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Jed Levy: One Night At The Kitano
Joined by Bill Mays on piano, Ugonna Okegwo on bass and Billy Drummond on drums, saxophonist Jed Levy delivers one of the most enjoyable albums of the year. It's also accessible, straight-ahead music that everyone can enjoy. Novice listeners will say "now, that's jazz I'd pay to see live."
That's not to say that it won't appeal to seasoned jazz veterans. Musical complexity and inventiveness abound, especially on the Levy original "Reversible You," which (as the title suggests) applies some structural adjustments to a familiar standard to superb effect. The set consists of six Levy compositions, as well as one standard: a ten-minute rendition of Billy Strayhorn's "A Flower is a Lovesome Thing," with the leader and Mays at their most inspired.
The disc's opening number, "A Great Week," pays tribute to an engagement Levy once played with the late John Hicks. The loving homage offers a lively, up-tempo celebration of the pianist's legacy, with excellent support from Mays.
The rest of the program features a number of mid-tempo swingers that afford plenty of solo time for the featured players. Levy's tenor doesn't recall the gruff aggressiveness of a Dexter Gordon or a Ben Webster, being more akin to that of Stan Getz. He's able to navigate the high register and achieve a mellow, romantic tone that, at times, makes you think he's switched over to alto.
Track Listing
A Great Week; Fallen Eagle; Reversible You; A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing; Limited Means; Match Point; Blues Excerpt.
Personnel
Jed Levy
saxophoneBilly Drummond: drums; Jed Levy: tenor sax; Bill Mays: piano; Ugonna Okegwo: bass.
Album information
Title: One Night At The Kitano | Year Released: 2009 | Record Label: SteepleChase Records
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