Helen Simons Jazz Radio 94.1FM Queensland, AUSTRALIA The JazzXpress Caravan (specialty show) myspace.com/jazzxpress | Another CD on my "A" list. Dick Johnson has this big band so finely tuned that Artie Shaw would be beaming! Johnson's clarinet solo's are stunning. The young soloist's take Johnson on with great respect to the music master. This is SWING at its BEST!! Our listeners can't get enough of this CD. |
John Bohannon WRHU 88.7 FM New York Thurs 1pm-4pm (Eastern Time) | Dick Johnson’s CD “Star Dust and Beyond” is a delight. I play it often on my jazz show on WRHU in New York. The orchestra is well rehearsed and disciplined. And most entertaining. Johnson, well known and highly regarded by his peers, is still at the top of his game, and remains one of the best clarinet players around. His tone is clear and precise, a beautiful clear fat tone that few clarinetists achieve. It was a high honor and a rare compliment when Artie Shaw said that Johnson was the best clarinet player in the country. And an additional tribute when, in 1983, he asked Dick Johnson to front a reformulated Shaw orchestra. Johnson continues today to lead the Shaw orchestra, and it never sounded better. This CD deserves a place in any jazz fan’s collection, but I hope no one else buys it because I want to be the only one who has it. |
Andreas Geyer Jazzpodium Magazine GERMANY | Star Dust & Beyond is brillant swing music in the memory of Artie Shaw, but with an own vivid and timeless style. A review will be printed in one of the next issues of Jazzpodium, the German Jazz magazine. |
| Douglas Overman | We booked Dick Johnson and the Artie Shaw Orch in 1987 and were absolutely delighted by the bands quality of musicianship and faithful reproduction of Shaws swing era arrangements and voicings. This record goes one better, it's a thoroughly up to date big band, great arrangements and solo work and Stardust is worth the price of the record alone. The scoring of the Shaw solo for the reed section is imaginative and very effective. |
D. Oscar Groomes O's Place Jazz Newsletter Naperville, IL | Clarinetist Dick Johnson presents us with another tribute to Artie Shaw. It is mellow swinging big band and it is as good as the last, Artie's Choice. The blend of the brass with the reeds is excellent. "The Grabtown Grapple", the calypso beats of "Fungii Mama", "My Funny Valentine" with Johnson leading the melody, "Moody Street"... These songs are alive! And Dick is still on top of his game in his eighties leading Shaw's band! |
George Young country club productions pty ltd AUSTRALIA | Great work on this disc full of beautiful music. A well presented disc that sounds even better than it looks. One to be proud of. |
Tony Bates Highlands 100.7FM Maldon, Victoria AUSTRALIA | A great album that has been well received. Absolutely excellent interpretations which the 'master' would have approved of himself! |
Mark Robinson GeorgeJazz Internet Radio NEW ZEALAND | This is a very fine Big Band CD release with some marvelous playing. Very authentic old school sound and arrangements. Cheers! |
Parko Parkinson QBN FM 96.7 AUSTRALIA | DJ has again shown he is in the elite club with this truly magnificent CD of traditionals. Beeeaaauuutiful! |
Mike Azzara Staten Island Advance silive.com | ...one of the best big-band jazz releases in recent years... Read the article |
Toni Hills 101-fm Logan City, Australia | This CD is a great tribute to Artie Shaw, I have to remind myself that I listening to Dick Johnson. |
Ralph Bennett KSRQ-FM "The Club Lounge" Minnesota | Incredible CD...Thank you! |
Richard Good Radio One 91 FM "Jazz Junction" NEW ZEALAND | Excellent jazz clarinet, in a very fine big band setting. A good choice of old and new material. In the former, goes far beyond a mere recreation of the classic era of jazz clarinet. As one who knows Dick Johnson only in a small group setting, it is quite a change to see him fronting a big band. |
Tony Wickham Radio Maldwyn UNITED KINGDOM | Artie would be proud! |
Graham Truscott USA | I have been playing the clarinet, sometimes semi-pro, for over 60 years. I heard Dick with the Artie Shaw band with Artie conducting ... that was in San Diego early 80s. I thought then and still think now Dick is one of the finest jazz clarinetists of all time. |
Alex Pijnen BRTO Radio NETHERLANDS | Fantastic Album! |
Warren Foster ENGLAND | What a tribute - Artie would be proud This CD is a must for all big band fans - just fabulous. Great arrangements and musicians who are top class. Many thanks to everybody who made it all happen. A big band jazz fan. Keep swinging! |
Claude Colpaert
Radio Campus
FRANCE | I enjoyed having musical news from Dick Johnson, I was a great fan of his records on Concord with Dave Mc Kenna. Please tell him my admiration for his work ! |
Bob Collins
Host, The Jazz Cafe
WRHU
Hempstead, NY | Dick Johnson's newest CD is a gem. . .authentic Big Band sound, with great musicianship and arrangements. |
Graham J Barclay
Soundwave FM
Napier, NEW ZEALAND | Interesting album with many twists within. Great work! Loved 'Track 6' "Moody Street". |
Helen Jarroe
Cairns FM89.1
Cairns Queensland
AUSTRALIA | This is so great - I featured it on one of my programmes. I have so many Artie Shaw fans listening, some who saw him live many years ago in Sydney. Dick Johnson has done a wonderful job. |
Steve Robertson
Presenter, Jazz On Saturday
PBS-FM, Melbourne
AUSTRALIA
pbsfm.org.au | I've been playing this superb CD on my radio show Jazz On Saturday in Melbourne, Australia. With fine arrangements, strong soloists and an appealing choice of tunes, it's been very popular with the very knowledgable Melbourne listenership (Artie came out here a couple of times and has a loyal following, including top clarinet players) and great to have on at home. Dick Johnson is the perfect man for the job of interpreting Artie's music. When I play more of this new CD on the show, I'll also include Dick's work with Swing Shift and with Dave McKenna, for a nice contrast. |
Leon Reyes
Host, Leon's Jazz in a Box
KVMR Radio 89.5 FM Nevada City
Sacramento, CA | Get ready for a wonderful musical trip, BIG BAND STYLE, that will have you enveloped in MUSICAL STAR DUST from the start on this great CD. I was taken into the spirit of Artie Shaw and his great music of the 40's performend by a GREAT BIG BAND. What a tribute and what great music. Trust me on this one, your going to enjoy it! I'm still rocking! Enjoy! |
Pascal Dorban
Radio ARA
LUXEMBOURG | This mainstream big band work never gets heavy on your ears, on the contrary, the band manages to maintain a certain freshness in their sound throughout the whole album made up of various standards. |
Martin Wright
Radio 3ZZZ
AUSTRALIA | A tribute to Artie Shaw? This is as good as anything I've heard from that master of the Big Band genre. To be expected I guess with the leadership of Dick Johnson who has always been a favourite but a lot of the other names I didn't know or only slightly have combined to make this a formidable outfit. The hours of practice and the years of experience show in what is the best Big Band release I have heard for a very long time. |
David McCrory
2NVR 105.9fm
2bbb 93.3fm
AUSTRALIA | What can I say after reading the reviews and listening to the disc - it has all been said. Absolutely FANTASTIC! It is a pity there is not more of this music around today. |
John Reid
Keith Community Radio
102.8 FM
Keith, Banffshire
SCOTLAND | This is an oustanding recording and there could be no better tribute to the late Artie Shaw. Led by the highly talented Dick Johnson this superb group of Musicians have produced a selection of well known and lesser well known tracks, all of the highest quality, the entire recording is so well arranged and produced it is a treat to listen to. This is undoubtedly one of the finest recordings I have heard in years. Full marks to all concerned. |
Stephen Frattalone
Jazz Connection Magazine | Don't be surprised if Johnson and his 17-piece band take "Big Band Recording of the Year" honors at next year's Grammy Awards.
Read the full review at www.jazzconnectionmag.com/dick_johnson_and_his_orchestra_star_dust_&_beyond_cd.htm |
Doug Ramsey
ArtsJournal.com/Rifftides | ...in every respect--production, sound and packaging--it is a first-class project...
Read the full review at www.artsjournal.com/rifftides/archives/2007/03/martinlundgren.html |
Robert Reny
Int'l Assoc of Jazz Record Collectors www.iajrc.org | Plan to be thoroughly pleased when you hear this music...fresh perfomances...unique arrangements...tight cohesive section work...plenty of solo space...one of the better big band jazz releases in recent years...excellent liner notes by friend and fellow musician, saxophonist Bill Kirchner...A tip of the IAJRC hat to the Somerled Charitable Foundation for producing such a creative album, from musical content to sound quality to packaging. Highly recommended.
Click here to read the full review (PDF) |
Thomas W. Jacobsen
Int'l Clarinet Assoc
The Clarinet - March 2007 | ...a superbly swinging ensemble...outstanding individual soloists...big-band music at its finest...much more than Artie revisited...For all who love clarinet and the big band, this album is for you.
Click here to read the full review (PDF) |
Jack Bowers
AllAboutJazz.com | Setting aside the knowledge that it is a “tribute,” Star Dust and Beyond stands on its own as a sharp and swinging session that is sure to please anyone who gets a kick out of first-class big band jazz.
Read the full review at http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=24509 |
Bill Falconer
JazzReview.com | ...exciting big band combines energy and discipline...quality musicianship and innovative arrangements
Read the full review at http://www.jazzreview.com/cd/review-18437.html |
Jim Wardrop | Absolutely first-rate big band music, traditional and innovative at the same time.
Once again, Dick Johnson rewards the faith Artie Shaw placed in him to carry on the tradition. The arrangements are interesting updates without being gimmicky; Dick's playing is very impressive. Other clarinetists win polls-Dick goes on being THE MAN! Absolutely first-rate big band music, traditional and innovative at the same time. Get it! |
Peter Wall | More than a stunning tribute to one of the greats!
I was greatly, and pleasantly, surprised by this Artie Shaw tribute. Stunning was the first adjective that came to mind. The Big Band era has never really left my musical preferences, and I can honestly say this recording more than does justice to the Artie Shaw legend. This band deserves to live on in its own right. They'd be very welcome in the UK! |
Todd Bolton | A superb recording! Dick & Co. have hit a Grand Slam.
Dick Johnson is an outstanding musician who just gets better with age. His solo work here is incredible and his leadership with this fine group of musicians is obviously very inspiring. This is a wonderful offering that shouldn't be missed. |
Jacques Emond
Host, Swing is in the Air
CKCU-FM (93.1 Ottowa) | I listened to the Star Dust CD last night and was totally knocked out by it. What a great CD!! Artie would have been proud of this one. The arrangements are fabulous as is the playing and production. The repertoire is also tops. It makes my list of year's best, no question. Congratulations to all involved in this wonderful tribute. |
Ted Thompson | ...gorgeous in every way...great charts and impeccable recordings...absolutely the most elegantly packaged recording I`ve ever seen. |
Phil Sanborn | Congratulations on a spectacularly wonderful recording. The production is exquisite with the sound of the band very clean and full. The arrangements [by Bob Freedman and Jay Brandford] are superb...with ensemble passages that are intricate yet really swing. The players you have on this recording are excellent. I am impressed by the section sounds of all the sections. The soloists are “spot on” and fit smartly into the style of each arrangement. And Dick... what a sound!, what high register!, what an overall extremely musical cat! He can play impossible passages and make them sound like he is not even thinking about breaking a sweat. |