Tempest Little Big Band
Featuring six horns--alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones; two trumpets; one trombone--plus piano, guitar, bass, and drums, Tempest has a powerful sound all its own. Count Basie, Duke Ellington…the big bands are well represented in Tempest's expansive repertoire. But what separates this Little Big Band from the hoards of faddish swing bands is an adherence to the fundamental heartbeat of jazz. We're talking improvisation here. Tempest jams! In addition to the sounds of the big bands, you'll find Tempest's set lists dedicated to the small-group sounds of Coltrane, Miles, and Blakey--all exquisitely arranged for Tempest.
The nine-piece Little Big Band known as Tempest was formed by James Rozzi who, prior to calling the first rehearsal, was known to Atlanta's jazz musicians more for the stroke of his pen than the sound of his horn. "I became acquainted with all the jazz musicians in town by writing about them for Creative Loafing" relays Rozzi, whose biweekly column, 'Round Midnight single-handedly covered the city's jazz scene for more than four years. Rozzi is now a freelance jazz critic for the Jazziz, DownBeat, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and other periodicals. "In April of 1998, Tempest had its first and only rehearsal, and the guys were all making jokes saying, 'Rozzi finally got his saxophones out of hock,' because they had never seen me play. Of course, I always had my saxophones, but had been through a year of hiatus--writing about jazz for numerous periodicals much more than playing it."
When the musicians gathered at Café 290 in suburban Sandy Springs, each and every chart they rehearsed was met with enthusiasm, then was quickly mastered by the musicians. "The musicians in Tempest …I'd put them up against any in the country," continues Rozzi. "They're superb both at interpreting written manuscript and improvising. It's always a great experience to be sitting amongst them, listening to them blaze through some difficult, uptempo ensemble passage, then turn around and play with absolute subtlety and finesse on a slow ballad. Musically, it's always happening."
Within several years' time, Tempest has garnered considerable accolades and received much positive praise for their CD, Atlanta Live. They've been described in Downbeat magazine as "Slamming!" Critic Steve Dollar of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution touted the sound of Tempest thusly: "This is the real stuff, rather heroically presented in a city that, for the most part, doesn't support traditional jazz." In addition to their regular gigs at Churchill Grounds, the band has performed in both the JVC and Atlanta Jazz Festival to rave reviews.
Featuring the finest jazz musicians in the Atlanta area, Tempest has been consistently, aggressively blowing up a storm.