The New Wonders and James Langton’s New York All-Star Big Band

In the past two months or so I attended release parties in Manhattan for two CDs that have already been reviewed in TST: The Unheard Artie Shaw by the James Langton New York All-Star Big Band, and the New Wonders’ first release. The first was on Sunday, February 11, for the Langton band at a place called the Cutting Room. This is an upscale restaurant/bar with a spacious stage and good acoustics, and coincidentally, very good food at prices that are not unreasonable given its Midtown location. Its only drawback is two substantial pillars that partially block the view of the full stage from tables on the sides of the room. I had seen the Langton band in Manasquan, New Jersey a few weeks earlier for its tribute to the 80th anniversary of Benny Goodman’s Carnegie Hall concert, which I reported on in April. The personnel was slightly different not only this time, but also from the recording date in August, 2016. On reeds, Marc Phaneuf and Matt Koza replaced Will and Peter Anderson, but the former may be considered the regulars in the section, as I’ve seen them before with the band and both are on the CD. Mike Weatherly on bass and Mark Shane on piano, instead of Rob Adkins and Craig Gildner, respectively, are on the record. All the other regulars, save one, were on hand: James Langton, Dan Levinson, and Mark Lopeman on reeds, Jim Fryer and Harvey Tibbs on trombone, Joe Boga