UKC

My Dad was a big fan in the post war years.  I've just been delving through some of the inherited vinyls and.....wow!  This was such a leap forward from the big band / swing era.  He took big band jazz into territory inhabited by classical and avant-garde composers.  Just saying like

Lots on you tube btw... for instance

youtube.com/watch?v=Q5L0TS3V91Y&

My Dad used to say that.

i think Big Band music can too easily be defined by its heyday, but For further strps forward, try George Russell, Carla Bley, Sun Ra's Solar Arkestra, Andy Sheppard, Loose Tubes.

that'll keep you out of trouble for a weekend!

Please add to that Woody Herman; his "Light My Fire" LP was one of my first and a genuine attempt to reach out to a pop based audience.