The Flying Horse Big Band | Swingin’ With The Flying Horse Big Band Review

by Illiam Sebitz

There is something irresistible about a big band that knows how to swing. The brass hits land together, the saxophones move with a unified sense of phrasing, and the rhythm section creates the kind of momentum that feels effortless. Under the direction of Jeff Rupert, the Flying Horse Big Band brings those qualities together on Swingin’ With The Flying Horse Big Band, an eight-track recording celebrating the enduring vitality of orchestral jazz.

Released on Flying Horse Records, the album marks the ensemble’s tenth recording and continues a tradition established through its association with the University of Central Florida’s jazz studies program. Rupert, an accomplished saxophonist, composer, and educator, has developed an orchestra capable of engaging with jazz history while giving its musicians opportunities to establish individual voices. Four Rupert originals share the program with familiar repertoire, supported by arrangements from Harry Allen, Mark Taylor, Billy May, Bill Finegan, and Rupert.

What makes this recording engaging is the relationship between its arranging and execution. The ensemble’s precision never comes at the expense of rhythmic feel, and its soloists contribute to the character of each composition rather than simply occupying designated improvisational space. Throughout the performances, Rupert’s direction emphasizes a unified sound while allowing the arrangements to retain their stylistic identities.

The opening “Swingin’ and Singin’,” composed by Rupert and arranged by Harry Allen, swings with that identity. An uptempo swing pulse supports a commanding ensemble introduction built around variations of a four-note brass figure. Saxophone counterpoint adds momentum before sharply articulated staccato accents demonstrate the band’s rhythmic coordination. A sustained orchestral chord and collective falloff complete an introduction that announces the ensemble’s energy and confidence.

The main melody introduces a blues-oriented figure colored by the expressive tension of the sharp ninth. Brass and reeds engage in call-and-response, with compact melodic statements answered by full ensemble accents. As the walking bass and swinging drums establish the rhythmic foundation, the arrangement develops through changing voicings, moving inner lines, and contrasting sectional counterpoint colors.

Allen’s writing makes effective use of the composition’s AABA design. The blues-derived A sections incorporate an extended cadential passage, while the bridge shifts the harmonic emphasis toward the subdominant, creating a release from the recurring riff. Each return introduces additional orchestral detail without obscuring the melody’s accessible character.

Tenor saxophonists Paul Van Wormer and Fortunato Occhino bring a lively, blues-inflected hard-bop vocabulary to their improvisations. Their contributions preserve the composition’s rhythmic character while introducing individual phrasing and melodic development. The saxophone soli passages display expressive ornamentation and agile ensemble execution, while the trombone section contributes a unified, resonant sound. Broadly voiced brass figures and carefully controlled dynamics bring the arrangement toward an exuberant conclusion. Technical discipline and musical enjoyment reinforce one another throughout the performance.

“Comanche Crush,” another Rupert composition, introduces a contrasting rhythmic language through Mark Taylor’s arrangement. A catchy Latin-influenced figure establishes the foundation beneath a relatively economical two-chord harmonic framework. The melody moves through the minor tonality in sustained phrases, allowing the surrounding orchestration to provide much of the composition’s development.

Taylor builds interest through counterpoint, coordinated ensemble accents, and evolving horn backgrounds. Each return of the melody brings new instrumental relationships, yet the central musical idea remains easy to follow. This balance between melodic clarity and orchestral sophistication gives the performance its distinctive appeal.

Trumpeter Joshua Mercado responds to the rhythmic foundation with fluid improvisational lines that explore the upper extensions of the harmony. The background figures introduce guide-tone movement and additional rhythmic color, creating a productive relationship between soloist and ensemble. A montuno-like passage develops into a tightly synchronized miniature shout chorus, building intensity through rhythmic organization rather than volume alone. Alto saxophonist Daniel Bonnet follows with an expressive solo, bringing upper-register energy and fluid rhythmic phrasing to the performance. His improvisation extends the arrangement’s momentum while preserving its Latin-influenced character.

Where “Swingin’ and Singin’” celebrates the language of blues-based swing, “Comanche Crush” demonstrates how a well-written melody and relatively simple harmonic material can become the foundation for imaginative orchestral development.

The band’s command of historical style comes forward on “The Continental,” Con Conrad’s familiar composition presented in an arrangement by Bill Finegan. The ensemble adopts the flowing sectional interaction, relaxed articulation, and rhythmic buoyancy associated with classic big band jazz.

Brass and woodwinds exchange melodic material with an ease that recalls the orchestral traditions of Count Basie and Duke Ellington, while Finegan’s colorful writing maintains its own personality. Dynamic contrasts, precisely timed ensemble breaks, and crisp horn accents shape the arrangement without interrupting its natural swing.

Guitarist Jose Valenzuela’s steady quarter-note accompaniment evokes the rhythmic approach associated with Freddie Green, providing the propulsion that allows the ensemble’s phrasing to remain relaxed and swinging. The guitar reinforces the rhythmic foundation and contributes to the historical character of the performance.

The trumpet and trombone improvisations remain grounded in the melodic vocabulary of traditional swing, with relaxed phrasing and an unhurried relationship to the beat. Playful counterpoint and bright upper-register instrumental colors add character to the closing passages.

The performance hits because the musicians understand that historical style involves more than playing the correct notes. Phrasing, articulation, rhythmic placement, and the balance between instrumental sections all contribute to the music’s authenticity. Rather than approaching the arrangement as a historical artifact, the band gives it the buoyancy of a living performance.

A different side of the orchestra emerges on Rupert’s “Blue Lamp,” arranged by Harry Allen. Muted brass and woodwind colors introduce a lighter swing atmosphere, supported by the soft texture of brushed drums. The orchestration establishes an intimate character that contrasts effectively with the more forceful ensemble writing heard earlier.

As the composition develops, the transition from brushes to sticks accompanies an expansion into fuller orchestral voicings. Brass and reeds exchange contrapuntal figures, gradually increasing the music’s density while preserving the relaxed rhythmic foundation.

Alto saxophonist Daniel Bonnet delivers an agile, expressive solo that draws on bebop phrasing while incorporating more contemporary melodic colors. His lines move naturally through the harmonic progression, balancing technical fluency with a strong sense of melodic direction. Mercado follows with muted trumpet, maintaining the composition’s established instrumental palette while introducing expressive harmonic movement.

Pianist Sal Martinez contributes an elegant improvisation, while drummer Max Terechenok brings a melodic sensibility to his featured parts. His articulate snare work draws on the expressive vocabulary of classic big band drumming, shaping rhythmic phrases that maintain the arrangement’s energy and stylistic character. His solo becomes another extension of its musical language.

Throughout these improvisational passages, the ensemble backgrounds remain supportive without becoming static. Shifting voicings and rhythmic figures provide subtle development around the soloists, demonstrating Allen’s attention to the relationship between written material and improvisation.

“Blue Lamp” is particularly effective in revealing the band’s dynamic range. The performance does not depend on constant orchestral power. Its character develops through instrumental color, changes in texture, and the measured expansion of ensemble intensity.

The remainder of the program broadens the repertoire through Walter Donaldson’s “You’re Driving Me Crazy,” arranged by Billy May, “There’ll Be Some Changes Made,” arranged by Harry Allen, and Rupert’s “Orca-Stration,” arranged by Mark Taylor. The closing “Feels Like Rain,” John Hiatt’s composition arranged by Rupert, introduces vocalist and harmonica player Rob Paparozzi alongside guitarist Jose Valenzuela, extending the album’s stylistic reach into a more song-oriented setting.

Across the four performances examined in detail, the rhythm section and horn sections respond to the particular demands of each arrangement, grounding the ensemble’s collective identity. Walking bass and hard-swinging drums propel “Swingin’ and Singin’,” Latin-influenced rhythmic figures shape “Comanche Crush,” traditional quarter-note guitar supports “The Continental,” and the changing drum textures of “Blue Lamp” participate directly in its orchestral development.

That responsiveness is central to Rupert’s musical direction. The arrangements provide clear structures, but the musicians bring them to life through articulation, rhythmic placement, and interaction. Individual solos add personality, while the ensemble passages demonstrate the shared musical understanding necessary for a big band to sound cohesive.

Swingin’ With The Flying Horse Big Band celebrates a tradition that remains rewarding precisely because it allows so much room for musical individuality. Rupert and his musicians understand the stylistic character of the repertoire, from blues-inflected swing to Latin-influenced orchestration and classic big band writing. Their performances combine careful preparation with the spontaneity and rhythmic pleasure that make jazz compelling.

The result is an enjoyable and musically accomplished recording, full of memorable melodies, imaginative arrangements, and confident ensemble playing. The Flying Horse Big Band knows when to deliver a powerful orchestral statement, when to make room for an individual voice, and, most importantly, how to keep the music swingin’.

Artist: The Flying Horse Big Band

Album: Swingin’ With The Flying Horse Big Band

Label: Flying Horse Records

Buy and Stream Link

Release Date: October 9, 2026

About the author

Illiam Sebitz

Born and raised in a picturesque European village, my fondness for music began during my formative years, when the charismatic tones of the recorder first filled the halls of my primary school. This early fascination escalated into my lifelong pursuit of embracing the melodious charm of the flute; I have even spent time refining my skills at a music conservatoire. As a seasoned music connoisseur, I find myself captivated by the multifaceted world of music. I enjoy writing music reviews to better enable me to explore genres as diverse as world, rock, jazz, classical, folk, and film music, each offering a unique auditory journey that enriches my life and intellect.

In my spare moments, you'll likely find me meticulously crafting my latest woodworking project, sharpening my skills with flute etudes, or inventing tales of fantasy through the art of creative writing. My eclectic interests and expertise harmonize to create a symphony of passion and curiosity that resonates within every aspect of my life as a music enthusiast.