Two weeks before its official release, BYU professor Steve Lindeman's new big-band album of original compositions, The Day After Yesterday, has already begun to garner critical praise.
Just this week, criticaljazz.com gave a five-star review for the album, performed by Lindeman with the talented BYU Synthesis, under the direction of Ray Smith.
The site called the album 'an impressive big band debut' and a 'stellar coming out party for Lindeman.'
'Steve Lindeman pushes the musical envelope of the traditional big band sound to places of three dimensional sonic depth rarely achieved from other large ensembles with a similar make up,' the review said.
The disc had its genesis in Lindeman’s participation, from 2008 through 2011, in the BMI Jazz Composers Workshop. Commuting to New York from his Salt Lake City home twice a month during that three-year span, Lindeman impressed Workshop Director Jim McNeely with his steely commitment–and the depth of his talent.
“With this recording makes a major statement. Now I can only ask: 'What’s next?' I’ll be listening!” said McNeely, himself a Grammy award-winning jazz pianist, composer, and arranger.
The review on criticaljazz.com concurred, calling Lindeman's album 'easily one of the better big band performances in some time.'
The review adds to the recent accolades for BYU Synthesis, which was recently named the “Top University Big Band in the Country” for 2013 by DownBeat Magazine, the premier US jazz periodical.
The Day After Yesterday will be released on June 11 and will be available from Jazz Hang Records and on iTunes, Amazon, and BYUMusicstore.com.