Equinox Orchestra
Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2023 11:05 am
audio samples: https://equinoxorchestra.com/audio/
Arguably the most fun I've ever had working with one of my freeway philharmonics has been doing a concert with the Equinox Orchestra.
Basically, it's a big band + strings (one bass: the one hooked up with the big band) and single (or possibly pairs of) orchestral woodwinds - flute/oboe/bassoon...possibly horn...
...basically a "Nelson Riddle" instrumentation
I've played tons of jobs with "big bands" playing bass, but never (until this ensemble came through town) playing any sort of "horn" with a big band.
Last time, I used the F cimbasso (with mutes that I made for it) to cover the 4th trombone part, and - reportedly - that's what's going to happen again in February.
I'm guessing (per last time) they will send a couple of trumpets (a high note artist, and an improviser) our own orchestra will fill out the trumpet section, and they will send a lead trombone (with our orchestra covering trombone chairs 2/3/4). They'll also bring saxophones (which us supplying probably second alto/second tenor/bari...??), possibly a set drummer, and - likely - a keyboard player and guitarist (plus a couple of vocalists). Last time, several of them were sick, so there were some (fantastic) subs as well as a couple of holes...It still sounded fantastic.
The last time, the theme was "classic Vegas" (Rat Pack, Ella, Elvis, etc., etc...)
Their current website sound clips hint at "classic Broadway"...(??)
I'm really excited about this, and eager to receive PDFs of the (likely - as last time) challenging charts.
Last time, the charts were either somehow-obtained (??) originals or meticulously-recreated-from-recordings ones.
(The 4th trombone parts went "all over the place", the fast ones featured really fun "blurs of notes", and - in one of the Ella tunes - there was a (trombone) high B-flat slipped into the 4th trombone part.
Arguably the most fun I've ever had working with one of my freeway philharmonics has been doing a concert with the Equinox Orchestra.
Basically, it's a big band + strings (one bass: the one hooked up with the big band) and single (or possibly pairs of) orchestral woodwinds - flute/oboe/bassoon...possibly horn...
...basically a "Nelson Riddle" instrumentation
I've played tons of jobs with "big bands" playing bass, but never (until this ensemble came through town) playing any sort of "horn" with a big band.
Last time, I used the F cimbasso (with mutes that I made for it) to cover the 4th trombone part, and - reportedly - that's what's going to happen again in February.
I'm guessing (per last time) they will send a couple of trumpets (a high note artist, and an improviser) our own orchestra will fill out the trumpet section, and they will send a lead trombone (with our orchestra covering trombone chairs 2/3/4). They'll also bring saxophones (which us supplying probably second alto/second tenor/bari...??), possibly a set drummer, and - likely - a keyboard player and guitarist (plus a couple of vocalists). Last time, several of them were sick, so there were some (fantastic) subs as well as a couple of holes...It still sounded fantastic.
The last time, the theme was "classic Vegas" (Rat Pack, Ella, Elvis, etc., etc...)
Their current website sound clips hint at "classic Broadway"...(??)
I'm really excited about this, and eager to receive PDFs of the (likely - as last time) challenging charts.
Last time, the charts were either somehow-obtained (??) originals or meticulously-recreated-from-recordings ones.
(The 4th trombone parts went "all over the place", the fast ones featured really fun "blurs of notes", and - in one of the Ella tunes - there was a (trombone) high B-flat slipped into the 4th trombone part.