For those not in the know, Ian Charleton, who has been writing for big band since he was 15 years old, leads his 18-piece big band on ten new tracks featuring his original compositions and new interpretations of standards, including 'Stardust' by Hoagy Carmichael, Irving Berlin's 'Blue Skies', Marvin Fisher's 'When Sunny Gets Blue,' Vincent Youman's 'Tea For Two,' and 'Everything I've Got,' by Rogers & Hart.

Charleton, a Senior Chief Musician, who was the Head of Academics at the Naval School of Music, where he taught arranging, and is a graduate of the University of North Texas, burst on the scene with his 2013 debut CD, Brain Chatter.

His long-awaited follow-up, A Fresh Perspective (out March 16th, 2021), showcases his extraordinary gifts as an inventive and engaging composer, and an imaginative arranger.

1. '1 West 67th Street'
2. 'Sunday Morning'
3. 'A Fresh Perspective'
4. 'Everything I've Got'
5. 'Stardust'
6. 'El Otoño'
7. 'Blues Skies'
8. 'Tea For Two'
9. 'When Sunny Gets Blue'
10. 'Party on Park'

This truly upbeat and simply divine album opens with the perky key work of '1 West 67th Street' and backs that up seamlessly with the lushly laid back orchestrations of 'Sunday Morning,' the more prone tones of the title track 'A Fresh Perspective,' and then we get the gently frenetic, and vocalized 'Everything I've Got' followed by the almost comatose ambiance of 'Stardust.'

Next up is one of my own personal favorites, the light swing of 'El Otoño' which is followed by the dapper, and also vocalized 'Blues Skies,' the piano ballad 'Tea For Two,' with the album rounding out on the magnificently vibrant, finger-snappin' allure of 'When Sunny Gets Blue,' closing on much the same within 'Party on Park.'

Musicians:
Leader/Arranger: Ian Charleton, Saxophones: Richard Garcia: Alto/Soprano Sax (Lead), Jason Hammers: Alto Sax, Keith Philbrick: Tenor Sax, Michael Ferrante: Tenor Sax, David Fatek: Baritone Sax, Trumpet and Flugelhorn Mark Oates (Lead), Pete Sutorius, Mark Nixon, Kerry Moffit, Trombones John Lloyd (Lead), Lisa Drefke, Carl Lundgren, Dandrick Glenn (Bass), Rhythm Emily Charleton (Vocals), Bart Kuebler (Piano), Wes Wagner (Guitar), Ryan Persaud (Bass), and Bob Habib (Drums).