Reviews

Mike Holober & The Gotham Jazz Orchestra: Thought Trains
(Sons of Sound SSPCD020)

"Mike Holober's not just another pianist working within long-established post-Bill Evans methods, he's one of the rare very individually creative ones. Given his more monumental approach, his Gotham Jazz Orchestra can seem something of an extension of his piano work.… Planned and grand." [read the review]
— All About Jazz, April 2005

"The title of pianist Mike Holober’s album is candid and evocative. This is music that also moves…, as the music is as fresh and thought-provoking…. It’s an invigorating ride that builds momentum with the bustling “Jump Down, Spin Around” and keeps chugging steadily through seven more of Holober’s descriptive compositions, each one sharp and stylish… Naturally, any train needs a dependable crew, and Holober surely has one here. Drummer John Riley stokes the furnace while everyone else takes care of business, assuring a relatively smooth and trouble-free excursion. …The ensemble is keen and able, Holober an attentive conductor who makes sure the train is securely on track." [read the review]
— Cadence, April 2005

"Pianist Mike Holober establishes a strong identity as a jazz composer of substance with Thought Trains by creating personal musical terrains that are mostly "through-composed," thus placing the works in a distrinct realm in which his soloists sublimate their improvisational ideas to his vision. …Holober has merely found a way of expressing another creative sound world. He has done a grand job of blending his writing with the timbres of the individual players, taking pages along the way from the books of both Duke Ellington and George Russell." [read the review]
— DownBeat, February 2005

"Holober's imaginative writing loads up fresh, unexpected palettes on this CD. …a keen harmonic sense and a sharpened skill… giving unfailing rewards with unremitting satisfaction. His versatility and resourcefulness come across in the diverse contexts from the opener onward through the program of eight pieces." [read the review]
— Jazz Education Journal, Volume 37 #4

"Mike Holober's Thought Trains… presents the kind of challenge that an imaginative arranger used to display his chops — and does he ever… The combination of Carter and Holober, sharing solo honors, provides one of the album's highlights… masterful… orchestral clusters worthy of Gil Evans… It's all part of the Holober concept of intelligent swing that can be found on all tracks… The changes are unconventional but very beautiful." [read the review]
— JazzTimes, December 2004

"…documents a powerhouse big band with stellar solosists… Holober's charts are packed with incident, their contrapuntal ways reminscient of Bill Holman… They're also beautifully executed by a band moulded into a precise swinging unit by Holober." [read the review]
— The Irish Times, November 2004

"Including some of the finest session musicians available in New York City (who make up the Gotham Jazz Orchestra), the big band devours his enticing charts whole… Although it took nearly eight years for this to be released, it was well worth the wait." [read the review]
— All Music Guide, November 2004

"I'm not really sure what 'cutting edge' means, but I think this may be it. Holober's New York cast of high wire musicians takes on a program of original material with sometimes rather 'out' results, but always with super-charged musicianship."
— Jazz Scene, November 2004

“The strength of Holober's charts is evident in the level of musicianship…. Carter's solo feature on “Waltz Medium” is filled with the deep groove and unexpected turns that have defined his career. …Holober's lively charts, which manage to incorporate unique twists and turns without losing their innate sense of swing, are demanding of the players while remaining completely approachable by listeners.… And as a companion piece to Canyon, it demonstrates just how broad Holober's musical reach truly is." [read the review]
— AllAboutJazz.com, October 2004

"Holober put together a group of first call players… inpired solos in front of the unwaveringly concise rhythm laid down by Carter, Riley and Holober. Brilliantly arranged…." [read the review]
— AllAboutJazz.com, October 2004

"Mike Holober is a versatile composer and Thought Trains showcases his remarkable talents in many different ways. This collection of original work will stimulate the jazz audience with its innovative stylings. The music is crisp, enjoyable, and understandable.… Excellent big band collection. Original!" [read the review]
— JazzReview.com, October 2004

"This is a bright, pulsating big band with engaging soloists and imaginative arrangements. Definitely a worthy addition to the big band section of anyone's record shelf." [read the review]
— Schenectedy Daily Gazette, October 2004

"…an exciting surprise… unexpectedly and surprisingly accessible… a must for those who enjoy music that rewards and stimulates the imagination.." [read the review]
— Mainly Big Bands, July 2004