Kansas City Boulevard Big Band

"There is already enough information above [reference to album's subtitle: "Featuring artists Pete Christlieb, and Frank Mantooth".] to indicate that this is an album to buy The solo piano and arrangements of the recently deceased Frank Mantooth the irresistible muscular tenor of Pete Christleib and Tom Harrell on trumpet.

But that is not all, really this dynamic band does not need the extraordinary talents of the aforementioned to impress. The fact that they are there is a bonus. It makes an already exceptional band even more impressive. This is I believe, the third album. They have managed to make each succeeding release even more memorable.

This album is a must for those who like swinging contemporary arrangements. The music, with the exception of the two Mantooth pieces are all from within the band. So often I have found that loyalty persuade some leaders to include in-house writers. Does not always work I am afraid. On this occasion the BBB demonstrates that it's writers are among the best and I would suggest that you check the Walrus Catalogue to find out what is published.

If you can get to Kansas City, you would find checking out this remarkable band a rewarding experience, certainly this CD is worth collecting.

Check out the trombone of Steve Dekker, The soprano of Hal melia, the fluegelhorn of Jay Sollenberg and Bill Caldwell in tenor sax.

Highly recommended."

John Killoch, Mainly Big Bands

"The Boulevard Big Band is the same Kansas City-based ensemble that earlier released two superlative albums on Sea Breeze, and this third one, even without designating the point of origin, is no less impressive than its precursors. The guest artists this time around are tenor saxophonist Pete Christlieb (“Star Eyes” trumpeter Chuck Tumlinson’s “Tenor Tantrum”); the late pianist Frank Mantooth, who wrote and arranged the title selection, on which he also solos, and “Al Dente,” and flugelhorn player Tom Harrell whose name doesn’t appear among the personnel or on the booklet cover but who nevertheless solos buoyantly on “al Dente” and the standard “Old Devil Moon”, one of two excellent charts by lead alto Hal Melia (the other is Tadd Dameron’s Ladybird”). Besides Tumlinson, (who also wrote and arranged “Workahol” and scored Harry Warren’s “The More I See You”), and Melia, the band boasts topnotch composers/arrangers in trombonist Steve Dekker (“Star Eyes,” his own “No Strings Attached’), trumpeter Dave Aaberg (“Superbop”) and bassist Tim Brewer (Miles Davis’ “Nardis”). The ensemble, enlivened by world-class drummer Todd Strait, is invariably tight and swinging; as for the soloists

one has to admire the unflagging resourcefulness of Harrell, Christlieb, Mantooth, Dekker, Melia, Tumlinson, Brewer, Strait, Aaberg, trumpeters Jay Solenberger and Al Pearson, tenors Bill Caldwell (who skirmishes toe-to-toe with Christlieb on “Tenor Tantrum”) and Phil Brenner, trombonist Greg Finch, alto Jim Vandel and trumpeter/leader Michael McGraw. More than an hour of delectable big-band Jazz, served Kansas City style."

Jack Bowers, Cadence
November, 2004

In January of 2005, Take Only for Pain was listed in Jack Bowers top ten Big Band CDs 2004

Praise for the Kansas City Boulevard Big Band's 1996 Recording, Stellar

"Another of the seemingly endless list of American big bands, not entirely professional, and rooted firmly in their association with a university. This Kansas City band is as good as any I’ve heard. Dan Gailey, who heads up the jazz program at KU, contributed four of the originals for this recording. Attack of the Tenor Titans, based on the chords of Lullaby of Birdland, is a roaring duel between Caldwell and guest Marienthal. Mendoza Line features the guitar of Whitsitt and the soprano of Haar. Marienthal demonstrates his versatility on the wistful Tender Care as he switches to alto. A perky St. Thomas involving sinuous sax scoring, has a firm contribution from Sollenberger on trumpet. Another of the excellent crop of soloists, Dave Aaberg shines on his own Another Anchovy. This one also features the piano of Wayne Hawkins. The band is awash with writers who also arrange and take solos! Gailey transforms the familiar Like Someone in Love into Just Below the Surface which brings bass man Tim Brewer up front for a sensitive solo. Boulevard Bossa is a feature for the trombone of Jim Cann and the CD concludes with a reworking of Stella by Starlight as Stellar by Chuck Tumlinson who shines as both arranger and soloist. The section work of the whole band is exemplary and precision and clinical brightness are well to the fore. Like so many of its type, there’s little of the down and dirty to be heard - more’s the pity."

Eddie Blackwell, Jazz Journal International
June, 1996

"As Robert Altman's new film of that name indicates, Kansas City has a long and distinguished history as a mecca for jazz and a well-deserved reputation as an incubator for extraordinary talents (the name Parker springs immediately to mind). While the film was set in 1934, the city remains jazz-oriented and is home today to three of the country's finest big bands — Trilogy, Spirit of Kansas City, and — especially — the marvelous Boulevard Big Band which shows on its second Sea Breeze release that it is beyond a doubt in a class with any other such ensemble you'd care to name.

Simply put, the Boulevard Band has everything one could possibly want ina group its size: razor sharp brass (presided over by co-trumpet leads Jay Sollenberger and Danny O'Brien); a superlative reed section (augmented on three tracks by special guest Eric Marienthal) and energetic and exciting rhythm section (anchored by driving drummer Todd Straight); a number of remarkably perceptive soloists; and perhaps best of all, a ream of vibrant charts, most of them written by members of the band, played with unwavering fire and intensity. Friends, as Andy Griffith used to say, it simply don't get much better than this. Marienthal plays as well as we've ever heard him — and he has to, or risk being eaten alive by young Bill Caldwell as they engage in combat on Dan Gailey's "Attack of the Tenor Titans" (based on the changes to "Lullaby of Birdland"). Tenor saxophonist Dan Gailey contributed three other outstanding charts (the originals "Just Below the Surface" — on which he and bassists Tim Brewer are featured — and "Mendoza Line", along with Bobby Troup's "The Meaning of the Blues", a vehicle for Caldwell's supple tenor) and trumpeter Chuck Tumlinson added three ("Get a Life", Sonny Rollins' classic "St. Thomas" — with Todd Wilkinson's congas and Jay Albright's steel drum supplying just the right atmosphere — and the session's title selection, based on the standard "Stella by Starlight"). The others are by trumpeter Dave Aeberg ("Another Anchovy", "Boulevard Bossa"), Steve Owen ("In Your Tender Care", a showcase for Marienthal's alto) and Jesse Krebs, a student at the University of Kansas ("A Matter of Time"). No point in mentioning any of the other soloists, as every one of them plays exceptionally well. If you haven't heard this "stellar" big band from KC, do your ears a favor and grab this disc."

Marge Hofacre's Jazz News
September - October 1996