Listen to the 'Relentless' sound of the Fernando Huergo Big Band

This is an exclusive song premiere, part of WBUR's effort to highlight New England musicians.

In 2020, Boston jazz bassist and composer Fernando Huergo was writing material for his second big band album. He happened to pick up a copy of The New Yorker and noticed an article by Luke Mogelson about a new book by war photographer Ben Brody. The former Army combat photographer talked about “the murderous heat and arbitrary death and relentless absurdity” that comes with the job.

“That phrase ‘relentless absurdity’ stuck with me, because it’s what I feel like when I read the news,” says Huergo. “The wars and invasions and dehumanization and oppression and racism, the political discourse being degraded to such a grotesque level. It’s a feeling that I try to get over every day, and to still be inspired.”

The composition “Relentless” is the title track of Huergo’s new big band album, which comes out Friday, May 24, on New Bedford’s Whaling City Sound label. The album shows that Huergo, who has long anchored the rhythm section in large ensembles led by others (including fellow Argentine Guillermo Klein), is also a compelling and original composer making strong contributions to the modern big band canon.

Surprisingly, considering its origins, “Relentless” is an upbeat, swinging number. “I wanted to convey that willingness to go forward when I feel that absurdity,” explains Huergo. The piece uses Arnold Schoenberg’s 12-tone method where all 12 pitches are heard in a single piece.

Huergo also leads a prolific quintet, which he uses to workshop his pieces before bringing in the full big band. All five members make up the big band’s core. Venezuelan pianist Santiago Bosch takes the first solo on “Relentless.” Saxophonist Rick DiMuzio is, like Huergo, a Berklee College of Music faculty member and a vital part of Boston’s jazz scene. Russian flutist Yulia Musayelyan is the album’s co-producer (and Huergo’s wife). Japanese drummer Gen Yoshimura went from being Huergo’s student at Berklee to his bandmate.

When playing in other big bands, Huergo sometimes noticed that the arrangements mostly focused on the horns. “Being a rhythm section player myself, I think I bring a rhythm section perspective to the big band,” says Huergo. “So there’s a lot of odd meters and some challenging rhythms.”

Also soloing on the “Relentless” track are saxophonist Rick Stone and trumpeter Billy Buss. “They’re all tremendous musicians,” says Huergo. “Rick Stone has this energy and a willingness to go very out, and he is pretty relentless himself with his improvisations. I love Billy Buss' ideas, lyricism and vocabulary.”

The full orchestra keeps a steady presence in the background underneath all three solos. “There are many great personalities in this band, so I like to give them all their space and the opportunity to add to the music,” Huergo says.

The logistics behind recording and gigging with an 18-piece jazz orchestra require the leader to be pretty relentless as well. The big band will be celebrating the album release with a show at Scullers Jazz Club on Sept. 26. “It's one of the great things about living in a city like Boston,” says Huergo. “I think there are very few cities in the world where there are so many musicians that play at such a high level.”

Despite being constantly aware of all of the darkness in the world, Huergo hopes that his creative endeavors can make a positive contribution. ”I think now we're seeing that we have to be inspired by the compassion, courage and kindness of so many people that every day do so many things,” he says. “There's a lot of good things going on in the world. So, we have to be optimistic and always try to make things better in our own world.”

“Relentless” by the Fernando Huergo Big Band will be released May 24. The group performs at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston on Sept. 26.