Monstrosity![1] is the final LP Vinyl album release by the California State University, Los Angeles Jazz Ensemble before recording on digital/CD format in 1990. In addition to the big band, the LP featured the CSULA Jazz Quintet[2] which won the Pacific Coast Collegiate Jazz Festival Combo division for 1988.[3]Los Angeles Times jazz critic Zan Stewart gave the recording four of five stars in his May 1989 review.[4] The jazz band had numerous student musicians that have made a name for themselves as professionals including Sharon Hirata,[5]Luis Bonilla, Jack Cooper, Charlie Richard, Corey Gemme, Eric "Bobo" Correa, Vince Dublino, Alan Parr, Paul De Castro, Alex Henderson, Gary Smith and José Arellano.
Background
In 1984 and 1985, the California State University, Los Angeles Music Department, and CSULA Associated Students decided to fund LP recordings of the jazz ensemble to better serve as a teaching tool for student music jazz groups. Monstrosity is the fourth of six albums to come from CSULA during the 1980s featuring the award-winning CSULA #1 Jazz Ensemble.[6] The LP contains tracks from the #1 CSULA Jazz Ensemble to include compositions of four students and from the director (professor David Caffey).
The qualities of the LP that set it apart from numerous university jazz records of that era is the fact it was entirely written, composed, and copied (music also professionally copied by student Sharon Hirata)[7] by the students and faculty of CSULA at a higher level than was usual of students at that time; also this being the fourth LP in a row CSULA had done this.[8] There has been a consistent tradition of musicians coming from the CSULA program who have worked with major musical acts, on major studio and movie projects, and hold positions in higher education in music. The roster on this album is self-evident as to the diversity and level of student musicians CSULA developed at that time and has for many years dating far back to musicians (graduates) such as Lennie Niehaus and Gabe Baltazar.
"(Monstrosity!) finds the first-rate Cal State Los Angeles Jazz Ensemble tearing through a handful of vital originals--Jose Arellano's title track and director David Caffey's "Samba de Linda" among them and a couple of Woody Shaw cookers. Solid solos from the likes of saxophonists Sharon Hirata and Randall Willis and trombonists Luis Bonilla and Gary Smith abound..."
^1982 Playboy Jazz Festival winner (Playboy Jazz Festival Volume I, OCLC16737109), 1986 finals of the Pacific Coast Collegiate Jazz Festival, 1988 combo winner of the Pacific Coast Collegiate Jazz Festival, special invited performances at the 1987 MENC Convention in Seattle and the 1989 IAJE Convention in San Diego
^Note: Sharon Hirata was paying for school tuition from income as a freelance music copyist and working on T.V. shows such as The Dukes of Hazzard and other CBS productions before the time of computer generated music engraving.
^Monstrosity! liner notes, Cal State L.A. Jazz Ensemble LP. 1988.
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