Ken Schaphorst Big Band - Purple (1998)

Woodwinds: Doug Yates, Jay Brandford, Donny McCaslin, Seamus Blake, Andy Laster
Trumpets: Dave Ballou, John Carlson, Andy Gravish, Cuong Vu
Trombones: Josh Roseman, Curtis Hasselbring, Dave Taylor, Chris Creswell
Rhythm: Uri Caine (piano), John Bedeski (electric keyboards), Brad Shepik (guitar), Drew Gress (bass), Jamey Haddad (drums), Dane Richeson (drums)

1. Uprising
2. With You, Then Without
3. Blue Almighty
4. Jobim
5. Subterranean
6. Purple
7. Bats
8. My Island
9. Bounce

From Jazziz:
Purple is experimental in the best sense of the word, as conductor/leader Schaphorst uses unusual shadings and combinations of instruments not to prove his adventurousness, but as another color on his palette. His vision is epic in scope - many of the tunes move through several ambitious sections rather than settling into a verse-chorus-verse format, and the sounds Schaphorst wrings from the band are wonderfully varied.
For example, "Uprising" starts by building waves of sound, then gives way to Donny McCaslin's eloquent tenor solo. McCaslin soon rides an intricate Latin groove courtesy of the band's two drummers, Dane Richeson and Jamey Haddad. The piece ends 12 minutes later pretty much as it began.
Schaphorst continually confounds expectations. On "Blues Almighty," the band settles into a deep, Count Basie-like shuffle only to be broken up first by John Medeski's wailing, unaccompanied organ solo and then by Brad Shepik's screeching distorted guitar. On "Subterranean," Dave Taylor's contemplative bass-trombone solo gives way to rich and bombastic horns.
The impressive playing (tenor saxophonist Seamus Blake and pianist Uri Caine are also standouts) and the ambitious composing and arranging are good signs for Naxos' new jazz imprint and are evidence that big-band jazz is alive and kicking.