When it came time to naming the live jazz CD, Bill Wimmer had an idea.

But his fellow musicians had another.

Wimmer, a mild-mannered saxophonist from Lincoln, planned to call the disc "Project Omaha."

His bandmates, however, decided it should be "Bill Wimmer Project Omaha."

It was one of the few times the sextet disagreed on anything during their few days together last May.

"(The CD) was more cooperation than a dictatorship," Wimmer said. "But in this case, I was overruled."

It was Wimmer's idea, after all, to bring these musicians together in Vail, Colo., to make a live CD.

And not just any musicians, but a Who's Who of Jazz, especially in the Midwest.

The band also included brothers Tony (keyboards, vocals) and Joey Gulizia (percussion), bassist Mark Luebbe, drummer Victor Lewis and guitarist Dave Stryker.

The Gulizias are the common thread among the musicians, with each having played with them one time or another.

Lewis' first gig ever was with Tony at a New Year's Eve party in 1966 at the Plattsmouth Country Club. Today, Lewis, who lives in New York City, is considered one of jazz music's elite drummers.

Interestingly, the six had never played together.

And when they finally did for two nights at the Kelly Liken Restaurant in Vail, well, the word "magical" may be the best way to describe it.

The CD features nine songs arranged by either Wimmer or Tony Gulizia. One of cuts - "Carnaval" - is a Stryker original.

Its reviews have been nothing short of wonderful.

"Bill Wimmer definitely has a winner on his hands, a creative endeavor with soul, swing and swagger," wrote Edward Blanco of eJazzRadio. "'Project Omaha' may be one of the better albums of the year. Not bad for a bunch of guys who had not played together before."

On June 23, the six will reunite to perform at the 18th Jazz in June. They are the fourth of five groups scheduled to play at the popular Tuesday night outdoor concert series.

Wimmer, for one, can't wait. Outside of local jazz circles, the saxophonist lives in relative obscurity. More people in Lincoln know him from his former job at Ideal Grocery than for his music-making.

"I'm not offended by that," he said. "I live in a town where people don't know who I am. I live in a town where only a percentage of the people are interested in this music, and it's a small percentage."

The sextet will play music from the CD.

"The love Bill has for music really showed in this project," Tony Gulizia said.

It should. Wimmer, 50, left his job at Ideal about two years ago to focus on the album. He first lined up the players. Getting Stryker and Lewis, who have a boatload of recordings to their credit, were significant coups.

Of course, both originally are from Omaha. And both are good friends with the Gulizias. They didn't think twice about doing it.

"People ask me how I got Victor to play on the CD," Wimmer said. "I just asked him."

Wimmer knew he wanted a live CD. He used Tony Gulizia's connections in Vail, where the keyboardist lives and performs most of the year, to secure the venue.

"Jazz is really live music," Wimmer said. "Best jazz is played live."

Why?

"Because it's about taking risks," he added. "It's about high-wire acts."

Each musician had the music beforehand to rehearse. But the group only played together once before the recording - the night before in a hotel room.

"We wanted to be sure our road maps were correct, and know who was soloing on what tune," Tony Gulizia said. "Believe me, it was not a lot of time preparing."

It didn't matter. The six professionals played like they had been together for years.

"I'm telling you it was pretty special," Tony Gulizia said.

Wimmer said he was hoping for a great record but would have settled with a good one. He believes he may have produced a great one.

"It's always a kick to discover a musician who has flown a little below the radar …," Geezer Music Club blog noted in its review. "… It's immediately apparent that we're being offered a labor of love, not only in the choice of music but also in the guys behind him."

Wimmer remembers he had trouble sleeping after the initial rehearsal in the hotel room.

"I could just feel the intensity from these guys," he said. "It was exciting."

Reach Jeff Korbelik at 473-7213 or jkorbelik@journalstar.com.