Lester Bowie's Brass Fantasy, which is comprised of four trumpets, two trombones, French horn, tuba and drums, has rarely lived up to its potential on records. Bowie has enjoyed having the band take pop tunes ("Personality" and "Night Time Is the Right Time" on this album) and distort (and sometimes satirize) them but one imagines that this approach works better in concert than on record. There are some strong moments on this hard-to-find LP (such as Bowie's trumpet-drums duet with the late Phillip Wilson on "Duke's Fantasy") but this is a hit-and-miss affair. - Scott Yanow
Tracks
01.I Am With You (Frank Lacy)
02.Personality (Harold Logan/Lloyd Price)
03.Duke`s Fantasy (Steve Turre)
04.Thriller (Rod Temperton)
05.Night Time (Is the Right Time) (Lou Hermann)
06.Vibe Waltz (Frank Lacy)
07.Twilight Dreams (Steve Turre)
LESTER BOWIE trumpet
VINCENT CHANCEY french horn
FRANK LACY trombone
STEVE TURRE trombone
MALACHI THOMPSON trumpet
RASUL SIDDIK trumpet
STANTON DAVIS trumpet
BOB STEWART tuba
PHILLIP WILSON drums
Recorded April 1987 at Rawlston Recording Studios, Brooklyn, NY.
Venture - VE 2 (UK)