A Prayer For Lester Bowie from the David Sanford Big Band is now available worldwide!

The album includes six kaleidoscopic Sanford originals as well as his arrangement of Dizzy Gillespie’s classic “Dizzy Atmosphere.” Trumpeter Hugh Ragin contributes the moving title composition inspired by trumpeter Lester Bowie.

Sanford started his 20-piece big band in 2013, and since then he’s been presenting original works inspired by classical idioms, popular music, and jazz standards. For this project, he wanted to capture the live band sound:

I really wanted the recording to sound like hearing a band in person, with that raw edge of the brass cutting through, the drums veering toward over-powering, the sense that soloists could be swallowed up at any minute. I was talking with someone about the appealing ‘grit’ of older – specifically early- to mid-1970s – movie soundtracks. That’s the aesthetic I grew up with that made me want to create my own music in the first place. You can still find it live, but rarely in the studio. I love luxuriating in the sound of brass, saxophones, electric guitar, bass, drums, etcetera all in a room.

Learn more about the music in David’s interview with Dave Douglas here.

You can purchase the album in CD or digital format on Bandcamp here and through other outlets here.

Other posts you may like:

Stereogum chooses David Sanford’s ‘A Prayer For Lester Bowie’ as a best new release David Sanford Big Band’s ‘A Prayer For Lester Bowie’ featured in New York Times Fall Preview Listen to the new single “popit” from the David Sanford Big Band Listen to the first single from the David Sanford Big Band