Search - Brian Setzer Orchestra :: Don't Mess With A Big Band: Live

Sensational two-disc set of the Brian Setzer Orchestra's 200

Paul Tognetti | Cranston, RI USA | 07/25/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In a recent online poll Brian Setzer was voted "The World"s Greatest Living Guitarist". If you are skeptcal about this I urge you to check out the phenomenal new double disc album "The Brian Setzer Orchestra: Don't Mess With A Big Band". Recorded during the band's 2009 tour of Japan "Don't Mess With A Big Band" offers up 19 exciting and innovative tracks including some old time rock and roll, a few swing numbers and a boatload of Setzer's favorite genre rockabilly. I rarely buy "live" recordings but this one was a "must" purchase as soon as I learned about it.



Word has it that Brian Setzer has a huge guitar collection spanning many decades and brands. He is known to prefer the vintage models and Brian put a number of them through their paces during the group's tour of Japan. "Jaw-dropping" is the term the record company uses to describe Brian's guitar work on this album. I would most certainly agree! There are so many highlights on these discs but I would have to single out Brian's amazing interpretation of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's classical piece "Flight of the Bumblebee". "Honey Man" features what has to be the most amazing piece of guitar work that I have ever heard. Listen and see if you agree! Meanwhile, the balance of the orchestra is on top of their game throughout as well. As always the brass section is terrific and I actually enjoyed their work every bit as much. Among my favorite tracks on Disc One are "Batman" (the original ABC- TV series theme), the swingin' sound of "The Dirty Boogie" and the group's remake of the 1958 Eddie Cochran classic "Summertime Blues" which is quite true to the original. Great stuff!



But I liked Disc Two even more! From the earliest days of his career Brian Setzer's first love has been rockabilly and the entire second disc is devoted to this genre. Each and every one of these ten tracks is a winner. You can tell that the Japanese audience just eats up this stuff. "Gene and Eddie" is a tribute to rockabilly pioneers Gene Vincent and Eddie Cochran. What a super tune! And Stray Cats fans will be happy to hear that several of the group's most popular numbers including "Stray Cat Strut", "Rock This Town" and of course "Jump, Jive An' Wail" are included here as well. I found that it is virtually impossible to sit still while this album is playing.



"The Brian Setzer Orchestra: Don't Mess With A Big Band" includes a nicely done 12 page booklet featuring s number of remarkable photos from the Japanese tour. My first instincts proved to be right. This is an album definitely worth owning and something I will listen to again and again. Very highly recommended!



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Wow - get this today!

Joseph Vincenza | Pensacola, FL | 07/21/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Since the Stray Cats, Brian Setzer has known how to swing, wail, strut, and shout like nobody else around these days. Add to that mix the thrill and energy of a big band live, and you've got a 2 disc set that swings like nobody's business. It must have been a hell of a party, and I'm sorry I couldn't be there. But wait - I can!! Put this one, get some friends and your favorite beverage and you've got an instant rockin' party. Did I say you need to get this today?!?

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