"Bandleader-vocalist Nancie Banks, a multi-faceted musician who also composes and arranges, has led her own 17-player big band since 1989. Banks...was born in Morgantown, West Virginia...and grew up in Pittsburgh. At an early age, Banks learned piano from her mother, a classically trained church pianist, and drew inspiration as a singer from her father, a vocalist with a wide range.

Banks came to New York as a teenager and eventually studied with Barry Harris, Alberto Socarras (pioneer in Afro-Duban jazz) and Edward Boatner (whose spiritual arrangements influenced Banks' orchestral voicings). She attended New York City's Jazzmobile Workshops for 15 years, experience that reinforced her writing and arranging skills.

As a singer, Banks performed with Jon Hendricks' Vocalstra, the female vocal group Joyspring, the Lionel Hampton Orchestra, Dexter Gordon with Strings and Voices, the Barry Harris Jazz Ensemble, Walter Bishop Jr., and others. Banks, also a music copyist, worked for Buck Clayton and George Benson, and for major motion pictures, including Spike Lee's Mo Better Blues. Banks continues to perform regionally as a singer, with her own quintet, and with her orchestra at festivals, clubs, concerts, and private parties. She is married to trombonist Clarence Banks, who has guested on her albums and performs with the band when he's not touring with the Count Basie Orchestra. ...Nancie Banks goes about her work largely unheralded. She certainly deserves wider recognition.

The debut recording by the Nancie Banks Orchestra, Waves of Peace, offers...11 straight ahead and Afro-Cuban jazz tunes, as well as fresh arrangements of featured tunes by composers Billy Strayhorn ("Chelsea Bridge"), Walter Bishop Jr. ("Coral Keys"), Charlie Parker ("Little Lou"), Dizzy Gillespie ("Tin Tin Deo") and others, including two Banks originals. Highlights focus on Banks' superb composing-arranging skills and some fine solos from baritone saxophonist Charles Davis, tenor saxman Patience Higgins, alto saxist Bobby Porcelli, pianist Lynne Arriale, and others. The versitile rhythm section keeps the uncluttered music flowing smoothly forward, especially on the Afro-Cuban numbers "Coral Keys" and "Tin Tin Deo" and the thickly arranged, briskly paced Bud Powell tune, "Tempus Fugit". Arrangements are nicely balanced and tightly blended, yielding to the talents of the soloists, and allow each section to shine.

Banks is not overbearing in her arrangements--she makes all the instrumental voices fit. And as a singer, she doesn't try to hog the limelight; her brief sweet-voiced singing graces only a couple of tunes.

The second Nancie Banks Orchestra recording, Bert's Blues is a flawless outing. The sound quality is greatly improved (engineered by Rudy Van Gelder)...Bossier, bluesier, and brassier, Bert's Blues is propelled throughout by great charts from Banks and others, and by excellent section work and solos. The satisfying mix of tunes includes a beefy version of "Night and Day", a lush version of "You Go to My Head" (featuring Banks' sensuous vocals and a mellow trumpet solo from Frank Gordon), a light-swinging treatment of Charlie Parker's "Quasimodo"...Banks' original "Bert's Blues" (which resonates with orchestral colors), and more great music. Grice and Fleming return, with Joe Knight, Edwin Swanson, and Oliver Von Essen sharing piano duties...Nancie's husband, Clarence Banks (trombone), and Charles Davis (tenor saxophone) are again brilliantly featured. There's not a dull moment among the 10 tunes, and though featured on only five tunes, Banks' honeyed singing is simply sumptuous." --Music Hound Jazz Essential Album Guide copyright 1998

"Nancie Banks is a woman who does it all--composes, arranges, produces, sings, organizes and leads her own 17-piece big band. And she remembers Dizzy, Walter Fuller, Chano Pozo, Bud Powell, Billy Strayhorn, Woody Shaw, Walter Bishop, Jr., Tommy Turrentine, Sadik Hakim, Fred Coots, Jon Hendricks, Cole Porter.

But the band is the thing. And this band is in touch with the music. They are about creating the sound, honing the harmonies, finding the beauty, answering the challenges of the music...The power that seemed held in check on 902 is let loose on 904. It can be a bebop big band (as it is on Bud's "Tempus Fugit", Diz' "Tin Tin Deo" and "Little Lou") or a blues big band (as it is on "Bert's Blues" and "Fas' Livin' Blues"). A serious big band (as on "Danglin' Digits" with its four different time signatures and "Shamba"...). A show-off big band (as it is on "Those Who Chant" and "Moontrane". A Spanish-tinged big band (as on "Do You Want to Dance?").

...On 902, Eddie Allen will require your attention on "Movin' Right Along" (a Nancie Banks original which is much too good to be so short). Allen has not yet finished exploring the trumpet's possibilities--he screams and snakes. On 904, Kenny Rampton looks deep into his trumpet--finds what he wants and offers it to us on "Those Who Chant" and again, as Reverend Rampton, on "Fas' Livin' Blues." Lead trumpeter Tonny Barrero scratches new surfaces on "Long As You're Living" (he also does on 902 on "Little Lou").

Alto saxophonist Alexander McCabe ignites and blazes each time out. First, on "Coral Keys" and "Waves of Peace," then on "Those Who Chant" and "Long As You're Living." On "Fas' Livin' Blues" he delivers a down home street-corner alto sermon. He sermonizes again on "Quasimodo/Quasimoto," this time from the pulpit (it will make you sit up and take notice). Tenor player Patience Higgins has a special message for Cole Porter on "Night and Day". He and Mitch Frohman share "Chelsea Bridge" which is a rare and wonderful idea.

On the powerful "Bert's Blues," trombonist John Gordon and trumpeter Frank Gordon play some smart, hip, cool blues--guest soloist Charles Davis, on tenor, plays a rawer breand of blues--pianist Joe Knight plays a nice mixture of both. "Shamba," a slow, serious, wondrous chart, finds James Zollar and Aaron Johnson growling with Ellington trickery. Aaron has a huge trombone sound and he solos with open horn and plunger. Oliver Von Essen captures the mood perfectly.

The singer: right off on 902 she confidently introduces herself by singing "Sing 1239A." The lady has a stone jazz voice--not one of those bullsh*t voices that the big record companies tout as another Sarah, another Billie, another Bessie, another Ella. Nancie opens her mouth to sing and she's saying, "I'm not gonna bowl you over with range and technique or tricks. I don't want to, I don't have to. I offer you jazz singing, that's all." A jazz voice, with a jazz sound and a jazz feel. She sings two on 902, "Sing 1239A" (her lyrics and arrangement) and "Waves of Peace"...which she wrote and arranged. "Waves" is done with a quartet.

She sings five of the ten tunes on 904. "Long As You're Living" was composed by Tommy Turrentine and Julian Priester and has a lyric by Oscar Brown, Jr. "Night and Day" is sung at a nice medium tempo with a flue obligato played by Enrique Fernandez. "You Go To My Head" opens with a delicious Chris Connor low note. Frank Foster arranged Jon Hendricks' "Fas Livin' Blues" which is a slow blues. "Quasimodo" is the Charlie Parker tune made into a literary love song dealing with the depth of beauty. Lyrics by Lionelle Hamanaka, Vic Hugo and Esme Ralda.

Of the eleven tunes on 902, Nancie arranged six, including two of her own compositions. On 904, she arranged five selections including her own "Bert's Blues."

Percussionist Ismael Bruno is indispensable to 902. His rhythms keep every tune bubbling. He is not on 904 and Brian Grice gets to show us what an outstanding drummer he is. Michael Max Fleming solos expertly and is a strong rhythm player in concert with the various pianists and Grice.

Guest soloists add to both CDs. Mrs. Banks' husband, Clarence, wails on "Chasing the Hound," which he wrote, shouts on "Tin Tin Deo" and becomes Deacon Banks on "Fas' Livin' Blues." Charles Davis is a power on "Sing 1239A" (which he composed) and on "Bert's Blues," playing baritone and tenor, respectively.
--International Association of Jazz Record Collectors Journal
  copyright 1996

Biography

Recordings:
Bert's Blues
Waves Of Peace
Ear Candy

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