“MOON” includes 13 popular songs, by the GrandVista Jazz Orchestra, revisited in a smooth jazz feel. Producer Bob Mater has laced each of these songs with a jazzy touch while maintaining the organic essence of each tune. This collection offers these instantly recognizable favorites with a refreshing take, and presents them as cool, new classics. Perfect for an intimate dinner party.

Each jazzy rendition of these popular songs is performed by the GrandVista Jazz Orchestra whose members represent the uniquely diverse and accomplished talent pool found only in Nashville, Tennessee. All of these musicians, arrangers, producers and engineers, many recognizable in their own right, have also been responsible for great recordings and performances by some of the best known artists of our time.

1. Moon Dance 4:35
   
   Van Morrison brought this jazzy rhythm and blues anthem to our attention in 1977. It's one of those songs that everyone knows, and amazingly enough peaked on the charts at #92. The great horn arrangement is by our friend and collaborator, Chris McDonald.
   
   
   
2. No Moon at All 3:22
   
   Featuring George Tidwell on Trumpet, and another cool Chris McDonald horn arrangement, this swings from bar one.
   
   
   
3. Fly Me to the Moon 4:12
   
   We wanted to give this familiar standard something a little different. It starts out with a dreamy atmospheric groove and slowly melds into a medium bossa nova. Twin phenoms, Barry Green and Mark Douthit play the duet on trombone and sax, and Pat Coil and Craig Nelson solo on piano and bass.
   
   
   
4. Blue Moon 3:58
   
   The well worn Rogers and Hart classic. If you're going to play this one, you better mean it. Check out Benita Hill's exquisite interpretation, and Kevin Madill's haunting and uber cool synth solo.
   
   
   
5. Once in a Very Blue Moon 3:56
   
   Pat Alger and Gene Levine penned this beautiful song. I originally thought of it as an instrumental, but then I happen to be married to one of my favorite singers, the lovely and talented Kathy Hussey, and this is what happened. Better, I think.
   
   
   
6. Old Devil Moon 4:58
   
   Steve Kummer swings! That's all you really need to know.
   
   
   
7. Moon River 5:12
   
   Quintessentially melancholy, if Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini had stopped with this amazing offering, they might still have been as well respected as they are for their incredible body of work. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1961 for "Breakfast at Tiffany's".
   
   
   
8. Moon Blue 5:27
   
   One of my desert island discs for the last couple of years has been Stevie Wonder's first release in ten years, "A Time 2 Love." Writing and singing as well as he ever has, I picked this groove tune and brought in Jim Hoke to play the chromatic harmonica. Awesome.
   
   
   
9. How High the Moon 6:22
   
   How high indeed? My idea was to have our resident trumpet master, George Tidwell, pay homage to the wonderful Ella Fitzgerald on this American classic. Strings by CM.
   
   
   
10. Blue Moon of Kentucky 3:39
    
    You may have figured out by now that I love rearranging songs from the endless pool of Nashville standards. This is Bill Monroe's venerable bluegrass waltz. Here, it is neither bluegrass, nor waltz. We turned it into a gentle groove tune that I think is lovely and captures the original intent, if not the original feel.
    
    
    
11. Midnight, Moonlight, You 4:50
    
    I wouldn't have known about this one if I hadn't been backing up Connye Florance for years. It's so well written (by CeCe DuBois and Berni Nash) , I assumed it had been a hit, but in fact is a hidden gem. Of course, we asked Connye to sing on this new version. Love it.
    
    
    
12. Tangerine Moon 3:11
    
    Another original, this one written - and sung - by Benita Hill, who has a couple of Garth Brooks hits to her credit. This is a hard swinging composition from her collection, with a kicking horn arrangement by Kevin Madill.
    
    
    
13. Moonlight in Vermont 4:45
    
    Kevin Madill's beautiful strings grace this stalwart from the American Songbook. Steve Kummer and George Tidwell take turns as soloists on piano and trumpet. A nice way to call it a day.