“Seventy minutes of wind-band music includes the album’s title piece, Wine Dark Sea by John Mackey…attractive, whimsical, soulful, filmic.… Dan Welcher’s Spumante…is an ebullient starter with enticing colours and a ready wit. J’ai été au bal finds Donald Grantham exploring Cajun music, the dance music delightfully lopsided and friendly, a tuba and a euphonium are given a jazzy workout before the brass contingent beefs things up and the music becomes fantastical. The Concerto for Clarinet by Frank Ticheli opens with a crib from Rhapsody in Blue, the solo spots engaged brilliantly by Nathan Williams as the Gershwin side-steps take hold. Aaron Copland and Leonard Bernstein are remembered too. Superb playing.” –Colin Anderson, Classical Ear
Labels: ClassicalEar, Colin Anderson, Dan Welcher, Donald Grantham, Frank Ticheli, Jerry Junkin, John Mackey, Nathan Williams, Spumante, University of Texas Wind Ensemble, WineDarkSea