Derek Brown And The Holland Concert Jazz Orchestra: “All Figured Out” (2020) CD Review

Derek Brown is a respected saxophonist and composer based in Michigan. He is known for his innovative solo performances, and has released two albums, Beatbox Sax and FiftyFifty, featuring his own distinct style and approach to the instrument. Now he has turned to a big band setting, and is releasing his first album with The Holland Concert Jazz Orchestra, under the direction of Jordan VanHemert. Titled All Figured Out, this album features original material written and arranged by Derek Brown. And though the setting may be different, with more talented musicians and a fuller sound, his energy, creativity and individuality are not in the least bit diluted.

The disc opens with “Prelude,” a short piece that combines jazz and orchestral elements, giving it an unusual and engaging sound. This track, which is just under a minute long, features members of the Hope College Orchestra. That’s followed by “Human Error,” a piece Derek Brown previously included on his first album. The version here, as you might imagine, is quite a bit different. Right from the start, Derek’s saxophone is like an interesting character drawing us in to tell us a story. And then after a while we find ourselves completely immersed in the tale. The track has a good groove, and there are some pop elements, reminding at moments of Billy Joel’s work. And his saxophone work is so expressive and completely engaging. Then a little more than halfway through there is a lead on electric guitar, and things get even more interesting and wild from there, featuring some excellent work on drums. This is one of my favorite tracks. It is followed by “Again,” which has a bright pop sound, and a sense of forward movement in most sections, driven by the steady beat. This track of course also features some great work on saxophone.

“A Simple Gesture” is interesting, in that the musicians seem to be encouraging each other’s work, with cheers and applause early on and at other points throughout the track, giving the track a somewhat loose and improvised and cheerful and celebratory vibe from the start. Of course, there could be other folks besides the musicians in the studio reacting. Bright tones of the horns ought to help raise your spirits, something we all are in constant need of these days. By the way, it’s particularly fun to listen to this one on headphones from the 2:32 to 2:48 mark. The piece does take a turn into slightly darker territory at one point in the second half, but then builds from that to a powerful section that is bursting with energy. From there, it suddenly breaks back into that main section. At the end there is applause, making it seem like a live track, though as far as I know it was recorded in the Hope College Recording Studio. The music on this album seems to be telling stories, creating landscapes and plots. Just close your eyes and see where a track like “Vantage Point” takes you, what images it conjures for you. For me, there is a rather joyous urban setting, with those hand claps, and that work on saxophone, and that work on organ, and a certain excitement to the action. This is another of my personal favorites.

“All Figured Out,” the album’s title track, has a pleasant, cheerful vibe at the start, which certainly seems fitting for its title. Wouldn’t it be great to feel that we’ve got it all figured out? I imagine it would feel like the sound of this track. But of course this tune is about how no one really has it all figured out. We are all just bouncing around out there, trying to learn what the hell is going on and trying to not get too hurt in the process. This track actually has lyrics, with Derek Brown providing the vocals. “They think they’ve got it all figured out/That’s the problem.” Indeed. This track features more good work on organ. And I love that moment a little more than three minutes in, where the track shifts into a different section, like a contained explosion. Wonderful! Later, the song’s main line changes to “We think we’ve got it all figured out,” and the bright, exuberant sounds lead us to believe that perhaps they do. But no, for the song ends with the line, “No one’s got it all figured out.” That’s followed by “The Pursuit,” which begins with some beautiful work on strings. Members of the Hope College Orchestra perform on this track. There is a positive vibe about this piece, a sense of optimism and excitement and even joy. Whatever the pursuit is, you get the feeling it will end successfully. There is a seriously cool section of just saxophones in the center of this track. From there, the energy seems to increase and we find ourselves on a great ride. This is yet another of the disc’s highlights.

“Hoping For The Best” bears a title that speaks to all of us during this time of the pandemic and social unrest as we head to a national election. Aren’t we all hoping for the best? This track, like “A Simple Gesture,” seems to be a live recording, as we can hear folks cheering at a few points. There is a certain amount of character and a whole lot of joy to this track. It features some fantastic stuff on saxophone. There is also a beautiful section in the second half, the horns having a soothing quality. The album wraps up with “The Good Fight.” This one eases in, and soon gathers a stronger force, yet still maintains something of a comforting sense about it. We can possibly afford ourselves a little optimism while listening to this track, that things may in fact be all right, that the good fight will be won by the right people, particularly when the drums take on that faster movement, nearly four minutes in, and it feels we are all marching, or heading, toward a better tomorrow. This track still holds some surprises, like that heavier section in the second half, and that cool, though brief, section of percussion with its joyful, loose vibe. There is also a lot of wild and impressive work by Derek Brown on saxophone. This track features both the Hope College Jazz Arts Collective and Brazilian Drumming Ensemble.

CD Track List

1. Prelude
2. Human Error
3. Again
4. A Simple Gesture
5. Vantage Point
6. All Figured Out
7. The Pursuit
8. Hoping For The Best
9. The Good Fight

All Figured Out is scheduled to be released on September 10, 2020.