Steven Feifke and Bijon Watson Present: Generation Gap Jazz Orchestra
Crossing paths as they participated in jazz recording sessions, trumpeter Bijon Watson and pianist Steven Feifke found themselves of one mind over something missing: the current lack of mentorship by veteran musicians of relatively fledgling players.
Generation Gap Jazz Orchestra is the duo’s assemblage of nearly 20 musicians from a wide age range to lessen that dearth of apprenticeship. GGJO traverse a variety in style and tempo throughout their nine-cut debut; but at its heart is a dedication to big band swing (they’re an orchestra, after all!) that updates tradition with sharply conceived charts and arrangements with generous room for solos and intertwining instrumental conversation.
Vocalist Kurt Elling, one of the most esteemed of the elders present, fronts a couple of the set’s changes from its main direction with an odd-metered remake of an early ‘00s Sting soundtrack contribution and a rubbery funk workout that imagines what it may have been like were Mose Allison to sing with Tower of Power’s backing. Fine as they are, both of Elling’s contributions arrive in the album's first half and imbalances the disc’s flow a bit. Trusting that Generation Gap is more than a passing fancy for its founders, perhaps another singer—here's suggesting a female—and a more even distribution of singing would benefit a sophomore release. That is, however, a secondary caveat for a concept so well manifested.
