What began as a swing dance band in 2005 has evolved into a jazz ensemble capable of nailing the demands of a sophisticated musical arranger while maintaining a sense of unselfconscious swing and delightfully free improvisations.

With “Trilby” The Rick Holland -- Evan Dobbins Little Big Band comes to play. The commercial/aesthetic duality of a jazz band’s life is as old as the music itself, yet for listeners looking to hear musicians challenge themselves, and be taken along into music for music’s sake; records like this are the nut. 

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Rick’s vision with this band was to create a book that musicians would love to play. As Bob Rusch, President of Cadence Records points out, Rick is not concerned with pushing the limits of any genre, rather, putting together a book that is both tasteful and pleasing to both the musician and audience member. 

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As Lazaro Vega so accurately says, "Musicians work a lifetime without the chance to meet the high musical standards possible in a fully realized jazz band. Fortunately for us, the listeners, the musicians in the Rick Holland -- Evan Dobbins Little Big Band haven’t settle for anything less."

 

But they are not possible without the alert, interactive, conversational, grooving enthusiasm and carefully controlled dynamic range of a drummer such as Rich Thompson, the last drummer to swing the Count Basie Orchestra. For all the challenging writing, brilliant soloing, and as-one ensemble playing earned by appearing regularly together, The Little Big Band’s unity of style owes everything to that grown-up, play-or-die-trying rhythm.

 

The goal of the Little Big Band is to play fresh original arrangements for 10 pieces. Rick believes 10 pieces bring clarity to writing. It makes the arranger more creative in collecting an original sound to his/her arrangements. Rick has relied on Jim Martin, Brent Wallarab, Mark Buselli, Kerry Strayer and David Sharp to build the legacy of this book. It is an original sounding book that Swings and Sounds amazing!!!

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