Bright Future Review

Vince Norman Joe McCarthy Big Band - "Bright Future"
(OA2 Records)

The only indication on this CD as to where all these hot player hail from is the name of a recording studio in Springfield, Virginia. Go figure. But there’s some sparkling musicianship in a menu of all original music mostly from co-leader and reedman Vince Norman. Several high-energy soloists are given plenty of opportunity to fly their colors as this band cooks it up on one cut after another. Kudos to anyone who can even keep a big band together nowadays. From the sound of their energetic big band, they indeed deserve a bright future.

- George Fendel, Jazz Society of Oregon, www.jsojazzscene.org