This fifth full-length release from GRAMMY-winning composer Charlie Rosen and his 90+ piece ensemble is more than just nostalgia. Orchestrator Emulator transforms classic video game music into rich, energetic, joy-infused jazz. And it’s fun — something jazz is more than capable of, and this album leans into it with joy.

My kids grew up on the Nintendo Wii, and I was the dad playing alongside them. We played a ton of Mario Kart and Wii Sports, so hearing those melodies reimagined as full-on big band arrangements immediately hit home. Rosen’s take on the “Wii Sports Theme” channels an instantly recognizable Earth, Wind & Fire blast , while “Waluigi Pinball” turns into a jazz-funk jam featuring organist Matthew Whitaker. There’s bossa nova from Persona 5, Afro-Cuban textures from Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and even a wall of low brass that would make any headbanger proud on Undertale’s “Megalovania.” It’s hard to believe a track with a name like “Space Junk Road” could sound so insanely gorgeous, but that sweeping orchestral standout piece took my breath away.

As Rosen puts it, “These songs, once confined to background loops and limited sound chips, deserve to be reimagined, revered, and performed with the same respect given to any great work of American music.” Mission accomplished.

More than anything, this album brought me joy. And that’s reason enough to write about it.

Orchestrator Emulator drops July 18 via TeamChuck Records.

Tracks:

1. Intro to Album 5
2. Wii Sports Theme – from “Wii Sports”
3. Brinstar – from “Metroid”
4. Super Mario Bros. 3 Overworld Theme – from “Super Mario Bros 3”
5. Kass’s Theme – from “The Legend of Zelda – Breath of the Wild”
6. Waluigi Pinball (ft. Matthew Whitaker) – from “Mario Kart”
7. No More What Ifs (ft. Martina DaSilva) – from “Persona 5”
8. Super Mario World Overworld Theme – from “Super Mario World”
9. Space Junk Road – from “Super Mario Galaxy”
10. Tokyo Daylight (ft. Andy Arthur Smith) – from “Persona 5”
11. Casino Night Zone – from “Sonic The Hedgehog 2”
12. Megalovania – from “Undertale”
13. Super Mario Praise Break – themes from various Mario titles
14. Kass’s Theme (Choro Version) – from “The Legend of Zelda – Breath of the Wild”

Photos by Matthew Murphy.

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It’s been a good year for quality remix projects. It started with the Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass’ Whipped Cream and Other Delights Rewhipped overhaul and it sounds like it will continue with Big Band Remixed + Reinvented. Look for it in stores on May 23 on the Sunswept label.

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Word of Mouth Revisited covers Jaco’s compositions from his early days with conductor/arranger Peter Graves’ orchestra to his work with Weather Report and Word of Mouth. There’s an unreleased bass recording of Jaco himself on one of his favorite Herbie Hancock compositions “Wiggle Waggle.” It was recorded in the late 70s and the current Jaco Big Band plays the rest of the parts. This fourteen-piece big band is tight. I can’t say enough about the crispness of their sound. It’s easily the best big band I’ve heard in some time. The thirteen arrangements – by Graves (who hired Jaco in 1971 for his orchestra), Larry Warrilow (Jaco’s longtime friend and collaborator), and Jaco are excellent.

Then there is the who’s who of bass players: Marcus Miller, Christian McBride, Jimmy Haslip, Victor Wooten, Victor Bailey, Gerald Veasley, Richard Bona, and Jaco’s nephew, David Pastorius all contribute to this recording. It goes without saying that the rhythm on this CD is unbelievable. The bassists obviously seem inspired and actually seem to exceed their already formidable skills. Drummer Mark Griffith deserves special recognition for his excellent work on driving the tempo. Griffith is a standout on a CD where every single musician is worthy of note.

Whether you know everything Jaco or not, Word of Mouth Revisited is a release any modern jazz fan will want in his or her collection. It’s this year’s most welcome surprise.

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