz Italy
"Ashcan Rantings is easily one of the best records of the year."
Troy Collins, Point of Departure
"If you buy only ten jazz albums this year, this might well be one you should include on your list."
Grego Edwards, Gaplegate Music
"Man, man, man -- this is music I will still listen to with joy in a couple of decades and recommend to my great-grand-children."
Stef Gissels, Free Jazz