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Ben Webster Meets Oscar Peterson: The Legendary Sessions
Another fine Webster release on Verve that sees the tenor great once again backed by the deluxe Oscar Peterson Trio. In keeping with the high standard of their Soulville collaboration of two years prior, Webster and the trio -- Peterson is joined by bassist Ray Brown and drummer Ed Thigpen -- use this 1959 date to conduct a clinic in ballad playing. And while Soulville certainly ranks as one of the tenor saxophonist's best discs, the Ben Webster Meets Oscar Peterson set gets even higher marks for its almost transcendent marriage of after-hours elegance and effortless mid-tempo swing -- none of Webster's boogie-woogie piano work to break up the mood here. Besides reinvigorating such lithe strollers as "Bye Bye Blackbird" (nice bass work by Brown here) and "This Can't Be Love," Webster and company achieve classic status for their interpretation of the Sinatra gem "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning." And to reassure Peterson fans worried about scant solo time for their hero, the pianist lays down a healthy number of extended runs, unobtrusively shadowing Webster's vaporous tone and supple phrasing along the way. Not only a definite first-disc choice for Webster newcomers, but one of the jazz legend's all-time great records. Stephen Cook, Rovi
Body and Soul (Greatest Hits, Instrumental)
As was the case with Fats Waller, Erroll Garner's natural and advanced musical talent ingratiated him to jazz aficionados and experts alike. Garner took to the piano intuitively, never needing to take lessons because of his exceptional ear for music. Further breaking the mold, he transcended many of the jazz styles he came up with, including both swing and bebop. You hear the power of swing pianist Earl Hines in his fleet and robust approach, and, yes, he once played with Charlie Parker, but as heard on this Columbia collection from 1951-1952, Garner concocts a unique blend of the big band's svelte rhythms and bebop's heady swing. On the 20 gems found on Body and Soul, Garner employs a rush of dynamics, yet never compromises the inherent lyricism of the set's many standards. This balancing act cuts across a varied set of brisk swingers (Waller's "Honeysuckle Rose"), fine ballads ("I Can't Get Started"), and medium-tempo strollers ("It's the Talk of the Town"). In light of Garner's thoroughly engaging and self-contained work at the piano, even the fact that bassist John Simmons and drummer Shadow Wilson are practically inaudible becomes negligible. Garner bolsters many of these "little symphonies" with clever intros: a miniature recasting of the song's chord and harmonic structure, heard to sublime effect here on "Summertime" and "Body and Soul" (Garner would expand these preambles in the future, particularly on solo piano outings). And in response to criticisms of his playing being too ornate (extra tremolo on the ballads), it should be said that part of Garner's charm is his "old-fashioned" phrasing, part of the romantic and urbane touch he employs to keep said indulgences in check most of the time. Body and Soul is a fine collection of early Garner sides. Highly recommended. Stephen Cook, Rovi
Quickstep (Instrumental)
Prior to adding duet recordings and cross-cultural jazz discs to his catalog, pianist Kenny Barron focused on hard bop combo dates during the '70s and '80s. Both as a leader and sideman, Barron displayed his considerable writing and playing skills in the company of top New York jazz musicians, refining the sound heard on classic '60s Blue Note releases by Art Blakey, Wayne Shorter, and Hank Mobley, and in the process offering a seasoned alternative to the academic work of Wynton Marsalis. One of the highlights of this fine stretch is Barron's 1992 Enja release Quickstep. Featuring a stellar quintet including tenor saxophonist John Stubblefied, trumpeter Eddie Henderson, bassist David Williams, and drummer Victor Lewis, Quickstep not only provides plenty of room for these accomplished soloists, but also showcases the writing talents of Lewis, Stubblefield, and, of course, Barron. Showing a drummer's knack for manifold arrangements, Lewis offers up the coolly complex "I Wanted to Say" and the monumental, blues-tinged piece "Big Girls," which includes a bravura solo by Stubblefield. And while Stubblefield contributes an engaging and multi-textured swinger in "Once Upon a Tme" and the moody, Shorter-esque stroller "Here and There," Barron offers up the beautiful samba "Until Then" and the fleet swinging "Quickstep." A fine modern hard bop release. Stephen Cook, Rovi