Jazz Articles about Jeff Hellmer

About Jeff Hellmer

Album Review

Jeff Benedict Big Band: The Weather Is Here, Wish You Were Beautiful

Read "The Weather Is Here, Wish You Were Beautiful" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
January 30, 2021

As saxophonist Jeff Benedict is a professor emeritus of music at California State University-Los Angeles, he shouldn't be overly concerned if an impartial observer should decide to grade the southern California-based Jeff Benedict Big Band's second album, The Weather Is Here, Wish You Were Beautiful. After careful listening, herewith is the report card. Brass and reeds: A. Rhythm section: A. Cohesion: A. Swing quotient: A. Soloists: A. Choice of material: A. Arrangements: A. Album title: A+. In ...

Album Review

The Jeff Hellmer Trio: Peak Moments

by Jack Bowers
October 1, 2001

The album’s subtitle is “Featuring Rick Margitza,” and the fiery Trane tracker is very much in the thick of things on this strapping post–bop session, blowing passionately on tenor (seven selections) or soprano sax (“All the Things You Are”). Margitza takes a well–earned break only on the finale, a splendid reading by Hellmer’s trio of Leonard Bernstein / Betty Comden / Adolph Green’s wistful “Some Other Time” (from the Broadway musical On the Town ). Margitza is a vastly underrated ...