The Ryan Middagh Jazz Orchestra has released a new six-song album, Tenor Madness, on Ear Up Records. The set features an arsenal of stellar jazz players and has already generated glowing accolades from music writers around the world. Middagh is the director of jazz studies at Blair School of Music.
Tenor Madness, which draws its title from the seminal 1956 album of the same name by Sonny Rollins, showcases Middagh’s talents as a bandleader and arranger, and is a love letter both to the saxophone itself, and the ebullient saxophonists of the Nashville music scene. The project features alto saxophonists Alex Graham and Jovan Quallo; tenor saxophonists Jeff Coffin, Don Aliquo, and Joel Frahm; Kevin Shinskie on both alto and tenor saxophones; and Jimmy Bowland and the bandleader himself, Ryan Middagh, on baritone saxophone.
The Ryan Middagh Jazz Orchestra includes Steve Patrick, Tyler Jaeger, Jeff Bailey, and Olivia Achcet (trumpets); Jonathan Salcedo, Roy Agee, and Sarah Morrow (trombones); Martin McCain and Liam Barron (bass trombones). The rhythm section consists of: Lindsey Miller (guitar), Pat Coil (piano), Jake Jezioro (bass), and Marc Widenhofer (drums).
Accolades:
John McDonough | Downbeat Magazine
“It ends with ‘Wired, which pops like an eager genie out of a simple scale voiced by Middagh’s bari.” (Full review, page 72.)
Lance Liddle | Bebop Spoken Here
“Highly recommended for anyone who likes a swinging big band.”
Thierry de Clemensat | Paris Move
“The musicians’ work is breathtaking, the arrangements majestic, and the jazz presented here spans the genre’s full expressive range. It’s a celebration of everything we love about jazz.” Check out the full review here.
Morgan Enos | UK Jazz News
Read the full interview here.
CHRIS PEARSON Chris Pearson | The Times
“A saxophone tour de force, this would be madness to miss.”