JAM Magazine: April/May 1995 Issue: For the Record

Claude "Fiddler" Williams
SWING TIME IN NEW YORK
Progressive PCD-7093

Personnel: Williams, violin/vocals; Bill Easley, tenor saxophone/flute/music director; Sir Roland Hanna, piano; Earl May, bass; Joe Ascione, drums.

Tracks: Limehouse Blues; Laura; You've Got To See Your Mama Ev'ry Night or You Can't See Mama At All; I've Got The World On A String; Mood Indigo; You Are The Sunshine Of My Life; Just You, Just Me; Mean To Me; Lester Leaps In; My Buddy; I Can't Give You Anything But Love; Just Squeeze Me (But Please Don't Tease Me); Straight, No Chaser; I Want You, I Need You.

Recorded: September 5, 1994, Seltzer Sound, New York City

For decades, Kansas Citians have know that Claude "Fiddler" Williams is one of the region's great resources. For the 87-year-old native of Muskogee, Oklahoma, national recognition has been more elusive. Over the past decade, though, more and more people -- the general public as well as players -- have come under the Fiddler's spell.

The breakthrough was Claude's appearance in the 1990 Broadway revue, Black and Blue, an exuberant celebration of traditional Afro-American jazz. To the producers' credit, the show's on-stage band was made up of bona fide jazzers, musicians who had not only played, but also lived, the music. Chief among the featured all-stars was the one-and-only Fiddler Williams.

With a fistful of raves and nightly exposure to the cosmopolitan New York theater crowd, it wasn't surprising that the "newly re-discovered" Williams became the object of record producers' attentions. In 1993, Claude Williams Live at J's (Arhoolie CD 405/406) was released to an enthusiastic press and public. Now, we have Swing Time in New York, arguably Claude's finest recording to date.

Everything clicks. Indeed, the swinging simpatico between Claude and reedman Bill Easley, pianist Roland Hanna, bassist Earl May and drummer Joe Ascione is itself a small miracle. Part of the explanation for the tight hand-in-glove interplay goes back to Black and Blue, where Williams, Easley, Hanna and May helped lift the bandstand night after night, week after week, month after month. The honing of the group's shared vision was sharpened further on a 1993 jazz cruise dedicated to Dizzy Gillespie aboard the S.S. Norway with Williams, May and drummer Ascione.

The repertory, much of which will be familiar to Claude's Kansas City fans, is nonetheless noteworthy since Claude has never before recorded any of the 14 tunes included here. Thus, we now have indelible versions of such Claudian staples as "You've Got To See Your Mama Ev'ry Night or You Can't See Her At All" and "Mean To Me" which include Claude's inimitable and heartfelt vocal and violin work. Along with such traditional material out of jazzdom's bluesy bedrock, there's an impressive take on Stevie Wonder's "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" which more than proves that "everything's up to date in Kansas City" and with Claude.

Thanks to music director Bill Easley -- whose tenor, clarinet and flute provide perfect support -- we get to hear Claude struttin' his stuff in genuinely modern as well as more traditional settings. Tracks like "Straight, No Chaser," for example, jump with post-boppish abandon. Indeed, framing Claude's virtuosic violining in something other than a 1930s/KC swing groove, may be the album's most impressive feature -- and revelation.

From start to finish, Claude and company bop (and swing) with a musical panache that promises to make this a classic. Congratulations, Fiddler!

-- Chuck Berg

Karrin Allyson
AZURE-TE'
Concord Jazz CCD-4641

Personnel: Allyson, vocals and piano; Todd Strait, drums; Bob Bowman, bass; Rod Fleeman, acoustic guitar; Danny Embrey, electric guitar; Paul Smith, piano; Kim Park, alto & tenor saxophone; Laura Caviani, piano; Gerald Spaits, bass; Claude "Fiddler" Williams, violin; Bryan Hicks, vocal; Stan Kessler, trumpet & flugelhorn; Mike Metheny, flugelhorn; Randy Weinstein, harmonica.

Tracks: How High The Moon/Ornithology; Gee Baby; Bernie's Tune; Night And Day; Blame It On My Youth; Yardbird Suite; Good Morning Heartache; Stompin' At The Savoy; Azure-Te'; Some Other Time; Samba '88

Recorded: Nov. 14-16, 1994, Soundtrek Studios, Kansas City, MO

I suppose it was once fashionable to call Karrin Allyson an "up and coming" young jazz singer, especially after her first two Concord releases, I Didn't Know About You and Sweet Home Cookin'. With her third release, however, there is no doubt: Karrin has arrived! Her new album, titled Azure-Te', is sensational. Not only is Karrin's singing great and the program perfect, but all of the outstanding musicians on the CD (with the exception of Laura Caviani, a pianist and friend from Minneapolis) are from Kansas City! This is a wonderful opportunity for Karrin to show jazz lovers all over the country just how excellent our area players really are.

Karrin's vocals here are top-notch on ballads, rhythm tunes and scat choruses alike. I'm especially impressed with the program she has selected. Included are great popular and jazz classics as well as some wonderful yet rarely performed gems like "Blame It On My Youth" by Oscar Levant and Ed Heyman, Bill Davis and Don Wolf's "Azure-Te'" and "Some Other Time" from Leonard Bernstein's 1944 Broadway musical, "On The Town."

The playing of all the musicians on the album is truly impressive and it would be impossible to single out any one person's performance. Karrin has utilized the talent well by picking just the right combination of players for each track.

This release is as good as any vocal CD you'll find anywhere. Karrin is as serious about her work as any artist could be and her very personal approach and style will keep her on top for many years to come.

Azure-Te' is a real winner. Hurry to your favorite "house of sounds" and add it to your collection.

-- Dick Wright

Tim Whitmer
THE CONCERT
Canyon Don Records #1115

Personnel: Tim Whitmer, piano & musical director; Kim Park, flute; Jim Mair, soprano saxophone and percussion; James Albright, acoustic bass; Chico Battaglia, percussion; Jurgen Welge, drums.

Tracks: Morning in Venice (Medina Venezia); Owls, Hugs and Rainbows; Suite for Black Orpheus; Humorous Intentions; Senoritas; Rays of Hope

When one thinks of Tim Whitmer, the picture is usually of the entertainer who sits behind the piano at the Phoenix Piano Bar & Grill where he keeps packed houses clapping their hands, bouncing their feet, and crooning "One more time!" With Tim's last CD, however (Humorous Intentions), he gave just a hint (on "Poem for George") that there was something else behind the "let the good times roll" persona we have come to know.

"The Concert presents at least part of this other, deeper side of Tim Whitmer. Recorded live at Unity Temple on the Country Club Plaza, Tim and friends made the most of a perfect setting. For those of us who were present, an inspirational journey was about to begin -- a journey into solitude that made one feel totally at peace. All concern for whether it was "jazz," or an unlimited quest for spirituality, or simply an evening of creative relaxation, was gone. I left the Temple wanting to relive the night. And now, thanks to this CD, that's possible.

"Morning in Venice" is a duet with Tim and longtime friend, Kim Park on flute. On this tune, moods change rapidly reminding the listener of a Jonathan Livingston Seagull flight to anyplace and everywhere. Next is "Owls, Hugs and Rainbows," a piano solo that serves as an introduction to Tim's classical side while creating a vibrant yet tranquil kind of mood.

"Suite For Black Orpheus" is the only non-original on this album. It begins with piano-string strumming that is soon joined by Albright's bass, the percussion of Battaglia and Mair, and then the drumming of Welge. The result is over 11 minutes of polyrhythmic drama.

The lighter of side of this CD is a live version of "Humorous Intentions." Jim Mair is his usual outstanding self, James Albright shows both talent and inspiration on bass, and Jurgen Welge excites the audience with a brief drum solo. "Senoritas," as the title suggests, offers a light Latin touch to the album. Albright especially shines on this tune with the rhythmic support of Battaglia. The final four minutes of In Concert is another Whitmer original in which his solo piano tells us of his "Rays of Hope."

This album captures the more reflective and introspective side of one of Kansas City's most popular jazz musicians, and it is worthy of your investment. The Concert is a CD that will appreciate nicely in your portfolio of jazz.

-- Dean Hampton

RETURN TO APRIL/MAY 1995 MAIN INDEX

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© Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2001. All rights reserved.






	Search our site:		Claude "Fiddler" Williams SWING TIME IN NEW YORK Progressive PCD-7093 Personnel: Williams, violin/vocals; Bill Easley, tenor saxophone/flute/music director; Sir Roland Hanna, piano; Earl May, bass; Joe Ascione, drums. Tracks: Limehouse Blues; Laura; You've Got To See Your Mama Ev'ry Night or You Can't See Mama At All; I've Got The World On A String; Mood Indigo; You Are The Sunshine Of My Life; Just You, Just Me; Mean To Me; Lester Leaps In; My Buddy; I Can't Give You Anything But Love; Just Squeeze Me (But Please Don't Tease Me); Straight, No Chaser; I Want You, I Need You. Recorded: September 5, 1994, Seltzer Sound, New York City For decades, Kansas Citians have know that Claude "Fiddler" Williams is one of the region's great resources. For the 87-year-old native of Muskogee, Oklahoma, national recognition has been more elusive. Over the past decade, though, more and more people -- the general public as well as players -- have come under the Fiddler's spell. The breakthrough was Claude's appearance in the 1990 Broadway revue, Black and Blue, an exuberant celebration of traditional Afro-American jazz. To the producers' credit, the show's on-stage band was made up of bona fide jazzers, musicians who had not only played, but also lived, the music. Chief among the featured all-stars was the one-and-only Fiddler Williams. With a fistful of raves and nightly exposure to the cosmopolitan New York theater crowd, it wasn't surprising that the "newly re-discovered" Williams became the object of record producers' attentions. In 1993, Claude Williams Live at J's (Arhoolie CD 405/406) was released to an enthusiastic press and public. Now, we have Swing Time in New York, arguably Claude's finest recording to date. Everything clicks. Indeed, the swinging simpatico between Claude and reedman Bill Easley, pianist Roland Hanna, bassist Earl May and drummer Joe Ascione is itself a small miracle. Part of the explanation for the tight hand-in-glove interplay goes back to Black and Blue, where Williams, Easley, Hanna and May helped lift the bandstand night after night, week after week, month after month. The honing of the group's shared vision was sharpened further on a 1993 jazz cruise dedicated to Dizzy Gillespie aboard the S.S. Norway with Williams, May and drummer Ascione. The repertory, much of which will be familiar to Claude's Kansas City fans, is nonetheless noteworthy since Claude has never before recorded any of the 14 tunes included here. Thus, we now have indelible versions of such Claudian staples as "You've Got To See Your Mama Ev'ry Night or You Can't See Her At All" and "Mean To Me" which include Claude's inimitable and heartfelt vocal and violin work. Along with such traditional material out of jazzdom's bluesy bedrock, there's an impressive take on Stevie Wonder's "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" which more than proves that "everything's up to date in Kansas City" and with Claude. Thanks to music director Bill Easley -- whose tenor, clarinet and flute provide perfect support -- we get to hear Claude struttin' his stuff in genuinely modern as well as more traditional settings. Tracks like "Straight, No Chaser," for example, jump with post-boppish abandon. Indeed, framing Claude's virtuosic violining in something other than a 1930s/KC swing groove, may be the album's most impressive feature -- and revelation. From start to finish, Claude and company bop (and swing) with a musical panache that promises to make this a classic. Congratulations, Fiddler! -- Chuck Berg Karrin Allyson AZURE-TE' Concord Jazz CCD-4641 Personnel: Allyson, vocals and piano; Todd Strait, drums; Bob Bowman, bass; Rod Fleeman, acoustic guitar; Danny Embrey, electric guitar; Paul Smith, piano; Kim Park, alto & tenor saxophone; Laura Caviani, piano; Gerald Spaits, bass; Claude "Fiddler" Williams, violin; Bryan Hicks, vocal; Stan Kessler, trumpet & flugelhorn; Mike Metheny, flugelhorn; Randy Weinstein, harmonica. Tracks: How High The Moon/Ornithology; Gee Baby; Bernie's Tune; Night And Day; Blame It On My Youth; Yardbird Suite; Good Morning Heartache; Stompin' At The Savoy; Azure-Te'; Some Other Time; Samba '88 Recorded: Nov. 14-16, 1994, Soundtrek Studios, Kansas City, MO I suppose it was once fashionable to call Karrin Allyson an "up and coming" young jazz singer, especially after her first two Concord releases, I Didn't Know About You and Sweet Home Cookin'. With her third release, however, there is no doubt: Karrin has arrived! Her new album, titled Azure-Te', is sensational. Not only is Karrin's singing great and the program perfect, but all of the outstanding musicians on the CD (with the exception of Laura Caviani, a pianist and friend from Minneapolis) are from Kansas City! This is a wonderful opportunity for Karrin to show jazz lovers all over the country just how excellent our area players really are. Karrin's vocals here are top-notch on ballads, rhythm tunes and scat choruses alike. I'm especially impressed with the program she has selected. Included are great popular and jazz classics as well as some wonderful yet rarely performed gems like "Blame It On My Youth" by Oscar Levant and Ed Heyman, Bill Davis and Don Wolf's "Azure-Te'" and "Some Other Time" from Leonard Bernstein's 1944 Broadway musical, "On The Town." The playing of all the musicians on the album is truly impressive and it would be impossible to single out any one person's performance. Karrin has utilized the talent well by picking just the right combination of players for each track. This release is as good as any vocal CD you'll find anywhere. Karrin is as serious about her work as any artist could be and her very personal approach and style will keep her on top for many years to come. Azure-Te' is a real winner. Hurry to your favorite "house of sounds" and add it to your collection. -- Dick Wright Tim Whitmer THE CONCERT Canyon Don Records #1115 Personnel: Tim Whitmer, piano & musical director; Kim Park, flute; Jim Mair, soprano saxophone and percussion; James Albright, acoustic bass; Chico Battaglia, percussion; Jurgen Welge, drums. Tracks: Morning in Venice (Medina Venezia); Owls, Hugs and Rainbows; Suite for Black Orpheus; Humorous Intentions; Senoritas; Rays of Hope When one thinks of Tim Whitmer, the picture is usually of the entertainer who sits behind the piano at the Phoenix Piano Bar & Grill where he keeps packed houses clapping their hands, bouncing their feet, and crooning "One more time!" With Tim's last CD, however (Humorous Intentions), he gave just a hint (on "Poem for George") that there was something else behind the "let the good times roll" persona we have come to know. "The Concert presents at least part of this other, deeper side of Tim Whitmer. Recorded live at Unity Temple on the Country Club Plaza, Tim and friends made the most of a perfect setting. For those of us who were present, an inspirational journey was about to begin -- a journey into solitude that made one feel totally at peace. All concern for whether it was "jazz," or an unlimited quest for spirituality, or simply an evening of creative relaxation, was gone. I left the Temple wanting to relive the night. And now, thanks to this CD, that's possible. "Morning in Venice" is a duet with Tim and longtime friend, Kim Park on flute. On this tune, moods change rapidly reminding the listener of a Jonathan Livingston Seagull flight to anyplace and everywhere. Next is "Owls, Hugs and Rainbows," a piano solo that serves as an introduction to Tim's classical side while creating a vibrant yet tranquil kind of mood. "Suite For Black Orpheus" is the only non-original on this album. It begins with piano-string strumming that is soon joined by Albright's bass, the percussion of Battaglia and Mair, and then the drumming of Welge. The result is over 11 minutes of polyrhythmic drama. The lighter of side of this CD is a live version of "Humorous Intentions." Jim Mair is his usual outstanding self, James Albright shows both talent and inspiration on bass, and Jurgen Welge excites the audience with a brief drum solo. "Senoritas," as the title suggests, offers a light Latin touch to the album. Albright especially shines on this tune with the rhythmic support of Battaglia. The final four minutes of In Concert is another Whitmer original in which his solo piano tells us of his "Rays of Hope." This album captures the more reflective and introspective side of one of Kansas City's most popular jazz musicians, and it is worthy of your investment. The Concert is a CD that will appreciate nicely in your portfolio of jazz. -- Dean Hampton RETURN TO APRIL/MAY 1995 MAIN INDEX ------------------------------------------------------------------------ © Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2001. All rights reserved.