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... more than 200 fans couldn't get enough of the fantastic "United Women's Orchestra". No wonder: the tight and exciting playing of the 20 ladies.. produced fine contemporary bigband sounds. Whether with subtle complexity as in "Virgo Supercluster Suite" or with elegant lightness as in "Cerasarda"- inspired by traditional Sardinian vocal music- everything was simply spot on. And the solistic achievements of -say- trombonist Annemarie Roelofs or pianist Julia Hülsmann prompted applause over and again from the impressed audience. Jazzfestival in Pact Zollverein WAZ/Kultur in Essen 7/05
... And as if further proof was necessary that good jazz thrives on
arranging, it was given. When Christina Fuchs, who shares the leadership
of the band with Hazel Leach from The Netherlands presented their imaginative,
transparent hornwork with daring harmonic curves, one was often reminded
of the sound of Gil Evans, who recorded such wonderful albums with Miles
Davis in the 60's.
The dreamy atmosphere of the "Sketches of Spain"-phase dominated the
well-attended Büsingpalais, interspersed with sounds reminiscent of
Count Basie or Duke Ellington. Both ladies, who play excellent saxophone,
also take exclusive credit for the compositions....
...It was a fully coordinated concert, inspiring all fans of good music,
whether jazz fans or not. Whether funky, minimalist, expressive, chamber-music
or swing- these women understand their craft.... Offenbach Post (Josch)
3/01
... Any expectation you may have about an all woman band failing to produce the impact of the usual male-dominated group, you can forget right now. The music is original, composed and arranged by the co-leaders Hazel Leach and Christina Fuchs. The concept seems to radiate from the personal experiences of the writers interpreted musically. Although the band's configuration is traditional, the writing is not and the listener can expect the envelope to be stretched and his musical beliefs to be be challenged. If you can think about George Gruntz and perhaps Brookmeyer in advanced mode, you will be fairly close to the impact of this ensemble. For the most part, the unexpected turns of the writing are not too sharp and many outstanding lyrical moments soften the overall drama of the music. The performance often devolves to 'small group' and you are tempted to think of the rest of the ensemble as just another voice in that small group. The experience is of extreme emotions from the dramatic to the sublime and beautiful.
This remarkable ensemble would probably be a culture shock for most traditional listeners, but for those who live at the cutting edge, there is plenty to marvel at. These are muscular meaningful performances by musicians of extreme ability... John Killoch, August 2000. "Mainly Big Bands"
...The music of the United Women's Orchestra is an important contribution to the strengthening of the the identity of European jazz... Michael Naura NDR 1998 ... even more surprising was the United Women's Orchestra led by Christina Fuchs and Hazel Leach: a fresh and original big band who won over the Tollwood Festival audience in the 45 minutes of playing time which they were allowed...Jazzpodium September 1998
...Exploding any lingering stereotypes about Europeans and women as second-class jazz citizens, Hazel Leach and Christina Fuchs' modernist orchestra of 18 musicians handles original repertoire with self-possession. The forward-looking music, much more than a conduit for able soloists, impresses most for the muted glow of the interestingly-voiced brass and low-register reeds. The resulting soft pastel colors give the arrangements an alluring emotional ambiguity... Downbeat 1/97
... The UWO is not the first all-women's bigband, but it is the first to find a distinctive sound..comparable to the new sound of Maria Schneider...Hamburger Morgenpost 11/96
... no question about it, a wind of change is blowing through the becalmed
big-band scene..
Frankfurter Rundschau 11/96
... Besides tight sectionwork the band has a range of solists on offer who can deliver an outstanding performance with a fair dose of wit..... thanks to the imagination of the musicians the concert was a joy to hear, even for non-jazz fans.. Frankfurter Rundschau 10/96
..... These are wondrous paths on which soloists such as Meike Goosman (sax and clarinet) tread. Relaxed, with a philosophical feeling for time. As for the compositions by Fuchs and Leach, I would have liked to have written them myself.. Michael Naura, DieZeit 5/96
.... in particular the swinging pieces of the second set displayed the energy and richness of colour which are inherent to such a large ensemble. But experimental passages, free forms and expressive solistic excursions from practically every one of the musicians were also on the programme.. Neue Westfälische Zeitung 2/96 ..Charming accents, captivating solos... The United Women's Orchestra discovers new paths within the compositions of the bandleaders Hazel Leach and Christina Fuchs. The complex arrangements have been perfectly mastered, the rhythms tell stories and create atmosphere. The musicians themselves enjoyed the concert as much as the audience: after the encores many looked at their watches and were amazed to discover that two-and-a-half fascinating hours had passed... Höchster Kreisblatt 6/95
..Women in jazz are still rather the exception than the rule- especially
an all-women bigband which plays original music written by its' two leaders.
In particular, the explosive compositions of Hazel Leach , with their funky
influences, set themselves apart from the traditional bigband patterns..
Ruhr
Nachrichten 5/95