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Gary Smulyan & Dominic Chianese: Bella Napoli
by Larry Taylor
Some concepts that seem far out, turn out to be right on. That is the case of the unlikely musical combination which comes together in the entertaining CD Bella Napoli--a salute to popular Italian song classics. Two greats pull this all together: acclaimed poll winner Gary Smulyan on baritone sax and actor-singer Dominic Chianese, well known as Uncle Junior on “The Sopranos," the Emmy-winning HBO TV series. And, as it turns out, Chianese is also a respected ...
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by Dan Bilawsky
Capri records seems to be committed to promoting meetings between actor-singers and jazz heavies. First came the pairing of Wilford Brimley and drummer Jeff Hamilton's trio in September of 2013. Now, right on the heels of that release comes a meeting between Dominic Chianese--best known as Uncle Junior on HBO's The Sopranos--and baritone saxophone ace Gary Smulyan. Together, they bridge the gap between Canzone Napoletana and jazz. Smulyan, the long-reigning king of the baritone saxophone, has a ...
Continue ReadingGary Smulyan: Smul's Paradise
by AAJ Italy Staff
L'incontro tra un sax baritono e una ritmica costituita da un trio con organo Hammond, chitarra e batteria ha dell'insolito. Inconsueto è, di conseguenza, il risultato timbrico. Proprio il suono scuro, temperato dalle escursioni al registro acuto della chitarra, è l'elemento più sperimentale di un disco che, per il resto, è dichiaratamente e felicemente di genere. Gary Smulyan è un baritonista con alle spalle una carriera da solista e parecchi riconoscimenti. In Smul's Paradise si fa accompagnare da musicisti esperti, ...
Continue ReadingGary Smulyan: Smul's Paradise
by Dan Bilawsky
While the tenor saxophone is no stranger to organ group gatherings, its big brother rarely comes to the party. It's hard to say whether a lack of interest amongst baritone saxophonists, insufficient opportunities for such combinations, or a paucity of players capable of pulling it off is responsible for this issue, but Gary Smulyan won't stand for it any longer. Smulyan, best known for his work with the legendary Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, has never been one to ...
Continue ReadingGary Smulyan: Smul's Paradise
by Larry Taylor
A baritone saxophonist leading an organ trio is certainly a rarity; the results of Gary Smulyan's Smul's Paradise is, in sixties hip, a “gas." This slang seems especially appropriate here because the CD pays tribute to an often-overlooked organist, Don Patterson, who came on the scene in that decade. Fronting a quartet behind his big bari, Smulyan contributes his tribute, “Blues for D.P.," in addition to including two tunes by Patterson in the eight-song set. Smulyan has said ...
Continue ReadingGary Smulyan: Low Man Aims High
by Edward Bride
A baritone saxophonist who plays like Bird? And harvests more than a half-dozen Grammy awards in the process? That seeming contradiction characterizes the great successes of Gary Smulyan, one of today's most in-demand jazz performers, educators, and recording artists.
To be fair, Smulyan has his own voice, but he cites Charlie Parker as one of his earliest, most important, and enduring influences. And in these later years, Phil Woods also falls into that category. That one ...
Continue ReadingGary Smulyan: High Noon: The Jazz Soul of Frankie Laine
by Jim Santella
This tribute album by baritone saxophonist Gary Smulyan features his bebop-based nonet pulling inspiration from a 1956 album by pop singer Frankie Laine (1913-2007) and trumpeter Buck Clayton. As Laine's foray into jazz's '50s mainstream, Jazz Spectacular (Columbia) represented a piece of the singer's repertoire not as well-known as his pop music. It allowed him to interact with instrumentalists of the era who represented jazz authority and had little to do with themes such as “High Noon," “Mule Train," “Cool ...
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