Jazz is often caught in peak form when there are no frills, no studio glaze.
The sign of a true musician is one who can excel minus the gimmicks and production makeup. Recorded live with only one microphone in a crowded house, Nathan Woodward’s A Quartet Session (Live from Martin Hall) is jazz served raw, the way it should be.
The setting invigorates Woodward, a promising young saxophonist. Although only two tracks, A Quartet Session doesn’t feel lacking of any substance. In fact, it’s quite the contrary. On “Footprints,” Woodward delivers a scorching performance that heightens the intensity of a rollicking piano. Together they soar through the atmosphere. At the show, it must have felt as if the roof was going to get blown off. The tempo mellows for “In a Sentimental Mood,” and Woodward’s lush playing produces an after-hours vibe that is loving as well as cinematic.
Woodward’s deft skills with the saxophone were groomed by years of experience, reaching back to his childhood. Woodward started his musical training at the age of eight; by the time he was 12 he was already jamming with his saxophone. A Mississippi native, Woodward’s talents have enabled him to accomplish uncharted territory for an unsigned artist such as performing for President George W. Bush, Fox News host Mike Huckabee, and syndicated columnist Cal Thomas.
The sign of a true musician is one who can excel minus the gimmicks and production makeup. Recorded live with only one microphone in a crowded house, Nathan Woodward’s A Quartet Session (Live from Martin Hall) is jazz served raw, the way it should be.
The setting invigorates Woodward, a promising young saxophonist. Although only two tracks, A Quartet Session doesn’t feel lacking of any substance. In fact, it’s quite the contrary. On “Footprints,” Woodward delivers a scorching performance that heightens the intensity of a rollicking piano. Together they soar through the atmosphere. At the show, it must have felt as if the roof was going to get blown off. The tempo mellows for “In a Sentimental Mood,” and Woodward’s lush playing produces an after-hours vibe that is loving as well as cinematic.
Woodward’s deft skills with the saxophone were groomed by years of experience, reaching back to his childhood. Woodward started his musical training at the age of eight; by the time he was 12 he was already jamming with his saxophone. A Mississippi native, Woodward’s talents have enabled him to accomplish uncharted territory for an unsigned artist such as performing for President George W. Bush, Fox News host Mike Huckabee, and syndicated columnist Cal Thomas.
