Video of the day: trumpeter Derrick Gardner and the Big dig! Band share ‘Still I Rise’ – the title track from their new album
Mike Flynn
Friday, July 10, 2020
This powerful contemporary jazz big band blast through a stunning track from their acclaimed debut release
The Big dig! Band are set to release their debut studio album, Still I Rise on 10 July 2020, under the direction of trumpeter, composer, and arranger Derrick Gardner.
Big dig! Band is a classic jazz orchestra – featuring top-notch saxophone, trombone, and trumpet sections, packed with world-class musicians and anchored by a rock-solid rhythm section.
For Still I Rise, Gardner has gathered musicians from all over North America, who combine on seven dynamic, thrill-packed originals. The trumpeter – who’s an alumnus of the Count Basie Orchestra and an heir apparent to Frank Foster – is joined by his brother Vincent Gardner on trombone, alongside saxophonists Mark Gross, Greg Gatien, Rob Dixon, Tristan Martinuson and Ken Gold; trumpeters Bijon Watson, Jeff Johnson, Curtis Taylor and Andrew Littleford; trombonists Joel Green, Anthony Bryson and Bill Green; pianist Zen Zadravec, bassist Luke Sellick, guitarist Kasey Kurtz and drummer Curtis Nowosad.
First dreamed up in 2014 with co-leader Steve Kirby, the Big dig! Band takes its name – and its retro black-and-white aesthetic – from dig! magazine, a bi-monthly publication designed by John Funk which thrived under Steve’s care for over a dozen years.
Listen to the title track below and see the August issue of Jazzwise – on-sale from 16 July – for a full-review of the album – subscribe here to get your copy… and for more information on this release visit www.stillirisealbum.com