The Verve Jazz Ensemble thrives in classic swing, Latin, and bop. It’s not surprising that such great names as Benny Golson and Lee Morgan are among the songwriting credits of the VJE’s fantastic, beautiful-sounding fifth record, Connect the Dots. You won’t find the usual selections of these great composers on this album, but what you will find is what Josh Feldstein, the band’s drummer, calls “under-served songs” by these masters. This amazing music has been neglected because listeners are focusing only on a few favorite songs and ignoring other gems. Feldstein says, “As musicians we stand on the shoulders and the great jazz artists who have gone before us.” “We never lock ourselves into a single playing style. We love to incorporate a wide variety of sounds into our music, which makes each song unique. This is what makes all this so much fun as musicians and, hopefully, for our audiences.” www.vervejazz.com
