Gary Foster (alto sax); Mark
Turner (tenor sax); Putter Smith (bass); Joe LaBarbera (drums)
Review by Dave Brownlow
The ‘Lennie Tristano School’ had
a big influence on the evolution of jazz and its subsequent history. It included
many “collaborators” in the 1940s and early ‘50s notably Tristano himself, Lee
Konitz, Warne Marsh, Billy Bauer and our own Ronnie Ball and Peter Ind and
three of them provide compositions for this double CD.
Background Music is a long up-tempo romp through Warne Marsh’s
sinuous contrafact based on All Of Me where
all four players shine. Sonny Red’s Teef,
at a bluesy mid-tempo, is perfect for their free-flowing ideas. Tristano’s Lennies Pennies based on Pennies From Heaven is well guided by
the hard working Putter Smith whose lithe bass shoulders the entire chordal
responsibility throughout the album. A musical drum solo from LaBarbera reminds
us that he’s lost none of his technique and ideas since the years when he was
such an integral part of Bill Evans’ latter trios.
Harold Arlen and Johnnie Mercer’s
Come Rain Or Come Shine - a feature
for Turner- begins with an astonishing unaccompanied cadenza subtly leading to
an oblique theme statement as the band joins in. Bass, then an extended,
complex tenor workout leads to another fine, tasteful LaBarbera contribution.
Tristano’s oblique 317 East
32nd Street
What’s New? Bob Haggart and Johnny Burke’s standard from the
GASbook is taken at a comfortable, relaxed tempo as a feature for Foster. His
alto tone is more Desmond than Konitz on this selection. Finally, Konitz’s Subconscious-Lee begins with out-of
tempo contributions from all before Lee’s fiendish theme based on What Is This Thing Called Love? develops
into an improvised duet from the saxes including a passing reference to Hot House the famous bebop contrafact so
often used by Bird and Diz.
Overall, a fine double CD
featuring four of today’s masters playing at the top of their game with
fluency, imagination and confidence.
Dave B
Available May 17 on CAPRI 74156-2
from: http://caprirecords.com
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