HR Bigband Featuring Mike Clark - A Funky Tribute to Headhunters (2009) (mp3, 160kbps)

Under the category of old guys who still got it, this is Mike Clark, who, at 68 years young, is still burning it up behind the kit. Not that 68 is really that old, but I just hope I'm a fraction that funk when I'm his age.

This is a loving tribute to one of the most popular Jazz albums of all time, although the set consists of more than just music from Headhunters. The recording is positively glossy and right off the radio. It's actually almost too glossy, but listen hard. The band is banging through their charts and Clark is positively dynamite on drums. The music sounds fresh in this big band context, just as it worked well for Zawinul on the Brown Street recording.

I don't know the names of any other musicians, but the guitar and keyboards and horns are prominently featured, as they should be with this set of music. Just because people play in a bigband doesn't mean they can improvise with passion and sincerity.

1. Loft Funk
2. People Music
3. Spider
4. Sun Touch
5. Actual Proof
6. overdub
7. Swamp Thing > Chameleon
8. Butterfly
9. Sly
10. Hang Up Your Hangups

This is about two hours of music. The link is in the comments.