The Ed Palermo Big Band - Prog vs. Fusion: A War of the Ages (2025)

Ed Palermo is not a "business as usual" musician. After all, when most people think of "big bands," they think "Oh No! Not Jazz!!" But go to see Ed Palermo's Big Band, and you might hear Frank Zappa, Todd Rundgren, The Police, Pat Metheny, or one of Ed's own compositions, loaded with lush turns and unexpected twists. Gil Evans wonderfully articulated Palermo's unusual approach to traditional instrumentation: "I first heard Ed Palermo's music in a small club in the SoHo section of Manhattan. He was using the instrumentation of a traditional big band, yet his arrangements and songs were anything but that. When I thought the music was going in a certain direction, it would suddenly turn a corner. Ed has the ability to keep that important balance between cohesiveness and unpredictability. Ed Palermo's music is alive and represents now."

Before forming his band, Ed toured and recorded with many different artists, including Aretha Franklin, Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri, Celia Cruz, Lena Horne, Tony Bennett, Mel Torme, Lou Rawls, Melba Moore, Debbie Gibson, The Spinners, and countless others. He has written and arranged for the Tonight Show, Maurice Hines and Eddy Fischer. He also arranged the music for a James Brown concert at the Hollywood Bowl.

Ed's interpretations of the music of Frank Zappa, Paul Butterfield, Todd Rundgren, The Beatles, Jeff Beck, Procol Harum, Jethro Tull and others have consistently brought him and his band critical acclaim and rave reviews. The Ed Palermo Big Band's latest CD, “Prog vs Fusion: A War of the Ages,” highlights some of Ed's favorite progressive rock and jazz fusion compositions.

Internationally, the Ed Palermo Big Band returned to Germany in 2019 to headline the 30th Annual Zappanale Festival in Bad Doberan. This was their 4th trip to Europe.

Locally, the band performs bimonthly at The Iridium in NYC and The Falcon in Marlboro, NY.


Dedication and Thanks
This CD is dedicated to Wayne Warnecke. Wayne has engineered almost all of our Zappa CDs and more. He is one of the true greats behind the board. I was blessed to have met my producer, Bruce McDaniel but I had no idea that blessing would have a bonus blessing in Bruce’s childhood friend, Wayne. Working with Wayne is a total trip. He always makes me feel at home with his proficiency and humor. Wayne is going through a rough patch right now with ALS but it hasn’t slowed down his rapier wit. Wayne, I speak for everybody in my band when I say, I love you.

This CD is also dedicated to Tony Falco. Tony was the owner of the greatest music establishment I ever played, The Falcon. When my band started playing there, it awakened an epiphany that I feel to this day. The vibrancy of the club and the wonderful audience made me realize that I could do anything I wanted, including staging an absurd musical play every time we performed. Tony was the biggest supporter of the Ed Palermo Big Band I ever met. When I wanted to do a cowboy show where my character, the Marlboro Man gets executed at the end, Tony and his son Lee built me an electric chair. I never asked him to do it. He just did it.

Rest in peace, my friend. I will never forget you.

I’d like to thank Gary Walker, John Newcott and the entire WBGO staff; Bill O’Connell at WDCB in Chicago; Steve Feigenbaum and Cuneiform Records, Joyce and Javier at The Music Outpost; Susan, Molly, Sally, Cleo Lyons Palermo (my granddaughter), Map (Ben) Lyons Palermo (my grandson), Nancy (always in my heart), Nick, Dave, Bowl, Kathy, Conrad, Dustin, John, Judy, Ryan, Kevin (The Palermo Posse); Sky Cat Records and Bruce McDaniel for everything you do for me and this band; my band, simply the greatest musicians in the world; Lee Falco and the entire Falcon crew; Olivia Winter and everybody at Iridium; Andre Cholmendeley, Frank Malfitano, Al Wolkoff, Tom Rætz, Hugh Brennan, Matthew Brennan, Melissa Walker, Christian McBride, Yukiko Konishi, Bert and Carina Saraco, Jazz House Kids, Hoff/Barthelson Music School, Ray and Carol Arrucci, Bryan Connelly, Kevin Cavanaugh, Brock Purdy, Jeff Madoff, and the bartenders at The Falcon and Iridium.

I couldn’t figure out the notes to half the songs, so prior to arranging them, I called upon two trusted masters of the ear. It’s the fine art of transcription. Bruce McDaniel did most of them and Pierre Piscitelli transcribed the notes to “Mystic Knights Of The Sea”.

Endorsements
Ray Marchica uses Zildjian cymbals, Pearl Drums, Remo Drumheads, and Vic Firth drumsticks exclusively. Paul Adamy uses DR Strings and Wayne Jones Bass Amps exclusively. Ronnie Buttacavoli plays a Cannonball "Stone Series” 725 black nickel-plated trumpet and a custom mouthpiece by Greg Black Mouthpieces exclusively. Barbara Cifelli uses D'Addario reed products exclusively. Cliff Lyons endorses AMT microphones exclusively. Ed Palermo desperately needs an endorsement deal because if Ray, Paul, Ronnie, Barbara and Cliff have them……C’MON!
credits
released April 18, 2025

THE ED PALERMO BIG BAND
ED PALERMO – arranger, bandleader
CLIFF LYONS - alto sax
PHIL CHESTER - alto sax, soprano sax
BILL STRAUB - tenor sax
BEN KONO - tenor sax
BARBARA CIFELLI - baritone sax
RONNIE BUTTACAVOLI - lead trumpet
JOHN BAILEY - trumpet
AUGIE HAAS - trumpet
BOBBY SPELLMAN - trumpet
CHARLEY GORDON - lead trombone
MIKE BOSCHEN - trombone
MATT INGMAN - bass trombone, tuba
BRUCE McDANIEL - arranger, vocals, guitar
KATIE JACOBY – violin
BOB QUARANTA - piano
TED KOOSHIAN - keyboard
PAUL ADAMY - bass
RAY MARCHICA – drums
and special guest
MIKE KENEALLY - guitar, backing vocals

Soloists
RESOLUTION Bruce McDaniel, vocals
LONG DISTANCE RUNAROUND Ben Kono, tenor sax
SNAKE OIL Katie Jacoby, violin
THERE’S NO MYSTERY ABOUT MY G-SPOT Phil Chester, soprano sax
MYSTIC KNIGHTS OF THE SEA Ben Kono, tenor sax
ON THE MILKY WAY EXPRESS Bill Straub, tenor sax
TAKE A PEBBLE Phil Chester, soprano sax
ONE WORD Katie Jacoby, violin
THE FISH Bob Quaranta, piano
BLACK HOLE SUN Bruce McDaniel, vocals; Mike Keneally, guitar, background vocals
PICTURES OF A CITY Bruce McDaniel, vocals

Tracklist
01. RESOLUTION (John McLaughlin) 01:13
02. BLACK HOLE SUN intro/BODHISATTVA (Chris Cornell/Walter Becker, Donald Fagen) 01:07
03. THERE COMES A TIME (Tony Williams) 03:01
04. TARKUS (Keith Emerson, Greg Lake) 01:03
05. VROOOM (Adrian Belew, Bill Bruford, Robert Fripp, Trey Gunn, Tony Levin, Pat Mastelotto) 04:03
06. LONG DISTANCE RUNAROUND (Jon Anderson) 05:34
07. SNAKE OIL (Tony Newton) 03:48
08. G-SPOT TORNADO/RESOLUTION/JINGO (Frank Zappa/John McLaughlin/Babatunde Olatunji) 02:40
09. VROOOM VROOOM (Adrian Belew, Bill Bruford, Robert Fripp, Trey Gunn, Tony Levin, Pat Mastelotto) 01:17
10. THERE'S NO MYSTERY ABOUT MY G-SPOT (Chick Corea/Frank Zappa) 02:25
11. SPANISH G-SPOT TORNADO (Chick Corea/Frank Zappa) 00:22
12. MYSTIC KNIGHTS OF THE SEA (Tony Williams) 03:18
13. ON THE MILKY WAY EXPRESS (Wayne Shorter) 05:11
14. TAKE A PEBBLE (Greg Lake) 03:21
15. ONE WORD (John McLaughlin) 01:03
16. THE FISH (Chris Squire) 02:17
17. FRED (Allan Holdsworth) 01:46
18. BLACK HOLE SUN (Chris Cornell) 04:46
19. PICTURES OF A CITY (Robert Fripp, Peter Sinfield) 06:39