Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » New York Standards Quartet: Heaven Steps To Seven
New York Standards Quartet: Heaven Steps To Seven
ByHalf way through Charlie Parker's "Cheryl" the piece is transformed, almost magically, into something completely different, and within its core, seamlessly transmuting from be-bop to modal, with the outro head an amalgamation of the two forms. Horace Silver's ballad "Peace" is given the lightest of touches by the quartet, faithfully reinventing the standard.
"If I Should Lose You" gives the lie to the assumption that the NYSQ is "merely" a standards ensemble. This is patently wrong since everything they touch turns to musical gold. Tim Armacost's soaring soprano lines and Gene Jackson's sensitively powerful drumming could easily be compared with Wayne Shorter and Tony Williams in Miles Davis's most famous quintet. This is even more noticeable on the quartet's interpretation of Herbie Hancock's timeless classic "Eye Of The Hurricane." David Berkman's free-flowing piano runs emulate the light touches of the maestro without recourse to stylistic plagiarism. Much the same alchemical process is found on the deconstruction of Cole Porter's "I Love You," Armacost's tenor snaking around and way beyond the melody. It may have been said before but the NYSQ don't merely revive these standards, they breathe new life into them.
Track Listing
Tonight; Cheryl; Peace; If I Should Lose You; Every Time We Say Goodbye; I Love You; I'll Keep Loving You; Eye of the Hurricane.
Personnel
New York Standards Quartet
band / ensemble / orchestraTim Armacost: tenor & soprano saxophones; David Berkman: piano; Ugonna Okegwo: double bass; Gene Jackson: drums.
Album information
Title: Heaven Steps to Seven | Year Released: 2018 | Record Label: Whirlwind Recordings
< Previous
Light Of Love
Next >
In The Blue Light
Comments
About New York Standards Quartet
Instrument: Band / ensemble / orchestra
Related Articles | Concerts | Albums | Photos | Similar To