Mike Holober & Balancing Act - Don't Let Go (2022) [Official Digital Download 24/96]

It’s an appropriate name for a Holober-led band; in many ways, Holober’s management of his many musical inspirations is a balancing act. On one hand, much of what he’s best known for is his work with larger ensembles like the WDR Big Band, the HR Big Band, and the Gotham Jazz Orchestra, whose latest work with Holober at the helm, Hiding Out, earned a 2020 GRAMMY® nomination. On the other, there’s the magnetism of even greater self-actualization, of writing for and leading a smaller group.

“After focusing on big band work for so long,” Holober says, “Balancing Act exists to satisfy my needs to write for and lead a smaller group again and make a completely personal statement, where the fruits of the collective are matched with band leadership and personal artistic goals.”

But the balancing isn’t just finding the sweet spot between large groups and small; it’s also about striking the balance between Holober’s classical and jazz impulses. Don’t Let Go is a 14-part song-cycle divided into two sets — one for each of the album’s two discs — recorded in October 2019 at Aaron Davis Hall on the campus of the City College of New York, where Holober has taught since 1995. The work is intended to be heard in the order presented, much like the song-cycles of classical influences like Robert Schumann, Samuel Barber, and Ralph Vaughan Williams.

TRACKLIST

01. Mike Holober & Balancing Act - Breathe Deep
02. Mike Holober & Balancing Act - Morning Hope
03. Mike Holober & Balancing Act - Four-Letter Words
04. Mike Holober & Balancing Act - Kiss The Ground
05. Mike Holober & Balancing Act - Burnin’ Daylight
06. Mike Holober & Balancing Act - A Summer Midnight's Dream
07. Mike Holober & Balancing Act - Necessary
08. Mike Holober & Balancing Act - I Wonder
09. Mike Holober & Balancing Act - You’re a Long Way From Home
10. Mike Holober & Balancing Act - You Never Know
11. Mike Holober & Balancing Act - Smile Slow
12. Mike Holober & Balancing Act - Letting Go
13. Mike Holober & Balancing Act - Touch The Sky
14. Mike Holober & Balancing Act - Don’t Let Go



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