Jim Doherty: Jim Doherty's Spondance

Jim Doherty never lacked ambition, but a suite for jazz ballet or even jazz dance was always going to be a difficult sell in '80s Ireland. All was not lost for the pianist and composer, however. A few strings pulled here and there saw Doherty and his long- term collaborator, Louis Stewart decamp to Los Angeles, where they spent two days with top session musicians. One day of rehearsals and another in the recording studio resulted in Spondance, a jazz suite released on cassette in 1986 and on CD a decade later. Long since out of print, Spondance is now rereleased on the reborn Livia Records, which continues its mission to publish archival Irish jazz as well as new music.

Thematically, Spondance is a boy-meets-girl tale, with a bump in the road and a happy ending. Each character in the story is represented by an instrument. Doherty and Stewart had previously played with trumpeter Bobby Shew in Ireland, so it was he who assembled the musical cast. Alto saxophonist Bob Sheppard, tenor saxophonist Gordon Brisker, trombonist Randy Aldcroft, bassist Tom Warrington and drummer Billy Mintz might not have been as light on their toes as the Irish National Ballet, but they had credentials of another kind, having played with everyone from Buddy Rich and Frank Sinatra to Elvis Presley, and from Woody Herman and Joni Mitchell to Steely Dan. Unsurprisingly, most pieces were recorded in single takes. The performances are uniformly strong.

Stewart, undoubtedly one of the world's great straight-ahead jazz guitarists, is in tasteful yet understated form, his solo on "Nordic Maiden" underlining why he was so highly regarded by his peers. But everyone gets a chance to shine in a suite written for soloists. Shew's flugelhorn playing on the romantic "When Two People Meet" is beautifully weighted—especially when the accompanying brass sits out—and he and Stewart trade lines as warmly and tenderly as a first embrace.

As the plot thickens on the swinging "Bertha D. Blooze," a fast-walking bass and zinging ride cymbal propel the ensemble, with Sheppard and Brisker stretching out in boppish mode. The Latin-esque "El Sponzo" has a breezy Stan Getz feel, while the upbeat blues of "Sergeant Bones"—with a subtle nod to Charlie Parker—provides a showcase for Doherty and Aldcroft. The forty-minute suite concludes with the bold and brassy swinger "Maybe It's You," featuring fine closing statements from Shew, a real peach of a solo from Stewart, and a strong finish from Aldcroft.

Livia's professional production standards—excellent sound quality and an informative multi-page booklet—pay suitably classy homage to Doherty, an important and enduring figure in Irish jazz for over six decades. A footnote: despite collaborating for over half a century, Doherty and Stewart would not record a duo album until Tunes (Beechpark Records, 2013). It is a keeper.