| CD Reviews |
| Russ Long Trio |
| Doug Talley Quartet |
| George Cables |
| Spring 2002
CD Reviews |
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The Russ Long Trio By Tom Ineck If the trio's performance Dec. 4 at the Phoenix Bar and Grill in Kansas City is any indication and it is listeners are in for a treat. But whether or not you make it to the Lincoln gig, give this CD a listen. Long, Spaits and
DeMarchi have a swinging, clockwork compatibility, and
Long is gifted with a sure sense of dynamics in his playing
and in his programming. This CD is a good example,
progressing from the too-rarely-heard Rodgers and
Hammerstein tune "We Kiss In a Shadow" to the
bluesy Long original "Can City," a slangy contraction of
his home town name. Long applies is warm, relaxed and supple
voice to his own masterpiece, "Save That Time," which already
has been covered by Karrin Allyson, Kevin Mahogany and
Joe Williams. He returns to the
blues on "It Was a Dream," a quirky tune that betrays
Long's Southern twang. "Fascinatin' Rhythm" moves things
uptempo, where all three musicians are confident
and comfortable. Long sings the title track with heartfelt emotion and a whiskey tone, then returns to the Gershwin songbook for a Gerald Spaits feature on "The Man I Love." Long breezily vocalizes again on Cole Porter's "All of You," playfully playing a unison passage that matches his voice to the piano. "Bebedo," a Long original, has an odd, Monkish quality in its construction. "Whatever Happened to You" is another wonderful choice for Long's casual vocal approach and wit. "Meatloaf" is another knockoff of the "I Got Rhythm" changes, one that Long penned back in 1959. "Wildest Gal in Town" is another highlight, a story-song lovingly told by Long on piano and vocal. "Surrey With the Fringe on Top" gallops along with joyous abandon, resting only for an inventive bass solo by Spaits and a lesson in percussion from DeMarchi. "Opus in Chartreuse" is an elegant instrumental, followed by the greasy blues of "Kidney Stew." The slow, bluesy "Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere" is the perfect nightcap to a perfect set of tunes. |
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DOUG TALLEY QUARTET By Tom Ineck On their ambitious new project, Kansas City saxophonist Doug Talley and band mates Wayne Hawkins on piano, Tim Brewer on bass and Keith Kavanaugh on drums take the listener on an historic tour of the Midwest "City of Fountains." Recorded live last year at Valley View United Methodist Church in Overland Park, Kan., Kansas City Suite captures this original music in the immediacy of the moment, complete with appreciative applause from the audience. Kansas City, of course, had a profound influence on jazz history. Under the control of corrupt mayor and political boss Tom Pendergast, it was one of the original hotbeds of swing music throughout the 1920s and 1930s. Talley primarily pays tribute to that fabulous era and some of its most prominent artists. Kansas City Suite
begins with a geography lesson called "1600 E. 18th St.,"
where the Blue Room jazz club now occupies the
famous corner of 18th and Vine. Talley bops along
on alto sax in the style of Charlie "Bird" Parker,
who got his start as a teenager playing in the area's
clubs. "City of Fountains" has a more pastoral mood, like a stroll through one of Kansas City's many parks on a warm, sunny afternoon. Hawkins delivers a soul-stirring piano solo. The beautiful ballad "The Sleeping Child" refers to one of the many sculptures in the Country Club Plaza, while the frantic-paced "The Buck Stops Here," refers to the famous pledge by Harry S. Truman, a native Missourian still revered in Kansas City. Along the way we also taste the city's legendary barbecue on "Stockyard Blues (KC Strip)" and stop into another imaginary club of long ago to listen to "Basie and Prez." We view controversial artworks at Bartle Hall on "Sky Stations" and at the Nelson-Atkins Gallery of Art on "Shuttlecocks (Badminton, Anyone?)." We visit the illuminated Country Club area during the Christmas holiday for "Plaza Lights (Plaza Nights)." Finally, with "Pendergast," we are reminded again of how the city became a mecca for jazz. Talley, Hawkins, Brewer and Kavanaugh work well together. They also are superb tour guides, making Kansas City Suite a pleasant outing.top |
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GEORGE CABLES By Tom Ineck Pianist George Cables himself is a Shared Secret, of sorts. Too infrequently recorded on a major label, Cables is a master musician and composer deserving of much wider recognition. In the 1990s, he recorded primarily for SteepleChase Records, a Swedish label with erratic distribution in the United States. This 10-track, hour-long collection of Cables originals does a lot to correct the lack of domestically released recorded material. Shared Secrets
is an sprightly and funky fusion project with a
world-class ensemble featuring Bennie Maupin on
bass clarinet, Ralf Rickert on trumpet, Gary Bartz
and Larry Klimas on saxophones and flute, Abraham Laboriel
and Alphonso Johnson bass, Peter Erskine and Vinnie Coliauta
on drums and Luis Conte and Pat Murphy on percussion.
In these capable hands, the playing is never less than
accomplished and the improvised passages are always
imaginative. Cables recorded several of these tunes during his tenure with SteepleChase, including "Blackfoot," "Beyond Forever," "Phantom of the City" and "Why Not?" Infectious Latin rhythms assert their magic spell on "5 Will Get Ya 10" and "S.F.C.B." The only tune not composed by Cables is the closer, the traditional spiritual "Go Down Moses," here given a funky rendition with Cables on acoustic and electric piano and emulator synthesizer. Gary Bartz plays the soulful lead on alto sax. To my ears, Cables is best appreciated in a trio setting where the listener can bask in the full heat and glory of his piano playing. I recommend By George, a 1987 tribute to the music of George Gershwin with bassist John Heard and drummer Ralph Penland.top |