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Mark Masters: Everything You Did
ByBut bandleader/arranger Mark Masters, on his first encounter with the group, surely knew of these jazz influences, and with Everything You Did he turns his discerning earand his marvelous bandonto the music of the jazz-influenced Steely Dan.
Masters' previous CD offeringshaving proven himself one of the 21st century's premier arrangersincluded nods to Ellington, Clifford Brown, Lee Konitz; Grachan Moncur III; Dewey Redman, and composer George Gershwinthe last with his stellar remake on Porgy and Bess Redefined! (Capri, 2005). While the art of Becker and Fagen may not rise to gravitas of these former Masters subjects, the duo wroteand still writecatchy, often quirky, sometimes cerebral and always memorably engaging popular tunes. If gravitas is needed, Mark Masters and this all-star ensemble can inject it.
The familiar tunes are from Steely Dan's early days, when rock radio was still vibrant, including "Bodhisattva," "Show Biz Kids" and "Do It Again." And then there's "Aja," "Josie" and "Black Cow," from the group's best album, Aja (ABC, 1977), a set that included Wayne Shorter and Tom Scott on saxophones, if anyone's looking for jazz cred.
The music, under the baton of Masters, retains its charm and its quirkiness while taking on the beautiful harmonic foundation of a first-rate jazz ensemble, one enhanced an orchestral direction with the inclusion of bassoon, bass clarinet, vibes, and French and English horns. The added bonusand this is what jazz, in large part, is all aboutis the room allowed for lots of magnificent soloing from the likes of trumpeter Tim Hagans, baritone saxophonist Gary Smulyan and alto saxophonist Gary Fosterplayers who here, as on previous Masters outings, are inspired to the highest level of performance acumen.
"Black Cow" has to be singled out. The original is a Steely Dan classic. Opening with an ominous bass line, it slips into a slinky groove, polished to a high sheen by vibraphonist Brad Dutz, an featuring the every-woman voice of Anna Mjoll, who sounds resigned, a bit exasperated as she sings: "I'm the one who must make everything right."
She makes it exactly right, as does the Mark Masters Ensemble.
Track Listing
Show Biz Kids; Bodhisattva; Do It Again; Charlie Freak; Black Cow; Josie; Fire In The Hole; Kings; Aja; Chain Lightning.
Personnel
Mark Masters
arrangerTim Hagans: trumpet; Louis Fasman: trumpet; Les Lovitt: trumpet; Stephanie O'Keefe: French horn; Sonny Simmons: English horn (3); Dave Woodley: trombone (9); Les Benedict: trombone; Dave Ryan: trombone; Ryan Dragon: trombone; Oliver Lake: alto saxophone (10); Gary Foster: alto saxophone (7); Don Shelton: alto and soprano saxophones, alto flute; Billy Harper: tenor saxophone; John Mitchell: tenor saxophone, bassoon; Gene Cipriano: tenor saxophone; Brian Williams: bass clarinet; Brad Dutz: vibes, percussion; Hamilton Price: bass; Peter Erskine: drums; Anna Mjöll: voice; Mark Masters: arrangements.
Album information
Title: Everything You Did | Year Released: 2013 | Record Label: Capri Records