Getz, Stan - Stan Getz and Oscar Peterson Trio
I Want To Be Happy is a yearning expressed by many and for me this nebulous aim is aided immensely by Stan Getz's playing here. Or could it be Oscar Peterson's thrilling counterpoint? Or the fact that with nought but crotchets in view the bass and guitar groove harder than any modern rhythm section's powerhouse drummer? The time here is ridiculously tight and propels Stan Getz continually onwards with his taught but mellow tenor sound. It allows him to play at his very best and most intricate. Thoroughly at ease in bebop language but with a joy and a pretty sense of melody Getz never fails to delight in this, one of the first albums I ever owned. I've been listening to this with increasing frequency for the last 25 years and it only seems to open up new vistas on each hearing.
Pennies from Heaven is next and is transparently optimistic. The harmony is spelled out in such crystal clear outlines by all four musicians that it sounds though one could extract any one part and know in an instant which tune was being played. The cheeky aural skills of Peterson playfully toy with the closing lick in Getz's solo here. An abrupt key change lets us know that the pennies have nearly all been spent.
An interesting medley follows, beginning with the touching strains of Bewitched. Gleefully enchanting, the band never stray into the darker side of jazz. Here is the bright, the entertaining, yet sophisticated musical offering of jazz greats, too often overlooked. Our first guitar solo takes us into a beautiful duet with the bass. Peterson plays a jazz aria as the transition to I Don't Know Why emerges. The last tune in the melody is How Long. There are moments of dissonant melancholy, but they are never dwelt upon overly much. The bass finally has an opportunity to shine and does so with a rare quality of clear diction. The extended solo is genuine and aided by those jazz mutterings and noises so beloved by upright players. When Getz re-enters there is a sense of wholeness which the middle sections of medley have set us up for. I suspect that many musicians roll their eyes at the notion of medleys, something about them seems a little disingenuous. This exquisite arrangement ought to change the mind of even the most cynical.
I'm Glad There Is You again demonstrates the flexibility of this band, beginning unusually with only guitar and sax. Intonation is watertight and the understated, assured playing is an ongoing delight. Getz's shimmering, breath-infused vibrato is certainly from another age, but is refreshing as a foil to the current glut of testosterone-charged tenor bawlers. Getz's echoing the descending guitar line demonstrates his fantastic alertness as an artist. It has to be commented what a tragic waste of life his drug abuse led to. To those who feel that certain music could only have been created by a cocaine or heroin-powered performance I say they may be correct, but I would have voted for more clean music from these musicians and not to have left their family, friends and listeners bereaved in so many ways.
The Tour's End is pacy and energetic despite dry-reed squeaks from Getz. The mini breaks and partial stop-time maintain the feel without fail.
I Was Doing Alright's sentiments perhaps should have been taken more seriously by Getz who was described by Zoot Sims as "a nice bunch of guys" with respect to his personality and erratic behaviour.
Bronx Blues shows the group at its most bluesy, in a hot, slow and heavy rendition. Plenty of space is left on this 1958 recording, and is one of the earliest jazz albums to have an acceptable standard of recording, technically speaking. The detail is all quite clear and no producer's tinkering has spoiled the reality of the performance.
That breathy vibrato, so similar to Paul Desmond's is quite beautiful and even seems to be clearly audible in louder passages. Three Little Words is presented with a similar quality to the earlier I Want To Be Happy. More sequences here excite the rhythm section who drive on with inexorable force.
The incredible sax solo is followed by an equally engaging piano improv. Detour Ahead has a side-step not dissimilar to the beautiful Lush Life by Billy Strayhorn. The standards chosen here a little obscure by today's conventions but this is a record more people should be aware off. An unusual fade out Sunday leads to the quirky Blues for Herky, the trio grooving away at their indefatigable best. Getz enters later with probably the most robust playing of the record. Peterson's left hand works a virtuosic overtime in this boogie and demonstrates why he is a favourite of even classical pianists. The final chorus is simple with a fun little tag. Immensely enjoyable even without the kit.
Pennies from Heaven is next and is transparently optimistic. The harmony is spelled out in such crystal clear outlines by all four musicians that it sounds though one could extract any one part and know in an instant which tune was being played. The cheeky aural skills of Peterson playfully toy with the closing lick in Getz's solo here. An abrupt key change lets us know that the pennies have nearly all been spent.
An interesting medley follows, beginning with the touching strains of Bewitched. Gleefully enchanting, the band never stray into the darker side of jazz. Here is the bright, the entertaining, yet sophisticated musical offering of jazz greats, too often overlooked. Our first guitar solo takes us into a beautiful duet with the bass. Peterson plays a jazz aria as the transition to I Don't Know Why emerges. The last tune in the melody is How Long. There are moments of dissonant melancholy, but they are never dwelt upon overly much. The bass finally has an opportunity to shine and does so with a rare quality of clear diction. The extended solo is genuine and aided by those jazz mutterings and noises so beloved by upright players. When Getz re-enters there is a sense of wholeness which the middle sections of medley have set us up for. I suspect that many musicians roll their eyes at the notion of medleys, something about them seems a little disingenuous. This exquisite arrangement ought to change the mind of even the most cynical.
I'm Glad There Is You again demonstrates the flexibility of this band, beginning unusually with only guitar and sax. Intonation is watertight and the understated, assured playing is an ongoing delight. Getz's shimmering, breath-infused vibrato is certainly from another age, but is refreshing as a foil to the current glut of testosterone-charged tenor bawlers. Getz's echoing the descending guitar line demonstrates his fantastic alertness as an artist. It has to be commented what a tragic waste of life his drug abuse led to. To those who feel that certain music could only have been created by a cocaine or heroin-powered performance I say they may be correct, but I would have voted for more clean music from these musicians and not to have left their family, friends and listeners bereaved in so many ways.
The Tour's End is pacy and energetic despite dry-reed squeaks from Getz. The mini breaks and partial stop-time maintain the feel without fail.
I Was Doing Alright's sentiments perhaps should have been taken more seriously by Getz who was described by Zoot Sims as "a nice bunch of guys" with respect to his personality and erratic behaviour.
Bronx Blues shows the group at its most bluesy, in a hot, slow and heavy rendition. Plenty of space is left on this 1958 recording, and is one of the earliest jazz albums to have an acceptable standard of recording, technically speaking. The detail is all quite clear and no producer's tinkering has spoiled the reality of the performance.
That breathy vibrato, so similar to Paul Desmond's is quite beautiful and even seems to be clearly audible in louder passages. Three Little Words is presented with a similar quality to the earlier I Want To Be Happy. More sequences here excite the rhythm section who drive on with inexorable force.
The incredible sax solo is followed by an equally engaging piano improv. Detour Ahead has a side-step not dissimilar to the beautiful Lush Life by Billy Strayhorn. The standards chosen here a little obscure by today's conventions but this is a record more people should be aware off. An unusual fade out Sunday leads to the quirky Blues for Herky, the trio grooving away at their indefatigable best. Getz enters later with probably the most robust playing of the record. Peterson's left hand works a virtuosic overtime in this boogie and demonstrates why he is a favourite of even classical pianists. The final chorus is simple with a fun little tag. Immensely enjoyable even without the kit.