DAVE'S FAVES
QUINCY JONES Go West Man GRP 828 $11.99 (CD
only)
Quincy Jones' contributions to Go West Man were more
organizational than musical. But though he doesn't play on
or arrange any of the tunes here, he shows good taste and
judgment in his choice of musicians and their combination.
The three sessions here focus on particular instruments- a
trumpet session with Harry Edison, Conte Candoli, and Pete
Candoli; a four alto session with Benny Carter, Art Pepper,
Herb Geller and Charlie Mariano; and a tenor/bari session
with Bill Perkins, Buddy Collette, Walter Benton and Pepper
Adams- backed by the top-notch rhythm section of Carl
Perkins or Lou Levy, Red Mitchell or Leroy Vinnegar, and Mel
Lewis or Shelly Manne.
RYAN KISOR Battle Cry Criss Cross 1145 $16.99
(CD only)
Trumpeter Ryan Kisor lost some visibility after being
unceremoniously dropped by Colombia a few years back, but if
Battle Cry is any indication, he hasn't stopped
growing musically. The promise shown on those two (now
out-of-print) Columbia records is fulfilled here, and then
some. Kisor invests these five standards and two originals
with a good deal of his own adventurous personality,
suggesting a mature player who enjoys uncovering the
unexpected hidden among familiar changes. With Sam Yahel,
organ; Peter Bernstein, guitar; Brian Blade, drums.
(Shameless plug for one of my favorite records which also
happens to feature Ryan Kisor: Kisor, along with Chris
Potter, Mick Goodrick and Adam Nussbaum burn through
reconfigured versions of standard tunes on bassist Steve
Swallow's Deconstructed, ECM 23209, $16.99).
JON WEBER It's Never Quite the Same Mood 1111
$22.99 (2 CDs)
Fans of solo piano and the golden age of American popular
song will find a lot to like in the music of pianist Jon
Weber. While certainly not a household name outside of
Chicago, Weber's attracted the attention and earned the
respect of pianists like Dick Hyman and Marian McPartland
(he made a memorable appearance on McPartland's Piano Jazz
program a couple of years back). Besides boasting a virtuoso
technique and knowledge of harmony that would be the envy of
any pianist, Weber is distinguished by his encyclopedic
knowledge of tunes, both famous and obscure. (Go to his
regular gig at the Season's Lounge in Chicago and request a
song, and he'll not only play it; more than likely he'll
tell you the composer and lyricist, the year it was first
recorded, and the show or movie in which it first appeared).
It's Never Quite the Same is dedicated to the music
of Jay Livingston and Ray Evans, writers of "To Each His
Own", "Never Let Me Go", "Mona Lisa" and many others.
DON PATTERSON Boppin' and Burnin' OJC 983
$11.99 (CD only)
Fantasy's Original Jazz Classics reissue series continues
with an impressive list of titles, including this 1968 date
by underappreciated organist Don Patterson. Boppin' and
Burnin' does indeed bop, with versions of Charlie
Parker's "Donna Lee" and "Now's the Time", and Thelonious
Monk's "Epistrophy", but the most impressive performances
come on the nearly 14 minute blues, "Pisces Soul", where
trumpeter Howard McGhee, altoist Charles McPherson, and
guitarist Pat Martino take turns outdoing themselves. Not
just another organ record!
Other recent recommended OJC's include (all $11.99 ea., CD
only):
Sonny Criss Up, Up and Away OJC 982
Jimmy Forrest Soul Street OJC 987
Phineas Newborn, Jr. Back Home OJC 971
To see the previous edition of Dave's Faves, click
here