Redline Tango

First, they changed the landscape for recordings of contemporary music with their American Classics series, then they took on the Milken Archive of American Jewish Music as a subseries. Now Naxos has introduced Wind Band Classics. Their first disc, appropriately enough, is a collection of music mostly by Americans, and it is performed by one of the top ensembles in the country, the University of Kansas Wind Ensemble. John Mackey’s Redline Tango was originally composed for orchestra but since he rescored it for wind band it has become his most widely performed composition. A quick listen to this relentless sonic rollercoaster and you’ll instantly know why.

—FJO