The Be-Bop Guitars: . . .and More!

Jack Bowers

Senior Contributor since 1997

A former newspaper writer / editor who has been writing about big-band Jazz for more than fifteen years.

Recent articles (1,750 total)

Published: August 1, 2001

The Be–Bop Guitars — all five of them — are faculty members at Boston’s renowned Berklee School of Music, as are the other members of their bright–eyed and bushy–tailed nonet. I can’t say whether all five guitars ever play at the same time, but there’s certainly no overkill here with nimble solos by all hands (no pun intended) and solid contributions from vibraphonist Victor Mendoza, bassist Ron Mahdi and drummer Jon Hazilla (a perceptive accompanist who excels with brushes on “Seven Steps to Heaven” and “Nostalgia in Times Square”). Trumpeter Jerry Seeco adds color on five numbers while mezzo Maggi Scott lends her vocal talents to Burton Lane / Yip Harburg’s “Old Devil Moon” and Toots Thielemans’ “Bluesette.” Eight of the dozen tasteful charts are by music director John Baboian whose lithe, well–modulated guitar is spotlighted on Billie Holiday’s “God Bless the Child” and his own composition, “Seascape.” Mendoza’s vibes introduce the gorgeous ballad “Polka Dots and Moonbeams,” a showcase for Mahdi (who’s also heard on Baboian’s breezy “Berklee Shuffle”). Elsewhere, solo space is fairly evenly divided, with Garrison Fewell brandishing his chops on “Blues Update,” “Times Square” and “Freddie the Freeloader,” Jack Pezanelli on “Update,” Baboian’s “Chuco” and “Nostalgia,” John Wilkins on “Chuco,” “Seven Steps” and “Freddie the Freeloader,” John Marasco on “Old Devil Moon” and Sonny Rollins’ “Doxy.” Fewell composed and arranged “Blues Update,” Seeco arranged “Old Devil Moon,” “Seven Steps to Heaven” and “Freddie the Freeloader.” For guitar lovers, a bounteous basket of goodies.

Contact:John Baboian, 122 Cross St., Belmont, MA 02478. Phone 617–484–2052; e–mail jbaboian@berklee.edu

Track Listing: Blues Update; Chuco; God Bless the Child; Old Devil Moon; Seven Steps to Heaven; Seascape; Nostalgia in Times Square; Bluesette; Freddie the Freeloader; Polka Dots and Moonbeams; Doxy; Berklee Shuffle (66:35).

Personnel: John Baboian, music director, guitar; Garrison Fewell, John Marasco, Jack Pezanelli, John Wilkins, guitar; Jerry Seeco, trumpet, flute; Victor Mendoza, vibes, percussion; Ron Mahdi, bass; Jon Hazilla, drums; Maggi Scott (4, 8), vocals.

Style: Straight-ahead/Mainstream