Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Rick Margitza: Heart Of Hearts

Rick Margitza: Heart Of Hearts

By Mark Corroto
April 1, 2000
View read count

Where could tenor saxophonist and proclaimed young lion go after being anointed by Miles Davis in the late-eighties? Down, you say? Maybe. Rick Margitza did the three-and-out record deal with Blue Note and since has been spotted as a sideman on mostly small labels. Far too many young musicians have repeated this talented composer and musician’s story these days. The BIG record companies pluck a developing talent and ask him/her to lead a band. Careers, like Margitza’s have worked somewhat backwards. He should have honed his skills as a sideman on the same small labels, before being asked to sell hundreds of thousands (even millions) of CDs.

He is making a comeback. In the middle 1990s he record two solid albums for the Dutch label Challenge Records. This domestic date is a strong outing and should garner deserved recognition. Margitza was tagged early in his career as a descendant of Wayne Shorter. While his sound remains strongly linked to that of Mr. Shorter, he also has a strong connection to John Klemmer. Margitza favors lyrical lines over bebop licks. In other words, he is a romantic saxophonist. Pianist Joey Calderazzo, a long time collaborator is a perfect foil for the saxophonists moody sound. He mainly stays in the background, lurking, occasionally probing and summoning additional emotion. Two tracks stand out. “Father John,” a Coltrane Quartet influence composition and “Some Of The Things I Am” a twist on “Some Of The Things You Are.” Here, Margitza overdubs his saxophone to create a duet much like the Lee Konitz/Warne Marsh takes on Lennie Tristano. I’d be wrong to say Margitza has arrived. The corrected expression is that he’s back.

Track List:You Must Believe in Spring; 14 Bar Blues; Heart Of Hearts; Provence; You’re Everything; Dexter’s Tune; The Four Sleepers; With Ever Breath I Take; Father John; Some Of The Things I Am.

Personnel

Rick Margitza

saxophone, tenor

Rick Margitza

Album information

Title: Heart Of Hearts | Year Released: 2000 | Record Label: Palmetto Records

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Dave Douglas: Moving the Music Forwa...
< Previous

Seasoned
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.