Epistrophy
Matt Niess & The Capitol Bones
"Epistrophy" by Monk arranged for The Capitol Bones by Tony Nalker featuring Jay Gibble on trombone and Tony Nalker on piano
It Has Arrived!
The Capitol Bones
One Note Samba
Matt Niess
"One Note Samba" arranged for The Capitol Bones by Mike Tomaro featuring Jim McFalls on trombone and Tony Nalker on piano.
I Mean You
Matt Niess
"I Mean You" by Monk arranged for The Capitol Bones by Mike Tomaro featuring Jim Mcfalls and Matt Niess on trombone and Jim Roberts on bass.
Here's That Rainy Day
Matt Niess & The Capitol Bones
Here's That Rainy Day (Stan Kenton Version) orchestrated by Matt Niess featuring Tony Nalker on piano
Inner Urge
Matt Niess
"Inner Urge" by Joe Henderson arranged for The Capitol Bones by Matt Niess featuring Matt Niess on trombone and Tony Nalker on piano
I Thought About You
Matt Niess & The Capitol Bones
I Thought About You arranged by Mat Niess Jeff Cortazzo (bass trombone) and Jim McFalls (trombone)
Touch her Soft lips and Part
Matt Niess & The Capitol Bones
Touch her Soft lips and Part arranged and featuring Tony Nalker on trombone and piano
Maiden Voyage
Matt Niess
"Maiden Voyage" by Herbie Hancock arranged for The Capitol Bones by Matt Niess featuring Jim Roberts on guitar and Matt Niess on trombone.
Stolen Moments
Matt Niess & The Capitol Bones
Stolen Moments by Oliver nelson arranged by Bob Olsen featuring Jay Gibble and Matt Niess (trombone)
Conspiracy Theory
Matt Niess
"Conspiracy Theory" by Mike Tomaro arranged for The Capitol Bones featuring Matt Niess on trombone and Jim Roberts on guitar.
A Child is Born
Matt Niess & The Capitol Bones
A Child is Born arranged by Tony Nalker
The Beat Goes On
Matt Niess & The Capitol Bones
The Beat Goes on arranged for The Capitol Bones by Alan Baylock featuring Matt Niess on trombone and Shawn Purcell on guitar.
Episode
Matt Niess & The Capitol Bones
Second movement of Raymond Premru's Two Pieces for Three trombones arranged by Matt Niess. Trombone solo- Jim McFalls. Guitar Solo-Shawn Purcell.
Song for Bilbao
Matt Niess & The Capitol Bones
Song for Bilbao by Pat Metheny arranged for The Capitol Bones by Alan Baylock featuring Jim McFalls on trombone and Jim McFalls on guitar.
Duke Ellington's Sound of Love
Matt Niess
Monk's "Duke Ellington's Sound of Love" arranged by Marc Stasio.
Fanfare for The Capitol Bones
Matt Niess & The Capitol Bones
Fanfare for The Capitol Bones arranged by and featuring Matt Niess (trombone) and Shawn Purcell (guitar)
Single Petal of a Rose
Matt Niess & The Capitol Bones
Single Petal of a Rose by Duke Ellington from The Queen's Suite arranged for The Capitol Bones by Matt Niess featuring bass trombonist Jeff Cortazzo.
In Walked Horace
Matt Niess & The Capitol Bones
In Walked Horace by JJ Johnson arranged by and featuring Matt Niess (trombone) and Zachary Niess (trombone).
In a Sentimantal Mood
Matt Niess
Duke Ellington's "In a Sentimental Mood" orchestrated for The Capitol Bones by Matt Niess featuring Zach Niess on trombone and Tony Nalker on piano. Based on Michel Petrucciani's version.
Chicago Medley
Matt Niess
Chicago Medley consisting of portions of "Make me Smile", "Free", "The Approaching Storm", and "Man vs. Man" arranged by Matt Niess for The Capitol Bones featuring Jim McFalls and Matt Niess on trombone.
Felicity & Episode
Matt Niess
Felicity & Episode from Raymond Premru's Two Pieces for Three Trombones paired together and arranged for The CapitolBones by Matt Niess
My Favorite Things
Matt Niess & The Capitol Bones
"My Favorite Things" by John Coltrane arranged for The Capitol Bones and featuring Matt Niess on trombone.
Anthropology
Matt Niess
"Anthropology" by Charlie Parker recorded by The Capitol Bones featuring Matt Niess on trombone.
Autumn Leaves
Matt Niess
"Autumn Leaves" arranged for The Capitol Bones by Matt Niess featuring Matt Niess on trombone.
The Secret Sharer
Matt Niess & The Capitol Bones
The Secret Sharer composed and arranged by Conrad Herwig.
Tears In Her Eyes
Matt Niess
"Tears in Her Eyes" composed and arranged for The Capitol Bones by Mike Tomaro featuring Matt Niess on trombone.
Impressions
Matt Niess & The Capitol Bones
It's Only a paper Moon
Matt Niess
"It's Only a paper Moon" arranged for The Capitol Bones by Jim Roberts featuring Hary Watters on trombone and Jim Roberts on bass.
Out on a Whim composed and arranged by Mike Tomaro featuring Matt Niess (trombone) and Jim Roberts (guitar).
There'll Be Some Changes Made featuring Don Sheehan (bass trombone) and Tony Nalker (piano)
A Stan Kenton Christmas
Matt Niess & The Capitol Bones All-Brass Big Band
Here’s a generous helping of holiday cheer from the Capitol Bones Big Band that’s sure to help make anyone’s season happy and bright. Having somehow overlooked Stan Kenton’s album Merry Christmas more than forty years ago, I was delighted to learn that the DC-based Capitol Bones planned to record a new one using trumpets, mellophones and some of the original charts penned by Ralph Carmichael or Stan himself. Now that I’ve listened to the album, that delight has given way to admiration, as A Stan Kenton Christmas is even better than envisioned.
Inspired by Kenton’s earlier endeavor, the Bones are flat-out brilliant when performing eight of Carmichael’s colorful charts, Stan’s Kenton-ized version of “Adeste Fideles” and half a dozen fabulous arrangements by members of the band. As Carmichael and Kenton wrote entirely for the ensemble (their charts are relatively concise, with “Adeste Fideles” at 2:54 the longest), soloists are stage center only on the newer arrangements. Trombonist Jay Gibble is featured on Vince Guaraldi’s “Christmas Time Is Here” (arranged by Jim Roberts), trumpeter Graham Breedlove on Bob Wells / Mel Tormé’s “The Christmas Song” (arranged by trombonist Matt Niess), Niess and mellophonist Terry Bingham on “Greensleeves” (arranged by Niess), Breedlove, trumpeter Craig Fraedrich and trombonist Jim McFalls on “My Favorite Things” (also arranged by Niess). McFalls, Fraedrich and drummer Steve Fidyk add the solo firepower on “Big Bad Drummin’ Dude,” a muscular chart by Niess that deftly juxtaposes elements of “The Little Drummer Boy” with trumpeter Ray Wetzel’s familiar “Intermission Riff.” The album closes with “Away in a Manger,” neatly scored by pianist Tony Nalker (who comps marvelously throughout) as a showcase for the band’s superlative trombone section. In addition to the six ’bones (four tenor, two bass) and rhythm, the ensemble houses five trumpets (ably quarterbacked by Liesl Whitaker) and four mellophones, fairly close to the same lineup used by Kenton on Merry Christmas. ---Jack Bowers
Track Listing: Angels We Have Heard on High; O Tannenbaum; We Three Kings; Adeste Fideles; Christmas Time Is Here; Good King Wenceslas; Greensleeves; The Holly and the Ivy; My Favorite Things; O Holy Night; God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen; The Christmas Song; Once in Royal David
Personnel: Mark Taylor, director; Liesl Whitaker, Ken McGee, Craig Fraedrich, Graham Breedlove, Roger Rossi, trumpet; Matt Niess, Jim McFalls, Jay Gibble, Todd Baldwin, trombone; Jerry Amoury, Jeff Cortazzo, bass trombone; Gil Hoffer, Terry Bingham, James McKenzie, Rick Lee, mellophone; Tony Nalker, piano, celeste; Jim Roberts, bass; Steve Fidyk, drums; Harold Summery, percussion.
Other Recordings
To The Edge
Mark Taylor
Writer and arranger Mark Taylor has a long and illustrious career with his associations to the Stan Kenton Orchestra. The whole album has a nice variety of writing from Mark Taylor and it is hard to imagine the music could have been played any better. A very enjoyable listen for fans of big band jazz; highly recommended. Can be purchased from Cdbaby.com