GOP Siena Jazz Big Band - Conductor: Klaus Lessmann
1.The mooche (D.Ellington) 2. Stompy Jones (D.Ellington) 3.Big city blues (D.Ellington) 4.Swingin' the blues(C.Basie)5.A tisket,a tasket (Feldman/ Fitzgerald) 6.Dusk(D.Ellington) 7.Tickle toe (L.Young) 8.All too soon (D.Ellington) 9.Perdido (J.Tizol) 10.Tonight I shall sleep with a smile on my face (D.Ellington) 11.The sticks (J.Adderley) 12.Hummin' (N.Adderley) 13.Jive Samba (N.Adderley) 14.Work Song (N.Adderley) 15.Sweet Emma (N.Adderley) 16.Walk Tall (Zawinul-Marrow-Rein) 17.I'm on my Way (N.Adderley jr.)

recorded 1999; le carrozze records

This is the debut CD of this school based big band. The ensemble was recorded in the afternoons to ensure that the ensemble was good enough and the solos were added later. The director reminded me that it was an amateur band and not to expect too much! In fact this is an enjoyable CD featuring transcriptions of classic Ellington and Basie material by the leader. ... It has a feel of the Cotton Club, some great reminders of the music of the thirties and beyond. This is a laudable project and deserves support. I know the next CD will be even better as the group gain more experience of the discipline of recording.

http://www.j.r.killoch.btinternet.co.uk/amends.htm#gop

Siena Jazz Big Band - Conductor: Klaus Lessmann
ABSTRUTIONS
1.Unit 7 (Sam Jones) 2.Lentement,mademoiselle (Django Reinhardt) 3.Is it really the same? (Keith Jarrett) 4. Mr. Walker (Wes Montgomery) 5.Frankie and Johnny (Trad.) 6.Psycofarma (Franco Fabbrini) 7.Alligator crawl ( Thomas 'Fats' Waller) 8.Lonesome nights (Benny Carter) 9.Bem Bom (Barnabè,Renno,Gudim) 10. Movin'along (Wes Montgomery) 11. Abstrutions (Stanley Cowell) 12.KV 428 (Klaus Lessmann) 13. But not fom me - Tadd's Delight (Gershwin-Dameron) 14.Lotus Blossom (Billy Strayhorn) 15.Unit 7 ( Sam Jones)

Registrato presso la sede dell'associazione Siena Jazz i giorni 1 e 3 dicembre 2002 ed in occasione del concerto tenutosi l'11 dicembre 2002 presso il teatro dei Varii a Colle Val d'Elsa - Mixato presso lo studio "Le Carrozze Records" in Siena da Vincezo Vanni - Foto di Giovanni Terminio - Foto di copertina di Patrizia Cresti - In memoria di Gabriele Salvatore.
Siena Jazz Big Band Abstrutions
Siena Jazz Records SJR 10803

Der Burghausener Klaus Lessmann lebt seit 1986 in Siena, Italien. Warum auch nicht, wer wuerde nicht gerne in Bella Italia leben? Dort ist er als Musiklehrer, Buchautor und Big Band Leader taetig. Mit seiner Siena Jazz Big Band war er nun im Studio. Ein herrliches Album ist dabei entstanden, luftig, transparent und warm. Wie Bella Italia eben. Als waere geradezu die italienische Lebensart in die Arrangements eingewoben worden. Auch die Songauswahl ist etwas fuer sonnigere Gemueter: Django Reinhardt, der fruehe Keith Jarrett, Wes Montgomery, Fats Waller, Benny Carter, Gershwin, Billy Strayhorn, nebst einem einzigen Titel von Lessmann selbst und einem von seinem Bassisten Franco Fabrini (sic!). Das Orchester agiert niemals solistenbezogen.
Auch dann nicht, wenn der Leader zur Klarinette greift und den Ton angibt. Nicht einmal drueckt einem das viele Blech gegen die Gehoergaenge. Wunderbar inszeniert sind die Ausfluege in di Jazzhistorie. "Abstrutions" ist locker und leicht, stets groovt es, swingt und immer ist Lessmanns Big Band fuer eine ueberraschende Wendung gut. Toll.

Klaus D. Zeh (Jazzpodium)

Klaus Lessmann, nato a Burghausen (Germania), vive dal 1986 a Siena in Italia.
Perché no, chi non vorrebbe vivere nella 'Bella Italia'? A Siena lavora come insegnante di musica, autore di libri ed è il leader della 'Siena jazz Big Band' con la quale ha recentemente realizzato un lavoro in studio. Ne è nato un bellissimo CD, aeroso, trasparente e caldo, appunto come la 'Bella Italia'.
E' come se negli arrangiamenti si percepisse il modo italiano di vivere. Anche la scelta dei brani e degli autori è roba per anime assolate: Django Reinhardt, il giovane Keith Jarrett, Wes Montgomery, Fats Waller, Benny Carter, Gershwin, Billy Strayhorn insieme ad una composizione dello stesso Lessmann e una del suo bassista Franco Fabbrini. L'orchestra è sempre in tiro e non è mai esclusivamente al servizio del solista, neanche quando il leader prende il clarinetto e guida la band. I tanti ottoni presenti nell'organico non suonano mai troppo forte. Il viaggio nella storia del Jazz è inscenato in questo cd in modo bellissimo. All'ascolto 'Abstrutions' suona rilassato e leggero ma, nello stesso tempo, c'è sempre groove, swing e la big band di Lessmann riesce sempre a sorprendere l'ascoltatore. Notevole.

Klaus D. Zeh

Abstrutions is the second recording by Italy's Siena Jazz Big Band, which was formed in 1994 as a part of the 'Associazone Siena Jazz' school and now includes professional musicians as well as students and amateurs. The band's earlier album, GOP, comprised of ten songs associated with Duke Ellington and seven with Cannonball Adderley, was given a lukewarm reception by this reviewer.The band stretches more this time around, covering tunes by a diverse assortment of composers from Django Reinhardt, Fats Waller, Benny Carter and Billy Strayhorn to Keith Jarrett, Wes Montgomery, Stanley Cowell, Tadd Dameron
and others. There are two originals, 'Psycofarma' by bassist Franco Fabbrini, and 'KV 428' by the band's director, Klaus Lessman. The album opens and closes with brief renditions of Cannonball's theme, bassist Sam Jones's 'Unit 7'.

While there's no doubt that three years have made a difference in the band's cohesion and prowess, there's also no doubt that this is basically a college-level ensemble, even though an admirable one in many respects. Brass and reeds
are usually on the mark, the rhythm section sharp and supportive, and if the soloists aren't especially spellbinding they are at least respectable. Lead trumpeter Maurizio Pasqui is a standout on 'KV 428' (recorded in concert, with a minor stereo glitch in midstream), guitarist Diego Perugini likewise on the two compositions by Montgomery, 'Mr. Walker' and 'Movin' Along.'
Lessman is another of the soloists, unlimbering his clarinet on Reinhardt's 'Lentement, mademoiselle,' Carter's 'Lonesome Nights,' Strayhorn's 'Lotus Blossom' (on which he excels) and 'But Not for Me/Tadd's Delight,' his soprano sax on 'Bem Bom,' one of three vocals by Maria Laura Bigliazzi who returns from GOP (the others are 'Frankie and Johnny' and 'But Not for Me').
As before, Ms. Bigliazzi has her problems with the English language and seems far more at ease on the Brazilian 'Bem Bom,' which she interprets delightfully. In sum, a meaningful step forward for the Siena Jazz Big Band, which continues to advance under Mr. Lessman's able guidance.

Jack Bowers
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?review_id=11489