Melanie Howell-Brooks

“The compositions themselves are the stars of this program, brought to life in a live-performance context featuring several remarkably inventive instrumental solos.”

                Ed Enright, Downbeat

 

“A collective with forward thinking tastes and chops, they have devised their own play land that finds them being an orchestra in the midst of a wonderland where the only rules they have to follow are their own. However, they know how to exercise a professional disciple in that freedom. The JCA Orchestra sounds great, the music is exciting, involving, emotionally rich, and my recommendation is to bask in the glory of this large ensemble.”  

Richard B. Kamins, Steptempest

 

“This CD demonstrates the full range and power of the JCA Orchestra. It also shows how many excellent composers are within its ranks and how the ensemble can stylishly navigate music that bursts with complex ideas. The JCA Orchestra has quietly become one of the finest large ensembles in the country.”  

Jerome Wilson,  All About Jazz

 

“This is music for mind and soul.” 

Iwin Block, Montreal Gazette

 

The JCA Orchestra has been a fixture on Boston’s creative music scene since its first performance in December 1985. Dedicated musicianship, innovative programming and fresh compositional concepts make JCA concerts colorful, adventurous, high-energy events. The JCA Orchestra has released 12 critically acclaimed CDs. Wheelworks was on the list of Downbeats best albums of 2015.  

“Every community should have one” says Willard Jenkins of Jazz Times.    

Drawing on influences that span the history of jazz and the world's musical traditions, the JCA composers have brought together a huge palette of sounds, structures and concepts. Many of the band’s featured soloists are bandleaders and composers in their own right, and are among New England’s most creative musicians. The JCA Orchestra was a runner up in 2009’s Boston Phoenix Best of Boston poll. The group has also presented an illustrious group of guest performers including Oliver Lake, Steve Lacy, Dave Holland, Julius Hemphill, Sam Rivers and many others.

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 “The band plays with drive and vitality. The soloists responding with imaginative fire to the charts and the ensemble. This is contemporary big band music of a very high order, written and played with considerable skill and integrity”-swing2bop.com/reviews.

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 “… the JCAO seamlessly moved from composition to improvisation, chordal improvisation to free extemporization,wide-open structure to well-ordered chaos. The music was daring but incredibly disciplined. Even in their wildest abandon, every musician demonstrated self control in the service of expression and musical goals larger than themselves.” 

Aesthetic, Not Anesthetic Perfesser M. Figg