|
|
|
 |
 |
GJazz Records Reviews
CD Review: One Final Note George Gee Big Band by David Dupont As an arranger for Count Basie, Frank Foster helped refine the sound of the contemporary big band. It's a robust style that boldfaces the sense of swing with virtuosic ensemble playing. It borrows the brassy quality of Kenton and the extended harmonies of bebop, using them to fuel a relentless sense of momentum. The goal is to have more than a dozen horns blow lines with the intricacy and spontaneity of an improvised solo and the precision of the Marine Band. Even the ballads seem to have that power in reserve. On Settin' the Pace, George Gee turned his posse of New York-based sharpshooters over to Foster for a set that serves as an object lesson in the state of the art. There's bop here, a few vocals, some bebop, and even mambo. What suffuses the whole session though is swing—elemental at its core, but dressed up in high fashion. The brief fanfare that introduces the first track "Out of Nowhere" serves as well to announce the entire session. The ensemble offers up a tack-sharp reading of the melody streamlined in the service of forward propulsion. Then the saxophones, as if unable to restrain themselves, burst out with a swooping theme variation. Mark McGowan on flugelhorn and tenor saxophonist Michael Hashim each take spots that seem relaxed in contrast to the tightly wound ensembles. Each solo is introduced by a brassy abstraction of the original melody, and Foster even builds his closing shout chorus around that phrase. That sense of tidy elaboration is evident throughout Settin' the Pace. Surely having worked with Basie, the great musical editor, has left its mark. Foster never indulges in a wasted gesture. His originals "Settin' the Pace" and "Ready Now That You Are GG" would have been right at home in the Basie book. Both open up to give members of the band a chance to blow with guest baritone saxophonist Howard Johnson making his mark on "Settin' the Pace", which also has a lively exchange between three veteran trombonists—Eddie Bert, Charles Stephens, and Jack Jeffers. Guitarist Joe Cohn takes top honors with an extended spot on "Ready Now..." Everyone in the band, in fact, gets at least one chance to blow over the course of the program. Fosters crafts the features "Bass in Yo' Face" for bassist Daryl Hall and "When Your Lover Has Gone" for extroverted lead trumpet man Walt Szymanski. While a bass feature may seem an exercise in tedium, Foster elicits fine playing from Hall by framing his sprints with short blasts from the horns. Foster's treatment of Ellington's "In a Sentimental Mood" shows he's inclined an ear that way as well. The opening chorus with Robert Trowers lending a bit of wah-wah trombone evokes the master's tone poems. Foster reverts to his own trademark blending of flutes with Harmon-muted trumpets for the body of the ballad. The arranger also provides a trio of evocative settings for vocalist Carla Cook. He cloaks her rendition of "The Very Thought of You" with woodwinds and muted brass in the beginning, slowly opening up the sound to usher in full-throated brass to accompany her as she builds to an emotional climax. On "Lover Come Back to Me", she floats over sashaying saxophones as the brass provides exclamation marks. The mid-chorus has the brass punching out the theme with the saxophones adding commentary. By the end, it's the brass that's leading the way behind the vocal. "Autumn Leaves" is given up-tempo treatment with Cook adding some scat to the mix. The proceedings wrap up with "Scrapple from the Apple". Alto saxophonist Ed Pazant plays the role of Charlie Parker with bright, edgy blowing while trumpeter Shawn Edmonds offers a mellower stance a la Miles. They trade off phrases throughout the tune battling through hard swinging ensembles. The way Foster mixes up the improvisation with the ensemble is inspired, and a fitting conclusion to a session that's all about swing.
|
|