Ahmad Alaadeen: Time Through The Ages

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: January 1, 1999

Alaadeen has been working in the mainstream of jazz for over forty years, starting out with legends such as Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, and Stan Kenton. Released in mid-1997, Time Through The Ages places the saxophonist in acoustic small group settings with varying personnel. More information concerning the session leader may be found at http://www.successmarketplace.com/shops/asrrecords/asr.html#artist .

Duke Pearson’s "Jeannine" is presented as a sextet arrangement with both trumpet and flugelhorn playing counterpoint to Alaadeen’s tenor lines. The familiar tune is performed with quirky dissonant harmonies and unusual brawny soloing. The combination of straight-ahead mainstream material and off-center methods applies to the session in general. Over half the pieces are Alaadeen’s compositions, which reflect a broad range of jazz’s history. Musical nods to Count Basie, Miles Davis, and even Lester Bowie fill the session with interesting aspects from start to finish. "When Love Has" is a ballad feature for soprano sax, while "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning" is reserved for solo tenor saxophone. Alaadeen seems quite comfortable with both instruments, but his tenor work is considerably more robust and free blowing.

Personnel: Ahmad Alaadeen- tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone on "Doin

Record Label: ASR Records
Style: Straight-ahead/Mainstream