Bill Mobley - Black Elk's Dream (2013)

Bill Mobley's new album Black Elk's Dream is dedicated to Sioux Indian Black Elk, whose famous book "The End of the Dream" (1932) dealt with the plight of Native Americans. Recorded "live" at the Jazz en Tête international festival, Bill Mobley conducts a luxury Franco-American sextet coupled with a very famous chamber orchestra (21 Strings): the Orchester d'Auvergne. The repertoire gives equal weight to originals and standards. One thing is certain: Billy Pierce is imperial (tenor or soprano), Stéphane Guillaume plays more awesome than ever (on the alto, but also on the flute and the bass clarinet), the young classical violinist Maud Lovett is remarkable, and as always, Bill Mobley plays chiseled solos, on the flugelhorn as on the trumpet. The rhythm is really top notch: Manuel Rocheman on the piano, the Italian-American bassist Phil Palombi and the fantastic Billy Kilson on drums. Donald Brown joins the set on one of his compositions, funkier & baroque than ever (the beautiful violinists were captivated!). In this album, the strings are neither Hollywood dancers nor demi-mondaines on the go. And question of writing for the strings, the original work of Bill Mobley already marks the spirits. ~ www.fnac.com. [Translated from French] 

Space Time Records, BG 1337, 2013
Recorded 24th October, 2012 Live at the Jazz en Tête Festival, Clermont-Ferrand, France 

Musicians:
Bill Mobley - Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Leader
Billy Pierce - Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone
Stéphane Guillaume - Alto Saxophone, Flute, Bass Clarinet
Manuel Rocheman - Piano (#1-6)
Phil Palombi - Bass
Billy Kilson - Drums
Donald Brown - Piano, Keyboards (#7,8)
Maud Lovett - Violin (#4,5)
Orchestre d'Auvergne 

Tracks:
1. Dream Team {Xavier Felgeyrolles} (6:11)
2. Four {Miles Davis} (7:26)
3. The Touch Of Your Lips {Ray Noble} (9:45)
4. Black Elk's Dream, Pt. 1 {Bill Mobley} (6:52)
5. Black Elk's Dream, Pt. 2 {Bill Mobley} (7:49)
6. Alex The Great {Harold Mabern} (11:34)
7. The People Who Live On Hope Street, Pt. 1 {Donald Brown} (9:57)
8. The People Who Live On Hope Street, Pt. 2 {Donald Brown} (5:36) 

Total Time: 65:13 

Four