JAM: April/May 2004 Issue: For the Record

Jim Mair
Here's To the People
JMP 301

Personnel: Jim Mair, tenor, alto, and soprano saxophones, vocals; Mike Ning, piano; James Albright, bass; Michael Warren, drums

Tracks: Mandy's Song; Purple Gazelle; You Are So Beautiful; Tiny Capers; Beauty and the Beast; Here's To the People; Stranger On the Shore; America the Beautiful; Over the Rainbow; I Never Was a Young Man; Don't Know Why

Recorded and Mastered by Don Miller, Airborne Audio Productions, Kansas City

Jim Mair calls this CD "family friendly," a description that works throughout the 11 fairly brief tracks (42 minutes total). There's no heavy stretching out here; instead, this is jazz leaning towards a more easy listening format. Not smooth jazz--this is straight-ahead jazz, reminding one of the times when tunes were kept shorter for radio airplay (the longest track runs just under five minutes). Some may think of this as perfect Sunday morning music for accompanying coffee and The Star.

There is but one original on this CD, the opener "Mandy's Song." Mair (on alto) and bassist James Albright state the attractive theme over Michael Warren's brushes. It's a quicker-than-walking-paced four, and is typical of the format: theme once, Mair one chorus, Ning one chorus, then theme and out.

The standards and jazz fare that follow aren't the overplayed pop tunes that one would expect on an "easier listening" jazz album. Duke Ellington called his "Purple Gazelle," from the For Afro-Bossa album, "the ragtime cha-cha," and it's an appropriate description. This tune has also been titled "Angelica," and was on the Duke Ellington and John Coltrane album under that name. Warren digs hard into this rhythm here. Mair's soprano and Mike Ning's piano do the theme as a call and response, and Mair and Ning follow with a chorus each before they return to the theme.

There are five cuts that delve into the popular repertoire. Billy Preston's "You Are So Beautiful" is a nice ballad feature for Mair (on tenor this time) and Ning. It's a duet, and is played fairly straight. "Beauty and the Beast" features soprano sax, a beautiful bowed bridge by James Albright, and Ning's chords make me wonder why Bill Evans never tried this one. I was never a big fan of Acker Bilk's "Stranger on the Shore," but this bossa nova treatment is growing on me. And Arlen's "Over the Rainbow" includes the chorus--most folks drop it. This was another Mair/Ning duet. And there is " America the Beautiful," which a few jazz artists have swung; here it's more of a bossa nova.

The remaining cuts also show that Mair doesn't fall back on the obvious. "Tiny Capers" is by Clifford Brown. Mair has a chance to show his tenor bop chops here. "Here's To the People," the Sonny Rollins line, is taken on soprano, and features Warren 's Latin side to advantage once again. Mair sings and whistles Gerry Mulligan's wistful "I Never Was a Young Man," which I understand Mulligan sang at a Folly appearance.

The Norah Jones hit "Don't Know Why" finishes off the CD. Albright starts it off over Warren 's tom-tom rhythm before Mair states this attractive melody. Ning takes a short melodic solo before Mair's soprano concludes the CD.

This CD is a worthy souvenir of the quartet's artistry. I've found that it holds up to repeated listenings. And I should mention that proceeds from its sale will benefit the jazz program at Kansas City Kansas Community College .

--Roger Atkinson

George Mason & Friends
Life Colors
Maple Islands Records 0125

Personnel: George Mason, violin; Mark Harris, bass; Terry Waddell, drums; Bill Caldwell, sax; James “Myles” Mylenbush, piano

Tracks: Dancing On the Wall; Little Brown Girl; Life Colors; All Blues; Modern Art Song; Mulher Bonita; Impressions; A Vision of April

Recorded and mixed in 1993 at Crystal Recording & Sound, Branson, MO by Bert Jones; effects, editing, and mastering in 2003 at Maple Islands Records, Glenwood, MN by Jeff Thornton for Going to the Moon Productions

This disk was recorded in 1993, but did not meet public ears until 2003. All tracks except “All Blues” and “Impressions” were written by leader George Mason. The two jazz standards are duets between Mason and bassist Mark Harris, the closer drops the drum and horn, with the remainder featuring the full quintet.

The opener “Dancing on the Wall”, is a spirited AABB waltz with a simple descending line. After a unison violin/tenor head, the tune serves to introduce us to the quintet; all but drummer Waddell solo, and Waddell is especially supportive throughout. It is worth noting that Waddell has deep credentials in the Country & Western world. I can't say I hear any C&W influence on any cuts on this CD.

Following Mason's theme statement and solo, KC favorite Bill Caldwell takes charge with a burning tenor solo on the Latin-flavored “Little Brown Girl.” He also provides tasty punctuation as Mason takes the tune out.

“Life Colors” is in the “Red Clay” vein; in fact, I think I hear the “Sunny” changes underneath the funky backbeat rhythm in the statement of the melody. The bridge moves to a straight four. If you don't like popped electric bass, this one may not be your favorite cut. Caldwell again takes solo honors with a couple of rough-edged choruses.

“All Blues” and “Impressions” are similar in approach. Mason's violin is outstanding (as it is throughout the recording, with a pure tone and lines not unlike a saxophonist's), and Harris' bass provides typical bass support and also feeds sustained chords to Mason, with a sound reminiscent of Philip Catherine's support on Dexter Gordon's unique “Something Different.”

It's a nice sound.

The remaining originals are also worthy. The medium-tempo “Modern Art Song” features Caldwell on the theme, and after James Mylenbush's piano solo, Bill returns for a chorus of his own. “Mulher Bonita” is a bossa nova that immediately struck me as a melody that would have been a nice TV show theme. Solo structure is a little different here also--Caldwell and Mylenbush trade fours, and then the piano introduces Mason's solo. The closer “A Vision of April” is a pretty ballad featuring Mason and Mylenbush.

The programming on the CD is quite varied and flows well. However, there are several engineering distractions. There is an odd fade-in on “Mulher Bonita,” and a similarly quick fade-out on “A Vision of April” that makes one wonder where the tune disappeared to. One may also gripe about the LP-length playing time (42 minutes). However, this is a likable CD, one that those who enjoy jazz violin and Bill Caldwell should enjoy.
--Roger Atkinson

Steve Cardenas
Panoramic

Personnel: Steve Cárdenas, Guitar; Tony Malaby, Tenor Saxophone; Larry Grenadier, Bass; Kenny Wollenson, drums

Tracks: Visa, Sights, Isso é Para Dizer, Just Like I Pictured It, Walkup, Oriel, Introspection, D. Marie, Salista

Fresh Sound New Talent FSNT 171

Recorded November 26, 27 2002, Avatar Recording Studios, NYC

Kansas City native Steve Cárdenas' second album as band leader reinforces how much was our loss (and the world's gain) when he departed the local scene for the West Coast and ultimately New York . A long list of Cárdenas' originals (only Parker's ‘Visa' and Monk's ‘Introspection' as exceptions) are, as the title indicates, panoramic in scope. Peaks of blistering tempo and valleys of placidly uneventful music are absent, leaving a broad vista of bebop, Latin, ballad, and rock.

Larry Grenadier and Kenny Wollenson carry over from Cárdenas' debut, Shebang , (also on Fresh Sounds, see JAM June/July 2000 for a review). Grenadier's bass solos are concise, thematic and well developed. Many of the tracks also feature Tony Malaby blowing tones reminiscent of the best Joe Farrell and Joe Henderson.

Cárdenas' playing is evocative of Scofield and Metheny's vocabulary without being imitative, and as odd as it may sound to cross media, puts me in mind of Amy Hempel's short stories. The Shebang trio, with and without Malaby, exhibits a knack for getting a 20-minute idea across in a pithy four- or six-minute track.

I find myself with this, as with Cárdenas' work with Paul Motian's Electric Bebop Band, wanting more at the end of the album, much as I find myself wanting more at the end of a good book, even if everything that needs to be said is in the book and all I need to do is sit back and think.

Both the individual play of the four musicians and the interplay they share deserve repeated, detailed listening--music to savor.

For good or ill, you won't find this album on Amazon. But it's well worth the effort of surfing over to Fresh Sounds web site
(www.freshsoundrecords.com ).

--Rod McBride






	Search our site:		Jim Mair Here's To the People JMP 301 *Personnel: Jim Mair, tenor, alto, and soprano saxophones, vocals; Mike Ning, piano; James Albright, bass; Michael Warren, drums* Tracks: Mandy's Song; Purple Gazelle; You Are So Beautiful; Tiny Capers; Beauty and the Beast; Here's To the People; Stranger On the Shore; America the Beautiful; Over the Rainbow; I Never Was a Young Man; Don't Know Why *Recorded and Mastered by Don Miller, Airborne Audio Productions, Kansas City* Jim Mair calls this CD "family friendly," a description that works throughout the 11 fairly brief tracks (42 minutes total). There's no heavy stretching out here; instead, this is jazz leaning towards a more easy listening format. Not smooth jazz--this is straight-ahead jazz, reminding one of the times when tunes were kept shorter for radio airplay (the longest track runs just under five minutes). Some may think of this as perfect Sunday morning music for accompanying coffee and The Star. There is but one original on this CD, the opener "Mandy's Song." Mair (on alto) and bassist James Albright state the attractive theme over Michael Warren's brushes. It's a quicker-than-walking-paced four, and is typical of the format: theme once, Mair one chorus, Ning one chorus, then theme and out. The standards and jazz fare that follow aren't the overplayed pop tunes that one would expect on an "easier listening" jazz album. Duke Ellington called his "Purple Gazelle," from the For Afro-Bossa album, "the ragtime cha-cha," and it's an appropriate description. This tune has also been titled "Angelica," and was on the Duke Ellington and John Coltrane album under that name. Warren digs hard into this rhythm here. Mair's soprano and Mike Ning's piano do the theme as a call and response, and Mair and Ning follow with a chorus each before they return to the theme. There are five cuts that delve into the popular repertoire. Billy Preston's "You Are So Beautiful" is a nice ballad feature for Mair (on tenor this time) and Ning. It's a duet, and is played fairly straight. "Beauty and the Beast" features soprano sax, a beautiful bowed bridge by James Albright, and Ning's chords make me wonder why Bill Evans never tried this one. I was never a big fan of Acker Bilk's "Stranger on the Shore," but this bossa nova treatment is growing on me. And Arlen's "Over the Rainbow" includes the chorus--most folks drop it. This was another Mair/Ning duet. And there is " America the Beautiful," which a few jazz artists have swung; here it's more of a bossa nova. The remaining cuts also show that Mair doesn't fall back on the obvious. "Tiny Capers" is by Clifford Brown. Mair has a chance to show his tenor bop chops here. "Here's To the People," the Sonny Rollins line, is taken on soprano, and features Warren 's Latin side to advantage once again. Mair sings and whistles Gerry Mulligan's wistful "I Never Was a Young Man," which I understand Mulligan sang at a Folly appearance. The Norah Jones hit "Don't Know Why" finishes off the CD. Albright starts it off over Warren 's tom-tom rhythm before Mair states this attractive melody. Ning takes a short melodic solo before Mair's soprano concludes the CD. This CD is a worthy souvenir of the quartet's artistry. I've found that it holds up to repeated listenings. And I should mention that proceeds from its sale will benefit the jazz program at Kansas City Kansas Community College . --Roger Atkinson George Mason & Friends Life Colors Maple Islands Records 0125 *Personnel: George Mason, violin; Mark Harris, bass; Terry Waddell, drums; Bill Caldwell, sax; James “Myles” Mylenbush, piano* *Tracks: Dancing On the Wall; Little Brown Girl; Life Colors; All Blues; Modern Art Song; Mulher Bonita; Impressions; A Vision of April* Recorded and mixed in 1993 at Crystal Recording & Sound, Branson, MO by Bert Jones; effects, editing, and mastering in 2003 at Maple Islands Records, Glenwood, MN by Jeff Thornton for Going to the Moon Productions This disk was recorded in 1993, but did not meet public ears until 2003. All tracks except “All Blues” and “Impressions” were written by leader George Mason. The two jazz standards are duets between Mason and bassist Mark Harris, the closer drops the drum and horn, with the remainder featuring the full quintet. The opener “Dancing on the Wall”, is a spirited AABB waltz with a simple descending line. After a unison violin/tenor head, the tune serves to introduce us to the quintet; all but drummer Waddell solo, and Waddell is especially supportive throughout. It is worth noting that Waddell has deep credentials in the Country & Western world. I can't say I hear any C&W influence on any cuts on this CD. Following Mason's theme statement and solo, KC favorite Bill Caldwell takes charge with a burning tenor solo on the Latin-flavored “Little Brown Girl.” He also provides tasty punctuation as Mason takes the tune out. “Life Colors” is in the “Red Clay” vein; in fact, I think I hear the “Sunny” changes underneath the funky backbeat rhythm in the statement of the melody. The bridge moves to a straight four. If you don't like popped electric bass, this one may not be your favorite cut. Caldwell again takes solo honors with a couple of rough-edged choruses. “All Blues” and “Impressions” are similar in approach. Mason's violin is outstanding (as it is throughout the recording, with a pure tone and lines not unlike a saxophonist's), and Harris' bass provides typical bass support and also feeds sustained chords to Mason, with a sound reminiscent of Philip Catherine's support on Dexter Gordon's unique “Something Different.” It's a nice sound. The remaining originals are also worthy. The medium-tempo “Modern Art Song” features Caldwell on the theme, and after James Mylenbush's piano solo, Bill returns for a chorus of his own. “Mulher Bonita” is a bossa nova that immediately struck me as a melody that would have been a nice TV show theme. Solo structure is a little different here also--Caldwell and Mylenbush trade fours, and then the piano introduces Mason's solo. The closer “A Vision of April” is a pretty ballad featuring Mason and Mylenbush. The programming on the CD is quite varied and flows well. However, there are several engineering distractions. There is an odd fade-in on “Mulher Bonita,” and a similarly quick fade-out on “A Vision of April” that makes one wonder where the tune disappeared to. One may also gripe about the LP-length playing time (42 minutes). However, this is a likable CD, one that those who enjoy jazz violin and Bill Caldwell should enjoy. --Roger Atkinson Steve Cardenas Panoramic Personnel: Steve Cárdenas, Guitar; Tony Malaby, Tenor Saxophone; Larry Grenadier, Bass; Kenny Wollenson, drums Tracks: Visa, Sights, Isso é Para Dizer, Just Like I Pictured It, Walkup, Oriel, Introspection, D. Marie, Salista Fresh Sound New Talent FSNT 171 Recorded November 26, 27 2002, Avatar Recording Studios, NYC Kansas City native Steve Cárdenas' second album as band leader reinforces how much was our loss (and the world's gain) when he departed the local scene for the West Coast and ultimately New York . A long list of Cárdenas' originals (only Parker's ‘Visa' and Monk's ‘Introspection' as exceptions) are, as the title indicates, panoramic in scope. Peaks of blistering tempo and valleys of placidly uneventful music are absent, leaving a broad vista of bebop, Latin, ballad, and rock. Larry Grenadier and Kenny Wollenson carry over from Cárdenas' debut, Shebang , (also on Fresh Sounds, see JAM June/July 2000 for a review). Grenadier's bass solos are concise, thematic and well developed. Many of the tracks also feature Tony Malaby blowing tones reminiscent of the best Joe Farrell and Joe Henderson. Cárdenas' playing is evocative of Scofield and Metheny's vocabulary without being imitative, and as odd as it may sound to cross media, puts me in mind of Amy Hempel's short stories. The Shebang trio, with and without Malaby, exhibits a knack for getting a 20-minute idea across in a pithy four- or six-minute track. I find myself with this, as with Cárdenas' work with Paul Motian's Electric Bebop Band, wanting more at the end of the album, much as I find myself wanting more at the end of a good book, even if everything that needs to be said is in the book and all I need to do is sit back and think. Both the individual play of the four musicians and the interplay they share deserve repeated, detailed listening--music to savor. For good or ill, you won't find this album on Amazon. But it's well worth the effort of surfing over to Fresh Sounds web site (www.freshsoundrecords.com ). --Rod McBride RETURN TO APRIL/MAY 2004 MAIN INDEX © Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2004. All rights reserved.