Recorded before the massive changes to the jazz programming at WDR that began in April this year with a cull of regular, long established presenters and programmes, insiders tell me they aren't even certain the WDR Big Band will survive in the face of this huge, cost cutting exercise driven by populism. At the time this album was recorded, some eight weeks before the night of the long knives, such concerns were yet to reveal themselves. Hersch has selected nine of his own compositions which have been arranged for large ensemble by six-time Grammy winner Vince Mendoza. His impeccable orchestrations place Hersch's compositional skills in a new light; writ large they somehow zone in on the subtleties of the pianist's style, providing a context where the pianist – described by The New Yorker as a “living legend” – excels. A word about Mendoza, maybe not so influential in the United Kingdom, but in the US and Europe he has developed a refined yet robust style that has helped shape the sound of the contemporary big band today. His long association with the WDR has resulted in both arranger and band viewing his music from the same perspective – they know what he wants and he knows what will get their creative juices flowing. It's not just a matter of playing the dots with Mendoza, but of interpretation and empathy: it may be that in the WDR he has found the perfect vehicle for his work.