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Reviews from
the July/August 2006 issue |
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BOBBY LEWIS
Instant Groove (Southport)
Longtime Chicago trumpeter-flugelhornist Bobby Lewis enjoys a
well-deserved reputation as a lyrical and swinging soloist, and
his eighth CD reinforces that assessment. With a third of the
album’s tunes from the pens of such wonderfully melodic
composers as Johnny Mandel (“The Shining Sea”), Henry Mancini
(“Dreamsville” and “Two for the Road”) and Clare Fischer
(“Morning”), one can see where Lewis’ values lie. His own
lovely waltz “Together We’ll Stay” as well as sensitive
ballads by bandmates Rob Amster (“The Evening Star”) and Pat
Mallinger (“Sauce Melba”) maintain a similar lyrical spirit.
Rounding out the program are Gerry Mulligan’s dancing “Line
for Lyons,” Walter Booker’s uptempo Latin “Saudade II,”
Wayne Shorter’s brisk modal waltz “Edda” and an
authentic-sounding arrangement of Jelly Roll Morton’s New
Orleans jazz classic “Grandpa’s Spells.”
The soloists, all top-flight veteran performers,
speak the language of hard bop, although Lewis sometimes does so
with a “cool jazz” accent. And though saxophonist Pat Mallinger
plays post-Coltrane tenor and Charlie Parker-derived alto, his
pretty alto tone and upward pitch swoops on “Sauce Melba”
suggest a reverence for Johnny Hodges as well.
A highlight is the leader’s luscious arrangement
of “Dreamsville” overdubbed by himself and Burl Lane for four
bassoons, four flugelhorns, trumpet and tenor.
-David Franklin
©1999-2006
JazzTimes, Inc. All rights reserved.
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