If you stopped a person on the street and asked them “Who was Carl Saunders?” you would get everything from “Isn’t he a poet we read in high school” to “I know – he’s the KFC Colonel, right?” Most jazz musicians (and definitely trumpeters) know better. Saunders was, in the view of this writer, a savant, a composer of over 300 original songs, a scratch golfer, a very good pianist, a drummer, and of course, a highly-respected lead and jazz trumpeter. Saunders’ dear friend, vocalist, pianist, educator, and stellar performer in her own right, Marina Pacowski and a cadre of the best in LA pay high tribute to Saunders with fourteen original selections (a dozen of Carl’s), each one brilliantly performed.
Pacowski opens smashingly with August in New York, a fine swinger. After burning through the lyrics, she gives a killer scat foray after which each of her colleagues make brief statements. The musical “Easter Eggs” you’ll hear on this are a wry arranging touch.
Things simmer down with High on Blueberry Hill, a lilting melody with Pacowski opening rubato backed by pianist Josh Nelson. The tune has a Serenade in Blue vibe. It breaks into an up-tempo segment with Nelson stretching out on a blazing solo before a rhythmic fade.
Bossa is the frame for Marina on Theme for Jobim - and scatting á la Ella is the game. Larry Koonse offers his usual tasteful solo as does Scott Whitfield (who, along with Pacowski and jazz DJ Ken Poston, co-produced). John Clayton’s haunting arco bass solo opens Feels Like Home before Pacowski covers Saunders’ Monk-ish melody with Clayton alone backing. Nelson and Clayton pas a deux before Pacowski takes it out. This is a deeply affecting track, painted brilliantly.
Asking Too Much is a straight-ahead blues and a
helluva fun side. Pacowski, perfectly pitched, scats on. Saxman Rickey Woodard offers
up a solo and Whitfield and Nelson respond with solos of their own. It’s a fun
track, begging replay. The engaging, I Need a Dream, composed by Bobby
Sherwood, Carl’s uncle and former employer, is Bossa-laced. Pacowski’s fine
scat here obviously channels Saunders’ improv stylistically.
Originally
from France, Marina, with this her second album, might not be as well-known
here as she is extensively in Europe. However, this is an outstanding vocalist
with a truly hip and deeply swinging approach. She’s perky, got flair, and uber-style.
One can easily sense a deep familiarity with Saunders’ material, as well as the
trumpeter’s highly unique (and Don Fagerquist-influenced) improvisations. Her time,
pitch sense, and diction are all dead-on. She can easily cover the broad range
of material here from the hip to the balladic to the hard-swinging. The
supporting ensemble is simply magnificent, buying completely into both the vibe
of the date and that of its honored subject.
Sweet Talk was Saunders’ and Pat Tuzzolino’s take on Neal Hefti’s classic, Girl Talk. Here Pacowski duos with guest vocalist, John Proulx who opens. This upbeat girl-guy track also has clarinetist Ken Peplowski backing and offering a terrific solo. You’re So Cute, a light swinger with Michael Dees’ lyrics and Carl’s melody, has Pacowski effervescent and very much in “Blossom.”
Do Be Do Be Do, a title grab from Sinatra’s scat, is a “swingle” swinger. Pacowski butterflies her way scatting while Stout and Whitfield are fine cup-bearers. Things get dramatic on two touching ballads later in the session, Alone and Always In My Heart. Pacowski gives a deeply emotional bravura performance on both with Nelson accompanying without intruding.
Can You Dig
Being Dug? is a hipster’s query (think Bob Dorough) in which Pacowski and
the ensemble strut and swagger. Ricky Woodard blows a muscular solo. Whitfield goes
“old school” soulful on a fine foray. The stop-time break gives drummer, Roy
McCurdy an opportunity to explore. A fun track, Chopin’s Minute Waltz
was recorded by Saunders on his album Out of the Blue (SNL Records,
1996). Here, Pacowski undertakes the 60-second challenge on solo piano,
concluding a brilliantly performed tribute to a music Master.
New
Jazz Standards Vol 7 the Music of Carl Saunders is
a grand slammer of a performance. It touches all the bases of excellence. It will
not only attract new listeners to Pacowski, but also propel the music of the
great Carl Saunders out to discerning listeners. Nick Mondello
August in New York; High on
Blueberry Pie; Theme for Jobim; Feels Like Home; Is That Asking Too Much?
Looking at You; I Need a Dream; Sweet Talk; You’re So Cute; Do Be Do Be Do;
Alone; Can You Dig Being Dug? Always in My Heart; Minute Waltz
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