When the subject is music, it's hard to get a word in edgewisewith Phil Woods. An hour before his Tuesday opening set at the JazzShowcase, the alto saxophonist had every right to be fatigued: Hisflight to Chicago had been delayed two hours. But when you're hot,you're never shot. The past year has been so extraordinary for himartistically, there's no slowing down.
"It's been fun," said Woods, who has outdone himself with threewonderful, varied recordings: "Bop Stew" (Concord Jazz), alive-in-Japan set by his quintet (Volume 2 is due in about a week);"Evolution" (Concord), a stellar feat of arranging, featuring PhilWoods' Little Big Band (the quintet plus three horns), and "Here's toMy Lady" (Chesky), a new compact disc, teaming him with pianist TommyFlanagan, bassist George Mraz and drummer Kenny Washington.
Woods still is glowing over the special way in which "Lady" wasrecorded last December. Producers David and Norman Chesky, who hadspecialized in classical music, eschewed the usual division-of-laborapproach, gathering the players around a single microphone andkeeping the bass amp in the closet.
"That was right up my alley," said Woods, an auralfundamentalist who likes to perform without amplification. As achange of pace, he embraced the short form, cutting songs in thefive-minute range instead of the longer ones the quintet records."You can't do it with a bona fide jazz band, because you have to giveeveryone a chance to stretch out," he said. "But with only one horn,and a bassist like George, who doesn't solo much, I had theopportunity. It was like returning to the days of 78s. I think it'ssomething every artist should deal with once in a while."
Whatever the glories of "solo" Phil, it's his longstandingquintet that matters most: pianist Hal Galper, bassist Steve Gilmoreand drummer Bill Goodwin (all of whom have been with Woods for morethan a dozen years) and trumpeter Tom Harrell, a native of DownstateUrbana, who signed up five years ago. At a time when the workinggroup is an endangered species, the Phil Woods Quintet is a happyexception to the rule.
"Sometimes we take ourselves for granted," said Woods, 57. "Thatwe've managed to stay together so long, and get along so well, ismore amazing to the people who love us. Fact is, we all need themusic we play."
There's no questioning the role that Harrell, 42, has played ininspiring Woods to greater artistry. "If Tommy isn't a genius, no oneis," said the leader. "He's an amazing writer. He just came in with22 new tunes. And as a player, he never relies on the licks anddevices us mere mortals resort to. His soloing is full-blown, rightoff the high board."
What many people didn't know until it was revealed in the linernotes to Harrell's fine new LP, "Stories" (Contemporary), is that hesuffers from schizophrenia and is constantly under heavy medication.In the absence of that knowledge, some fans and writers haveresponded cruelly to his catatonic appearance. Woods, Harrell'sprotector, flashes anger over this. But, he said, the trumpeterdoesn't get a free pass: He has to carry his own weight.
At the Showcase, 636 S. Michigan, where Woods will performthrough Sunday, the quintet is breaking in some terrific,soon-to-be-recorded new material by Woods and Harrell. TrombonistHal Crook, a member of the Little Big Band, will join them in thestudio, giving the songs added harmonic coloring.
Woods said he is a bit disappointed that the L B B hasn't hadmany calls for live dates. But that's unlikely to slow theenterprise down. A onetime Juilliard student, Woods plans to writeand record a belated sequel to his recently reissued 1961 jazz suite,"Rights of Swing."
"Obscure harmonies have always intrigued me," he said. "And withthese guys to write for, the possibilities are endless."
SARDINE SWING: Considering that on an average trio-music night,only a relative handful of people can be squeezed into the Gold StarSardine Bar, 680 N. Lake Shore Dr., it's a bit ludicrous to tout anevent involving a 17-piece band. But for those with the willpower topush their way in and the fortitude to endure pressed flesh,tomorrow's appearance by the Loren Schoenberg Big Band is highlyrecommended.
The theme of the one-night-only gig is a tribute to BennyGoodman, with whom Schoenberg, 30, studied and played. That maysuggest woozy nostalgia, but Schoenberg's specialty is pumpingvitality and modern relevance into the swing thing. A gifted tenorsaxophonist, he also has the chops to ride excitingly over the music,in much the same way that his mentor did.
"Solid Ground" (Musicmasters), the new recording by Schoenbergand his Jazz Orchestra, demonstrates his ability to go way beyondGoodman territory. Taking in pieces by Benny Carter and EddieSauter, Billy Strayhorn and Thelonious Monk - "Blue Monk," arrangedby Gary McFarland, is a delight - it's one of the liveliest and mostsuccinctly rewarding big-band efforts in quite some time.
RECORDINGS: SUSANNAH McCORKLE, "No More Blues" (Concord Jazz)(STAR) (STAR)
Because of her blend of intellect and musicality, SusannahMcCorkle is many critics' vision of an ideal singer. To these ears,though, her determination to impart cleverness gets in the way of thestandards in which she specializes. Backed by a first-rate band ledby Ken Peplowski (a frequent cohort of Loren Schoenberg) andincluding Dave Frisberg and Emily Remler, McCorkle does well byAntonio Carlos Jobim's title cut. But her maiden effort for Concordleaves this critic's emotions untouched.
No comments:
Post a Comment