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Various - "The Art of the Bass"
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This 1997 CD is a compendium of selections from the Justin Time
catalogue, recorded over the past few years and with the focus on bass
players in a variety of contexts. From the duet features - Dave Young
and pianist Oliver Jones in shifting roles with a steady "Bass Blues",
the high speed fingering of Santi DeBriano and pianist D.D.Jackson on
"Chick-isms", the smouldering voice of Jeri Brown with bassist Pierre
Michelot on the traditional "Greensleeves" - to a tightly-knit trio
rendition of Lester Young's "Lester Leaps In" (Red Mitchell), the flat,
percussive bass lines of Jamaaladeen Tacuma on "Blue Muse", or the
electric sounds of Avery Sharpe with vocalist Jeri Brown ("Fresh
Start"), the bass makes its presence felt. Add to these the names of Ray
Brown, Neil Swainson, Rufus Reid, John Clayton, Steve Wallace, and "The
Judge" himself (Milt Hinton) in a moving supportive role to Ranee Lee's
offering of "When a Woman Loves a Man", and you can understand why this
is an excellent cross-section not only of bass highlights but also of
the kind of jazz product captured on disc by the Justin Time
label. (J.S.)
Justin Time TAO 6503-2 to order
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Various - "The Art of the Guitar"
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Still another exploration of Justin Time's extensive catalogue of
performers, with the emphasis here on guitar, is also available on yet a
further 1997 release. Most of the compositions are originals, and the
instrumentation and styles quite varied. The crisp, clear chords of
Brian Hughes eastern-flavoured "Nasca Lines", the finger-flying Tony
Purrone with Jimmy Heath's 60's composition, "Ginger Bread Boy", or
Richard Ring's rapid-fire beat of the islands on "Milt's Calypso",
contrast sharply with the warm, muffled tones of Peter Leitch's own
"Guess Again", or the gently impressionistic interplay of guitarist John
Abercrombie and bassist Don Thompson on "Fall Colours". The CD is
rounded out with fine efforts by Russell Malone, Nelson Symonds, Reg
Schwager and Herb Ellis in the company of formidable musical companions.
This is a great disc for guitar addicts, or for those interested in
expanding their vision of the jazz scene. (J.S.)
Justin Time 6502-2 to order
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Various - "Swinging Jazz for Hipsters"
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Two sequential CD's (1997) by the Concord label offer the listener a
wide selection of styles, instrumentation and contexts, with headline
stars drawn from previously released recordings. Though the appellation
"hipster" is somewhat dated now, the music here isn't. The initial disc
ranges extensively from the trio sounds of Ray Brown ("The Candy Man")
and pianist Stefan Scaggiari ("Honeysuckle Rose") to the group led by
Captain Jack McDuff at his Hammond B3 organ ("Goin' Out of my Head"),
from the latin beat of Tania Maria's festive "I Can Do It" and Charlie
Byrd's "The Girl from Ipanema" to the warm flow of Ruby Braff's New
England Songhounds on "Days of Wine and Roses", from the velvet tones of
Mel Torme ("Walk Between Raindrops") to the smoky contralto voice of
Ernestine Anderson on Paul Simon's "Feelin' Groovy". The names of
Stephane Grappelli, Hendrik Meurkens, Ron Eschete and Howard Roberts are
prominent as well. Volume 11 features the cool, elastic sounds of the
Jim Hall quartet ("Bemsha Swing"), a jaunty "Mr.Gentle & Mr. Cool" with
Ken Peplowski, the flashy, percussively Latin-edged Frank Vignola trio
with "Tico, Tico", a moodily introspective "Gone" (Gerry Mulligan/Scott
Hamilton), and the lush ambience of Bacharach's "The Look of Love" with
Scott Hamilton and strings. In addition to second outings by Torme,
McDuff and Byrd, are numbers by Gary Burton, The Heath Brothers, Carmen
McRae and Monty Alexander. The two discs reflect the depth of commitment
by Concord over the years, and afford listeners ample opportunity to
sample the musical spectrum. (J.S.)
Concord 4791-2 (Vol 1)/4792-2 (Vol 11) to order
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Mel Torme - "My Night to Dream" |
 RealAudio Sample |
This is compilation month, it seems. But what worthier focus than Mel
Torme, whose 15 year association with the Concord label tops off a
career that began over fifty years ago. The central theme in this
collection is love; as Mel states, it is "¼.my chance to reflect on all
the moods, sights, sounds, colours and senses that have passed through
my life in the department of love." Numbers are drawn from the 7 albums
(1983-1995) with personnel to match Mel's purpose and mood - pianist
George Shearing on such ballads as "My Foolish Heart", the seldom heard
Johnny Mercer composition, "How Do You Say Auf Wiedersehen?", or the
vocalist's own "After the Waltz is Over"; Rob McConnell's Boss Brass
with "A House is Not a Home" or Alec Wilder's 1939 hit, "I'll be
Around"; a Marty Paich Dek-tette/Torme reunion with "More Than You
Know"; orchestral strings conducted by Alan Broadbent and "Moonlight
Becomes You"; Matt Dennis' "Angel Eyes" in the company of Cleo Laine and
John Dankworth. Mel wanted an album "exclusively of songs that have the
air of moonlight at midnight." This is it! (J.S.)
Concord 4790-2 to order
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Allen Farnham - "Allen Farnham meets the RIAS Band" |
 RealAudio Sample |
Who says big bands are dead? The RIAS (Radio in America Sector) Big
Band, formed in Europe shortly after WW 11, remains a top notch
studio/broadcast aggregation, currently under the leadership of
conductor/trombonist Jiggs Wigham. This 1996 CD incorporates a quintet
within that big band format, the latter led by pianist Allen Farnham who
both plays and arranges all the numbers on the disc, including three of
his own compositions - the spirited opener, "RIAS-ticity", a
multi-textured "Gai-Kichi" with the punctuated, propulsive drive of
piano, percussion, and full band, as well as a quintet offering of the
lyrically moody "Lost in Zurich". The remaining members of the quintet
are given plenty of room to groove throughout, with tenorman Chris
Potter confident and fluid on "Samba de Sorvete", sinewy yet tender with
the ballad "My Foolish Heart", and harmonicist Hendrik Meurkens blending
a strong rhythmic sense into Jobim's bittersweet "Triste". Both the band
and bassist/drummer (Chris Berger/Tim Horner) lay down a polished,
well-oiled framework, effectively culminated in the closer, John
Coltrane's "Cousin Mary". Especially for big band aficionados.
(J.S.)
Concord 4789-2 to order
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Henri Chaix Trio - "Just Friends" |
 RealAudio Sample |
Sackville records releases its sixth disc featuring the Henri Chaix
Trio; recorded in performance before an appreciative audience in
Villigen, Switzerland (1996), the session was to be the last for bassist
Alain Du Bois who tragically succumbed to a lengthy illness a few months
later. With drummer Romano Cavicchiolo, the group had been together for
over thirty years, evident not only in the title, but also in the
precision and cohesivness of their playing - the steady rhythmic pulse
provided in such numbers as "Just Friends", "I Would Do Anything for
You", or "The Moon is Low", or the impeccably spaced breaks of "I've Got
My Fingers Crossed", or sudden tempo accelerations with "I Surrender
Dear". Essentially a mainstream player, Chaix draws much of his material
from earlier standards - the playful, relaxed swing of Waller's "Squeeze
Me", the 1935 hit, "Lulu's Back in Town", or riding the riffs with Sy
Oliver's "Easy Does It; yet, always melodic-centred, he readily rolls
into the blues ("How Long, How Long Blues"), fashions a gentle after
hours' feeling ("Sweet Substitute"), or explores adventurously a tune at
full throttle ("Second Balcony Jump"). This was a foot-tapping group
that aimed to please, and didn't miss the mark. (J.S.)
Sackville SKCD2-2048 to order
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Mark Shane/Terry Blaine - "With Thee I Swing" |
 RealAudio Sample |
For several years, Mark Shane was the house pianist at Eddie Condon's in
NYC, and that same interactive enthusiasm is carried over to this 1997
CD recorded live at Hamburg's Hanse-Merkun auditorium. It's a mainstream
romp from the torrid instrumental opening ("I Never Knew") to the final
go-round with everybody letting loose on Cow Cow Davenport's "Mama Don't
Allow". Featured vocalist, Terry Blaine, swings with drive and
assurance on "What a Little Moonlight Can Do" or "why Don't You Do
Right", adding a little raw-edged spice to Ethel Waters' 1921 hit "Oh
Daddy" and Handy's "St.Louis Blues". The highlight for me was the solo
and "fill-in" work behind the vocalist by cornettist Ed Polcer,
trombonist Tom Artin, and clarinet/tenor man Allan Vache. As the leader
states, this is "a band that wants to play", and the crown response
indicates that they did that to the satisfaction of everyone.
(J.S.)
Nagel-Heyer 040 to order
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Dave Turner Sextet - "Samba D'Athena" |
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Montreal-born altoist Dave Turner leads an aggregation put together from
members of his own quartet and local musicians for this 1997 session
recorded before an approving audience at the concert hall of Montreal's
Concordia University. His alto ranges from the fluidly explorative ("El
Frijol") to the wistfully lyrical ("You Won't Forget Me"), tenderizing
the melodic lines of Baden Powell's delicate "Samba Em Preludio", sinewy
and exuberant on the title tune. Pianist Tilden Webb offers some finely
filigreed work on the ballad "You Won't Forget Me" and hammers home the
beat to Turner's samba original. Aron Doyle's horn solos on "Cootz" and
Hal Galper's "Inner Journey" are noteworthy. Galper's composition is
demanding, but the interplay of alto, trumpet and piano is up for the
challenge of its sophisticated harmonies. The rhythm section is in sync
throughout as the mood shifts from Latin pulse to boppish runs.
(J.S.)
DSM 3012 to order
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John Bickerton Trio - "Drinking From the Golden Cup" |
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Not only is this the trio's first recording as a working unit, but also
it is a relatively early example of LNM's "newly-formed, musician-run,
independent jazz label". All of the compositions on this 1997 CD are
Bickerton originals; the pianist is joined by bassist Ben Allison and
percussionist (occasionally flautist) Tim Horner in a programme of
improvisatory but always melodically-centred pieces. The close
integration of the players in their pursuit of individual freedom of
interpretation makes for some interesting listening, notably on such
numbers as the opening title tune with the piano featured over a rapidly
oscillating rhythm, broken by Horner's brushwork interlude and the
restless energy of Allison's bass accompaniment; the tremulous tango
beat woven by the trio in their expansion of the theme for "Don Quixote
and Don Juan Meet Their Fate in Brooklyn"; or the sudden temp shifts
demanded in "The Common Wealth".
Titles are as intriguing as the music, from the tentative, free-ranging
exploration of textures in "Snowfall" (not the Claude Thornhill
version), to the introspective manifestations of a "Midnight Epiphany on
Westbound 46". Canadian-born Bickerton shows, too, his versatility and
commitment to experimentation throughout. (J.S.)
Loud Neighbours Music (LNM) 9701 to order
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Peter Axelsson Quartet - "The Natural Way" |
 RealAudio Sample |
From Sweden comes a new listening experience for me, and a most
impressive one at that. Bassist/arranger Peter Axelsson and reedman
Krister Andersson date their recording careers back to the early 80's
with the likes of Goran Lindberg, Jan Walgren and Visby Storband;
somewhere along the way, their paths crossed and the rapport shown here
(1995) reflects a strong conceptual affinity to their musical approach.
Joined by pianist Tommy Kotter and drummer Magnus Gran, they fashion a
programme that seems divided into two distinctly different phases. The
first, with two Billy Strayhorn numbers and Eric Coates "London by
Night", is offered over a loose rhythmic backdrop; the second, with a
sudden adrenalin surge, bites into Benny Carter's "When Light's Are Low"
with the seamless, Coltrane-like sax swirling above keyboard chord
clusters and a driving rhythm. Even the shortened repeat of Coate's
work becomes a more animated experience. The highlight rests with the
standard "As Time Goes By", a free-flowing sax exploration of all the
facets of the melody against tentative, disparate trio musings - a
polished, powerful performance. Kudos to the arranger! (J.S.)
Valve Records 9701 to order
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Highly recommended CD's without reviews, star rated
as follows:
***** Excellent
**** Good
| Rating
| Artist
| Title
| Label & Cat. No.
|
| ***** |
Harry "Sweets" Edison |
Live at the Iridium |
Telarc CD-83425 |
| ***** |
Dennis Rowland |
Now Dig This! |
Concord CCD-4751-2 |
| ***** |
Jimmy Witherspoon |
With the Junior Mance Trio |
Stony Plain SPCD 1231 |
| ***** |
Jay McShaan |
Hootie's Jumpin' Blues |
Stony Plain SPCD 1237 |
| ***** |
Ray Bryant Trio |
Ray's Tribute to his Jazz Friends |
JVC JMI-7503-2 |
| ***** |
Jeri Browns |
April in Paris |
Justin Time JUST 92-2 |
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