Well, the first is pretty good. There's some intonation issues in the beginning from just about every section. The trumpets at :43...ugh... At around :50 through 1:20 there's tempo issues, just keeps on getting faster and faster. Keep them in line rhythm section! The saxes need to lay back a lot, it sounds hard. It shouldn't. This style of music should sound the like the easiest thing in the world. When the drummer doesn't let the other sections take over tempo he/she does a really good job. It has a really strong finish also. I'd give them somewhere in between a one and a two.
The second is really tight and cohesive. The trumpet soli at around 1:30 made me smile. The overall song seems to have a better balance of the entire band. Maybe the first one is a poor quality recording? Anyways, the band in this one really has the fundamentals of jazz down. Love their do-WAHS. Definitely a one. Only one thing bothered me, why are they being conducted? :x
