Ghost Train Orchestra l Press

"Carpenter leads a superb band of New York-based vanguardists, and while most of the solos ditch period authenticity and employ a vocabulary that contains ideas from the next 90 years of jazz history, his sharp arrangements retain the contrapuntal flash, sweet voicings and fiery rhythms of the original era." — Peter Margasak, Downbeat

Brian Carpenter is a multi-faceted artist, musician, composer, arranger, film director, radio producer and more. In short, he’s a guy who follows his muse. In this case, that muse is jazz of the 1920s and I’m mighty thankful he took this detour. Hothouse Stomp is a loving tip of the cap to some of the unsung greats of Harlem and Chicago’s South Side, bands and composers who helped set the stage for the Swing Era—McKinney’s Cotton Pickers, Charlie Johnson’s Paradise Orchestra, “Fess” Williams’ Royal Flush Orchestra and Hartzell “Tiny” Parham, to name a few. On Hothouse Stomp, Carpenter and his little big band don’t just recreate musical museum pieces; they breathe fire and life into this amazing music. Parham’s “Mojo Strut” bounces with abandon. Charlie Johnson’s “Hot Bones And Rice” eases along with a gutbucket groove and piercing solos by clarinetist Dennis Litchman, trombonist Curtis Hasselbring and Carpenter on trumpet. Fess Williams’ “Slide Mr. Jelly Slide” is an uptempo power romp. Throughout the record, fans will be reminded of how great the tuba, banjo and drums sound in the rhythm section, what a fine jazz instrument the violin can be and what a cool effect the musical saw can deliver. The band will be playing at New York’s Highline Ballroom on June 29. The only thing better than hearing this recording would be seeing the band live.              —Frank Alkyer, Downbeat Editor’s Pick, April 2011

“Trumpeter Brian Carpenter of Arlington is known as the founder of avant-jazz group Beat Circus, though he’s also a singer, actor, radio producer, and filmmaker. His latest project, Ghost Train Orchestra, grew out of his stint as music director for Voltaic Vaudeville, the Regent Theatre’s 90th birthday celebration. “Hothouse Stomp,’’ the resultant album, is a trip through 1920s Chicago and Harlem. Carpenter selected, transcribed, arranged, and conducted tunes made semi-famous by bands that have faded into semi-obscurity — Charlie Johnson’s Paradise Orchestra, Tiny Parham and His Musicians, and others. Ghost Train Orchestra infuses a postmodern sensibility into the oompah construct of “Stop Kidding’’ and gets slow and sensual on “Hot Tempered Blues.’’ When clarinet, tuba, banjo, violin, viola, trumpet, trombone, saxophones, and drums get all drowsy on “Gee Baby, Ain’t I Good to You?’’ then play like demented Muppets on “Lucky 3-6-9,’’ one must stop and remind oneself: This crazy-beautiful living-history lesson sprang from Brian Carpenter’s mind. Wow. “                                           — Steve Greenlee, BOSTON GLOBE / boston.com

Listen to a Brian Carpenter interview and tracks from the album on NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross

Brian Carpenter Ghost Train Orchestra in the Boston Globe

Ghost Train Orchestra reviewed by the Pheonix