Need some recommendations - hard driving big band

So much great big band music from years ago. Basie and Ellington alone is a gold mine. Most digital remasters are quite good if you like this music. I love it more and more as the years pass.

The music world could benefit from a big band revival IMHO. THis is fun, grand sounding music on a large scale. So many possibilities. The time is right! SO many baby boomers and later that have never had the opportunity to appreciate this music. Its a breathe of fresh air given much of what followed it in popularity. Does what goes around come back around ever?

Try "Songs From Lonely Avenue" by Brian Setzer Orchestra.

I also always keep an eye out for good compilation releases whenever I might find them like those from Time/Life for example that focus on specific years or time periods to get a nice sampling of various artists

BBC Big Band-I'm sure they have several recordings that would garner your interest.

This is exactly big band, but I think you might find it an interesting musical hybrid with a lot of hard bop elements. Much of the music is played by musicians numbering between quintets and octets. Needless to say, Ginger Baker gives the music tremendous propulsive drive. http://www.allmusic.com/album/coward-of-the-county-mw0000241034