Herman Leonard's Stolen Moments June 6,7,8 - New Jersey Jazz ...

Compact Views
By Joe Lang NJJS Music Committee Chair
Here are some comments about recent additions
to the NJJS CD inventory.
■ It is a pleasure to see talented young jazz musicians
achieve breakthrough moments in their
careers, especially when they are New Jerseyans.
The first commercial recording is always a landmark for musicians. With
Quixotic (Jazzed Media – 1034), THE STEIN BROTHERS QUINTET, fronted
by tenor saxophonist Alex and alto saxophonist Asher, will have their exciting
sounds spread across the world of jazz. My first exposure to these 20-something
brothers was when I saw Asher, at the age of 15, sit in with the Russian
bebop trumpeter Valery Ponomarev, and sound like he had been playing professionally
for many years. Shortly thereafter, I got to enjoy the equally impressive
talent of his brother when they played for NJJS at Jazzfest. During the
ensuing years, the growth by both brothers has been evident with each new
performance. On this album, they are joined by their regular group members,
Mferghu on piano, Doug Largent on bass and Joe Blaxx on drums, with trumpeter
Duane Eubanks and trombonist Jonathan Voltzok contributing on several
tracks. They have chosen a program that contains three standards,
“Embraceable You,” “East of the Sun,” and “This Time the Dream’s on Me,” a
Barry Harris composition, ”And So I Love You,” and three originals each by
Asher Stein and Mferghu plus two by Alex Stein. These cats can play superbly,
and they also compose tunes that grab your attention instantly. Their basic
milieu is bebop, but they are not locked into that mode of musical expression.
They are always within the jazz mainstream, and avoid the excesses that seem
to plague many young sax players. Asher at the earlier stages of his playing was
something of a Charlie Parker clone, not a bad beginning, but he has developed
into a mature individualist. Alex has an absolutely beautiful tone. Unlike most
young tenor players today, it seems like he has listened to more Prez and Stan
than Trane, as both his sound and ideas hearken back to those earlier classic
tenor masters. The rhythm section is strong, with some fine soloing coming
from the hands and mind of Mferghu. The tracks with Eubanks and Voltzok give
the group the full sound of a little big band. This is a debut disc that the Stein
Brothers and their cohorts should be justly proud of releasing. It should garner
lots of airplay and attention from critics.
■ The devastation caused by hurricane Katrina is still fresh in the minds of
many people, especially musicians who generally feel a special kinship with
their peers who were affected by the storm. Pianist/singer DARYL SHERMAN
decided to express her solidarity with the people and musicians of New
Orleans with her latest album, New O’leans (Audiophile – 321). In this
endeavor she has called upon guitarist James Chirillo, clarinetist/tenor saxophonist
Tom Fischer and bassist Al Menard to join her. Sherman has touched a
lot of bases in her eclectic program. She opens with an original tune by New
Orleans pianist Rhodes Spedale, “S’Mardi Gras,” that puts the listener immediately
into a festive Crescent City frame of mind. Staying in a similar vein, she
pairs “Way Down Yonder in New Orleans” and “Louisiana.” Probably the most
famous name to come out of New Orleans is that of Louis Armstrong, and it is
fitting that Armstrong’s “Red Cap,” with words by Ben Hecht, is on the song list.
There is a nod to the “Ill Wind” that struck the city. This should give you a good
feel for the way in which Sherman addresses different aspects of the experiences
and emotions related to Katrina and its after effects. The other songs are
“Mr. Bojangles,” “Petite Fleur,” “Shaking the Blues Away,” “Wendell’s Cat,” “I
Don’t Want to Miss Mississippi,” “Doin’ the Chameleon,” “Eloise,” “New O’leans”
and “Moon River,” and the liner notes by Rhodes Spedale detail the relationship
JerseyReviewsJazz
of each song to the overall theme of the album. For most listeners, the music is
what attracts them to an album, and the music here is outstanding. These are
musicians who play with dexterity and feeling. Sherman still has a small voice,
but her interpretive abilities are large. Chirillo is a musician blessed with a
fertile imagination, one that is always on display on this disc. Fischer achieves a
lovely tone on both of his instruments, and, along with the steady timekeeping
of Menard, helps to lend some New Orleans spirit to the proceedings. This
tribute to the Big Easy is sure easy on the ears.
■ I remember remarking to a friend, many years ago, “I wish the world was like
a Teddy Wilson piano solo — tasteful and elegant.” Wilson was among the most
influential of all jazz pianists. He had a significant effect on the development of
DICK HYMAN and CHRIS HOPKINS. Teddy Wilson in 4 Hands (Victoria –
4369) is a duo piano album inspired by both gentlemen’s admiration for Wilson.
The 17 tracks are comprised of songs recorded by Wilson at various stages of
his career. Hyman, who was mentored by Wilson early in his career, is a
formidably eclectic pianist. Hopkins is a younger player who has developed a
style that reflects the influence of pianists of the swing and pre-swing eras,
particularly that of Wilson.A natural empathy exists between Hyman and
Hopkins that makes this pairing work wonderfully. They give a nod toward
Wilson on occasion, but at most times rely on developing their approaches to
each song independently of the Wilson style. The final result is a satisfying
expedition to the land of the twin 88s, with the two guides taking the listener
to many delightful destinations.
■ LOUIS MAZETIER leads a dual life. His regular gig is as a respected radiologist.
His avocation is playing jazz piano. It is in the latter role that he has
gained international fame. Mazetier is most recognized for his stride chops, but
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38 __________________________________ June 2008