Michael Leonhart Orchestra

Jazz Standard welcomes the electrifying Michael Leonhart Orchestra (MLO) back to our bandstand for another evening of genrecrossing bigband modernism following on the release of the MLOs new album Suite Extracts Vol. 1 (Sunnyside). This surprising collection finds the MLO playing other peoples material but in the Leonhart way with widely disparate compositions ranging from Fela Kuti to Spinal Tap to Howlin Wolf to Ornette Coleman curated into suites, forming anarchic yet coherent thoughts on many of the leaders chief musical passions. Suite Extracts Vol. 1 features notable guests Chris Potter, Nels Cline, Donny McCaslin, John Ellis, Erik Friedlander and many others in the context of a vibrant and unclassifiable 20piece ensemble. Theres a certain abandon and freedom in all the material, says Michael Leonhart of his latest release. A lot of it has a backbeat, which the first album really didnt. This album is more muscular in many ways. It reflects what were doing live: less of the pastoral, transcendent mood pieces, the sonic baths, and more of the groove interaction. NPRs annual Toast of the Nation New Years Eve jazz party will broadcast a live recording of Michael Leonhart Orchestras December 10th Jazz Standard concert. Join us for the live recording Dec 10 or tune in to NPR Dec 31!Michael Leonhart trumpet, leaderKeyon Harrold special guest trumpeterJordan McLean, Dave Guy, Scott Wendholt trumpetsRay Mason tromboneJeff Nelson bass tromboneDave Pietro, Jason Marshall, Ian Hendrickson-Smith, Sam Sadigursky saxes/woodwindsSara Schoenbeck bassoonClaudia Chopekm, Ludovica Burtone violinsNathan Koci accordionRobbie Mangano guitarJoe Martin bassKevin Raczka drumsElizabeth Pupo Walker percussion