Big Band

Big band on vinyl: jazz at full strength

In short: A big band is a large jazz orchestra with trumpets, trombones, saxophones and a rhythm section. From Duke Ellington and Count Basie to the arrangers of the fifties and sixties such as Gil Evans, Quincy Jones and Oliver Nelson, the focus is on the powerful collective sound. The Vinyl Room currently has 153 big band records.

What is big band?

In a big band the horn sections play against and with each other – call and response, sharp accents, soft textures. What the band plays is written by the arranger: Gil Evans painted with tone colours, Oliver Nelson combined jazz with African rhythms on “Afro/American Sketches”, and Quincy Jones brought Brazil into the orchestra with “Big Band Bossa Nova”.

On the West Coast Gerald Wilson led one of the most exciting bands of the sixties, heard on “Moment Of Truth” and “You Better Believe It!”. Alto saxophonist Art Pepper recorded jazz classics with a large line-up on “Art Pepper + Eleven”.

What to look for

Look at the specific edition, mono or stereo, and the condition of record and sleeve – all of this is noted with each copy.

From our stock

New in

→ Count Basie · Gerald Wilson Orchestra · Swing · Jazz on vinyl · Grading explained

FAQ

What is a big band? A large jazz orchestra with trumpets, trombones, saxophones and a rhythm section.

Who are well-known big band leaders? Among others Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Gerald Wilson.

Why are arrangers so important? They write what each horn section plays – Gil Evans, Quincy Jones and Oliver Nelson shaped the sound that way.

What is the difference from swing? Big band describes the line-up, swing the style; big bands also played modern jazz, bossa nova and funk.