ABOUT THE NEW CD, "ANOTHER HOT NIGHT IN FEBRUARY"

 

"Panorama have distinguished themselves locally over the past few years by infusing their traditional jazz instrumentation with selections that deviate wildly from the typical trad songbook. You'll hear them romp through Eastern European tunes, Creole music of the West Indies and other rarely-heard ethnic music with spirit and enthusiasm and not a whiff of exploitative exotica. Bandleader Ben Schenck projects the optimum amount of contagious joy to get the crowd dancing or, what the hell, he'll just show you how to dance to this stuff. "
W'Yat Monthly's JAZZ FEST PICKS for May 2004 , Rob Cambre

"The album is a showcase for the band's stirring eclecticism..."
Scott Jordan - Gambit Weekly

"Humor and joy are the watchwords throughout..."
Keith Spera - Lagniappe Arts and Entertainment Weekly

"(The) most eclectic and least stodgy of the so-called "trad" jazz groups currently active in town. (Their) approach vividly illustrates that fun and intelligence are not mutually exclusive states of mind."
Rob Cambre - Where Y'at, August 2003

"With its energy and flair this might be just the right CD to stick in the player to get you going when it's time to mop the floor..."
Geraldine Wyckoff - Offbeat



"Economy Hall woke up in a very nice way on that first Friday with the appearance of clarinetist Ben Schenck and his krewe, The Panorama Jazz Band."
Offbeat, June 2003 Tom Morgan

Gambit Weekly's Count Basin previews all the music in week one of Jazz Fest Critic's Pick: Panorama Jazz Band 11:15 a.m., Economy Hall Tent Traditional Jazz / eclectic They offer "jazz, klezmer, biguine, Balkan and more," and they aren't kidding. With the Panorama Jazz Band, any genre is fair game, thanks to their stellar musicianship and unique instrumentationion - an accordion pumps up trad-jazz fare and allows for polkas and habaneras, too. The band's a regular on the hoppin' scene on Frenchmen Street and also gets hopped up on their recent CD, Another Hot Night In February.
Gambit Weekly, April 22, 2003

Street Regal: Mardi Gras parade reviews Knights of Babylon: "Highlights included the mule pulled royalty float and the Panorama Jazz Band, with an energizing solo from clarinetist Ben Schenck"
Gambit Weekly, March 11, 2003

"I love the way you play. SO SCHMALTZY!"
Naomi Pauli

Read an interview Ben gave to Offbeat Magazine's Mike Dominici before Jazz Fest 2004