''Monstrosity!'' is the final LP Vinyl album release by the

California State University, Los Angeles California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA) is a public university in Los Angeles, California. It is part of the 23-campus California State University (CSU) system. Cal State LA offers 142 bachelor's degrees, 122 master's degrees, ...

Jazz Ensemble before recording on digital/CD format in 1990. In addition to the big band, the LP featured the

CSULA California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA) is a public university in Los Angeles, California. It is part of the 23-campus California State University (CSU) system. Cal State LA offers 142 bachelor's degrees, 122 master's degrees, ...

Jazz QuintetThe CSULA Jazz Quintet 1988: Luis Bonilla (leader-trombone), Albert Balderez (trumpet), José Arellano (piano), Ruben Ramos (bass), Vinnie Dublino (drums) which won the Pacific Coast Collegiate Jazz Festival Combo division for 1988.

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...

jazz critic

Zan Stewart Zan Stewart (born March 29, 1944) is an American jazz writer, musician and former disc jockey. Life and career Born in Los Angeles, California, Stewart is the son of Cassius Lynford Stewart (1907–1997) and Elizabeth LeGrange Wilbur Stewart (190 ...

gave the recording four of five stars in his May 1989 review.New jazz LP reviews. Stewart, Zan. The Los Angeles Times ''Jazz Notes, May 10, 1989''
/ref> The jazz band had numerous student musicians that have made a name for themselves as professionals including Sharon Hirata,

Luis Bonilla Luis Diego Bonilla (October 12, 1965) is an American jazz trombonist of Costa Rican descent. He is also a producer, composer, and educator. Biography Early life, musical education and influences Luis Bonilla was born and raised in Eagle Rock, C ...

, Jack Cooper, Charlie Richard, Corey Gemme,

Eric "Bobo" Correa Eric "Bobo" Correa (born August 27, 1968) is a percussionist and a member of the bands Beastie Boys, then Cypress Hill and Ritmo Machine. He performed and recorded with the Beastie Boys through the 1990s. Biography and career Eric "Bobo" Correa ...

, Vince Dublino, Alan Parr, Paul De Castro, Alex Henderson, Gary Smith and José Arellano.

Background

In 1984 and 1985, the California State University, Los Angeles Music Department, and CSULA Associated Students decided to fund LP recordings of the jazz ensemble to better serve as a teaching tool for student music jazz groups. ''Monstrosity'' is the fourth of six albums to come from

during the 1980s featuring the award-winning CSULA #1 Jazz Ensemble. The LP contains tracks from the #1 CSULA Jazz Ensemble to include compositions of four students and from the director (professo
David Caffey
. The qualities of the LP that set it apart from numerous university jazz records of that era is the fact it was entirely written, composed, and copied (music also professionally copied by student Sharon Hirata)Note: Sharon Hirata was paying for school tuition from income as a freelance music copyist and working on T.V. shows such as ''

The Dukes of Hazzard ''The Dukes of Hazzard'' is an American action comedy TV series that was aired on CBS from January 26, 1979 to February 8, 1985. The show aired for 147 episodes spanning seven seasons. It was consistently among the top-rated television series ...

'' and other

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainmen ...

productions before the time of computer generated music engraving. by the students and faculty of CSULA at a higher level than was usual of students at that time; also this being the fourth LP in a row CSULA had done this.''Monstrosity!'' liner notes, Cal State L.A. Jazz Ensemble LP. 1988. There has been a consistent tradition of musicians coming from the CSULA program who have worked with major musical acts, on major studio and movie projects, and hold positions in higher education in music. The roster on this album is self-evident as to the diversity and level of student musicians CSULA developed at that time and has for many years dating far back to musicians (graduates) such as

Lennie Niehaus Leonard Niehaus (June 1, 1929 – May 28, 2020) was an American alto saxophonist, composer and arranger on the West Coast jazz scene. He played with the Stan Kenton Orchestra and served as one of Kenton's primary staff arrangers. He also played ...

and

Gabe Baltazar Gabriel Ruiz Hiroshi Baltazar Jr. (November 1, 1929 – June 12, 2022) was an American jazz alto saxophonist and woodwind doubler. Background and early years His mother, born Chiyoko Haraga on a Hawaii sugarcane plantation, was the daughter of ...

Track listing

Recording sessions

* Recorded: May 22, 28 and June 4, 198
Sage and Sound Recording

Hollywood, California Hollywood is a neighborhood in the central region of Los Angeles, California. Its name has come to be a shorthand reference for the U.S. film industry and the people associated with it. Many notable film studios, such as Columbia Pictures, ...

* Mixing: September 1 and October 1, 198
Sage and Sound Recording

Personnel

Musicians

*Conductor: David Caffey *Saxes and woodwinds: Sharon Hirata, David Quillen, Jack Cooper, Scott Ackerman, Randall Willis *Trumpets and flugelhorns: Barry Parr, Alan Parr, Corey Gemme, Albert Balderas, Chris Mauger *Trombones: Gary Smith,

, José Arellano, Alex Henderson *Piano: Paul De Castro *Vibraphone and marimba: Cory Estrada *Bass: Ruben Ramos *Drums: Vince Dublino and Marc Guité *Percussion:

Production

*Recording engineers: Jim Mooney and Jerry Wood *Mixing engineers: Jim Mooney and David Caffey *Mastering: David Travis, KM Recording Services *Cover photo: Stan Carstenson, CSULA Creative Media Services *Jacket design: Scott Ackerman, Sandra Fuentes, David McNutt, CSULA Creative Media Services

Reception

"(Monstrosity!) finds the first-rate Cal State Los Angeles Jazz Ensemble tearing through a handful of vital originals--Jose Arellano's title track and director David Caffey's "Samba de Linda" among them and a couple of Woody Shaw cookers. Solid solos from the likes of saxophonists Sharon Hirata and Randall Willis and trombonists Luis Bonilla and Gary Smith abound..."

:—

, ''

The Los Angeles Times ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

References

External links

''Monstrosity!''
at

Allmusic Guide AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

* {{Authority control 1988 albums California State University, Los Angeles Jazz Ensemble albums