The review
Always a pleasure to jive along to this world-class big band, led as always by Rick Best with his arrangements and brilliant, cutting-edge keyboard skills.
Brilliant phrasing from the best trombone section anywhere, along with a fiery yet elegant sax section, scintillating trumpets and a driving rhythm outfit.
Sweet Thunder is made up of some of the best players on the Gold Coast, many instantly recognisable. Rodney Ford on drums and vocals: how does he play complex drum fills while singing cabaret style? Mike Keogh on trombone, John Conley on double bass. Yet another gorgeous arrangement of “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square”, with a mesmerising bass trombone intro and some audible baritone sax from the under-rated Ken Lincoln.
Crowd-pleasing favourites galore, such as Rick’s own arrangements from his Wind in the Willows suite, Jelly Roll Morton’s almost forgotten “Bleep Bleep”, “Darn That Dream” and “Dead Man’s Blues”. Plus, of course, many arrangements from the immortal pen of Sammy Nestico. What a treat for serious jazz lovers!