"Two longtime journeymen of the Austin jazz scene step forward on this pair of releases from local Fable Records. It's significant that reedman/composer/arranger John Mills, currently with UT's jazz studies department and a veteran of countless local bands, should specifically mention Joe Zawinul, Frank Zappa, and Michael Brecker as early influences. Rather than model his 10-piece big band after the innovative but decidedly old-school palettes of Duke Ellington and Gil Evans, Mills forges a far hipper aesthetic by channeling the latter-day modern visionaries in a dynamic group sound that crackles with energy. Think of a large band digging into the music of Weather Report and the Brecker Brothers and you get the picture. Mills has gathered a multigenerational ensemble composed of fellow Austin veterans alongside newly minted UT grads. Likewise, the repertoire of all Mills' originals is a mixture of older tunes, like "Flywheel" for the Creative Opportunity Orchestra, and brand new material." ~Jay Trachtenberg, December 24, 2010 Chronicle User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.