Eminence Online, Game Music Review

The Big Band of Rogues is a pretty cool name for a group of performers, so I'm not surprised that this CD remains near the top of my list of live performance albums. Even more, who could ask for better source material, with many of the most memorable tracks from both the Mario and Zelda franchises present? Lastly, where else outside of his stellar Wii Music performance at E3 a few years ago will you find Shigeru Miyamoto himself jamming along with the band?

There were certainly a lot of great performances at this concert that took place on September 14, 2003. The best recordings from the day's two performances were compiled to create this album, which belongs in any serious game music collector's collection for sure. From big band to bluegrass to Celtic music, this one has a bit of everything.

Click to read our full review of the Mario & Zelda Big Band Live CD.

It all starts with host Ashura Benimaru Itoh on guitar, performing a bluegrass-y arrangement of a number of Mario standards, including "BGM 1-1" and "Underworld". The fans get into his performance as well, clapping along with the beat. Interestingly, Benimaru Itoh, as he's usually called, is an artist at Nintendo responsible for some of the awesome comics that were featured in Nintendo Power in the 1990s. I had no idea that he was a music guy as well.

From here, The Big Band of Rogues takes over, starting with the opening theme and overworld theme from Super Mario 64. The arrangement is nice and funky, with lots of upbeat brass stabs and a full drumset. The arrangement packs a lot of energy and also sports a great saxophone solo towards the middle. They perform a Super Mario Bros. medley next, starting with the standard 1-1 music. The use of a wood block adds a bit of fun to the mix despite the straightforward arrangement. Koji Kondo himself performs a nifty organ solo towards the middle, and this is actually the only piece on the album that was arranged by Kondo himself.

Next, "Mario Scat Version" is a fun bit from Super Mario Sunshine. I don't suggest that this makes for good listening, but it goes a long way towards getting a smile or even a laugh out of the listener if they remember this memorable take on the theme from the game. This track is followed by "Go, Go Mario," yet another arrangement of the original 1-1 theme, with a sort of jazzy singer added to the mix. This one personally doesn't do much for me as I was getting pretty sick of this track by this point on the album, and the vocals sound kind of cheesy. The Big Band of Rouges finishes their first set with "Ending Theme" from Super Mario Bros. 3, which is my favorite track on the album. The slow-paced arrangement and legato brass melody and Latin-inspired percussion make for a unique and upbeat listening experience. It's just a shame that it's so short!

Yoshihiro Arita and his band take to the stage from here, performing a series of bluegrass-style arrangements of Mario and Zelda tunes. They start with "Athletic" from Yoshi's Island, working in fiddle, banjo, and guitar, which sounds like an odd ensemble to be featured at a Japanese concert. As you know from the jazzy influences of the original score, however, this sound definitely fits. They take on "Yoshi on the Beach" from Yoshi's Story next, voicing the main melody line with a lovely xylophone.

My favorite tracks come next, as we finally get into some Zelda tunes. The "Wind Waker Title Theme" comes in with a rather Celtic sound despite the same set of instruments being used. I always loved the different approach that they took with the sound in Wind Waker, and this live performance takes that sound and multiplies it ten fold by doing it live. It's really a beautiful theme. "Dragon Roost Island" is another great track with some rapid dueling guitar and banjo along with a sweet legato string melody. The chorus section is killer.

After a few more pieces, The Big Band of Rogues returns, opening their second set with a funky jazz arrangement of "The Zora Band" from Majora's Mask. I'm not that familiar with the original piece, as Majora's Mask is kind of a blur to me, but this is pretty impressive as a standalone big band jazz track for sure. I've always hated the "Shop Theme" from just about every Zelda title, but especially from Ocarina of Time, so I wasn't thrilled to see it here, although the fans sound like they were digging it as they clap along rhythmically throughout the entire piece. An epic version of the "Legend of Zelda" theme is next, which is a perfect fit with the big band format given all the brass instruments. I enjoyed the slow pace of the piece before the Ocarina of Time "Hyrule Field" explodes forth with a rapid tempo. You can't argue that this is a great track that packs a lot of nostalgia.

The album ends on a somewhat ridiculous note. The Super Mario Sunshine "Ending Theme" is way upbeat, and gets everyone in the crowd clapping along, but I don't feel that it's one of the most memorable Mario tracks out there. For an encore, things get even weirder with the "Slider" theme from Super Mario 64. It features both The Big Band of Rogues and Yoshihiro Arita and his band, and the crowd goes wild. Again, I wouldn't say it's the best song choice from the series, but it definitely got a response from the crowd, and adds to the quirkiness of the rest of the concert.

While there are some odd song choices here and there, they do manage to tackle some of the best and most memorable themes from both the Mario and Zelda universes. I've loved this album ever since it was released, and think it belongs in your collection whether or not you're a serious collector. Everyone knows and loves Mario and Zelda, and this is one of the best ways I can think of to enjoy the music from the games.

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