Tortoise, The

Modern big band (well, 10 members) with with movie-soundtrack orchestration, particularly in the solo moments for instruments like the french horn and oboe. I'm guessing the "soundtrack" feel is the entire point, given the look of the CD packaging -- the band is listed down on the bottom, horizontally, like the credits on a movie poster. Think of those moments in '50s/'60s movies when some grand landscape or gorgeous outdoor springtime scene unfolds.

The music doesn't just float there; it's got definite beats and melodies, and some jazzy soloing comes in. Neither is it completely retro, as in the use of quiet electric guitar (not a jazz guitar either). Some satiny tracks like 11 get into the territory of melodic (boring) classical, but there's still plenty of solid, contemporary jazz to be discovered here -- try 1,2,4,7,9,10,12.

Ambitious, 10-piece ensemble:
Rob Mosher (soprano sax, oboe, english horn)
Sam Sadigursky (alto sax, flute, clarinet)
Peter Hess (tenor sax, clarinet)
Brian Landrus (baritone sax, bass clarinet)
Micah Killion (trumpet, flugelhorn)
Rachel Drehmann (french horn)
Michael Fahie (trombone)
Nir Felder (guitar)
Garth Stevenson (bass)
Ziv Havitz (drums)

1- Calm pulsing, a touch of Magnificent Seven. Nice shuffling beat.
2- Upbeat, nearly bossa nova.
3- Very slow, processional. Calm acoustic guitar later.
4- Strong, nicely intense. Cool sax solo
5- Colorful faux-Xmas miniature w/old timey jazz horns. Playful.
6- Mid/fast; slowly opens like a flower. Prominent guitar winding its way through the floating backdrop.
7- Gets into a tough-digging, bluesy place. (Then the oboe kinda dilutes it.)
8- Jaunty, goofy, a touch of klezmer - but only 1 minute long.
9- An upbeat march, gets into a nice slower segment. Deep, strong middle segment with trombone solo; regal.
10- Floaty midtempo 7/8. An upbeat and laid-back feel; nice cheery backing for the oboe solo. Kinda breaks down near the end.
11- Softly dramatic, quilted.
12- Snappy, fast. Appropriate title: "1920s Car Chase."
13- Slow and grand.