Composer/conductor Dave Rivello takes a few cues from such luminaries as Bob Brookmeyer, Bill Holman, and Manny Albam as he conjures up an ecosystem of ravishing horns and fragrant buds of piano keys erected by his 17-piece orchestra for his latest recording Facing The Mirror from Allora Records. Amassing florally horn patterns with a tooling of giddy piano squiggles and a rhythm section that rallies around the activities, Rivello’s compositions are embalmed with a regal beauty as jutting piano keys are knitted neatly into the dewdrops of horns moving limberly and sweetening big band’s pot of goodies.

Vines of horns blow-out while others retract along the dunes of “One By One By One” producing animated vignettes with Latin-chromed rhythms. Eaves of reposing horns and luxuriating rivulets drape “Time And Time Past” with poetically versed missives as branches of swirling horns produce a conversational rapport in “Stealing Space.” The interweaving lines and swishing of the piano keys through “Dancing In Circles” have a Westside Story vibration, and the carpeting of iridescent mists framed in a pensive sway through “Sometime” seal in a dreamy aura. The soft and flowy ruffles of “The Path Of Innocence” are imprinted with gently kindled beats, and the trellises of sweetly studded horns in “Chorale” produce a bedtime story sonorous.

Dave Rivello shows an overflow of pride and ingenuity as a big band conductor. He plunges himself wholeheartedly into his compositions, and comes up with tunes that have an everlasting presence as strong as their predecessors. Rivello modernizes the big band format and gardens its fields with pure ingredients. Facing The Mirror is what has sprout out of the grounds of Rivello’s kneading and is something more that gives him pride.