Hayes Greenfield: Music for a Green Planet (2008)

Jim Santella

Senior Contributor since 1997

Jim Santella has been contributing CD reviews, concert reviews and DVD reviews to AAJ since 1997. His work has also appeared in Southland Blues, The L.A. Jazz Scene, and Cadence Magazine.

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Published: May 5, 2008

Hayes Greenfield: Music for a Green Planet

Celebrating Earth Day all year round, saxophonist Hayes Greenfield combines tasteful jazz with an environmental message through fifteen original songs and more than forty cast members. It's a welcome thought: save the world, recycle, car pool, conserve power, seek alternate energy sources and make responsible behavior a part of the daily routine. He delivers this bright message with alto, baritone, alto clarinet, C-melody sax, flute and soulful tenor and turns known children's songs, such as "This Old Man," "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" and "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" into lively jazz fantasies with improvised solo portions.

Giving Greenfield's long overdue project its emotion-filled message are numerous singers, including Joe Lee Wilson, Melissa Stylianou, Miles Griffith, Nina d'Alessandro, Capathia Jenkins, Michael McElroy, Shayna Steele and Dennis Stowe. Eight-year-old vocalist Carly Sonenclar interprets "The Things We Throw Away" with an exotic musical backdrop to emphasize the wasteful tossing of unused objects from take-out dinners, such as packets of sugar, salt, ketchup, plastic forks and knives, packets of honey and crackers. "This Little World of Ours" comes with a traditional New Orleans Dixieland celebration, while the album's lone instrumental piece, "Brahms Green Lullaby," closes the program with peaceful dreams.

Greenfield's combination of great jazz with creative lyrics makes his green project a winner.

Track Listing: We

Personnel: Hayes Greenfield: soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, C melody saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, alto clarinet, flute, vocals; Sunny Jain: drums, dhol, dholki, percussion; David Berkman: piano; David Phelps: guitar, lap steel guitar; Keith Ganz: acoustic guitar; Charlie Giordano: accordion; Adam Roberts: bass; Jay Anderson: bass; Gary Wang: bass; Tony Reedus: drums; Ze Mauricio: percussion; Steve Wilson: clarinet; Scott Wendholt: trumpet; James Zollar: trumpet; Bruce Eidem: trombone; Bob Stewart: tuba; Joe Lee Wilson: vocal; Melissa Stylianou: vocal; Carly Sonenclar: vocal; Miles Griffith: vocal; Nina d

Record Label: Dots & Lines
Style: Straight-ahead/Mainstream