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Peter Welker: Paradise Is Awfully Nice
ByMost selections feature an elevenpiece group with Welker (piano) dueting with Norton Buffalo (harmonica) on Duke Ellington's "Come Sunday" and pairing with flugel Michael Whitwell, French hornist Gus Klein, trombonist René Jenkins and bass trombonist Floyd Reinhart on the brief (55second) title track, whose words were the last spoken by Elisabeth Welker before her passing on January 21, 1999, at age eightyfive. Pomeroy solos on five numbers, ace saxophonist Ernie Watts on three. Other prominent phrasemakers include mandolin virtuoso David Grisman ("Chelsea Bridge"), guitarist Randy Vincent, pianist Smith Dobson, alto saxophonist / clarinetist Jim Rothermel and tenor saxophonist Barry Ulman. The veteran Pomeroy is superb whether playing open ("Just Friends," "Nica's Dream," "Born to Be Blue"), muted ("A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing") or using a plunger ("Gee Baby, Ain't I Good to You") while Watts quickly takes charge on his three appearances ("Sweet George," "Detour Ahead," "In Your Own Sweet Way"). Welker solos on "Flower" and "Sweet Way," both open.
The CD, says Welker, was recorded "live in the studio" with everyone playing at the same time, giving it "a passion and immediacy often missing on multitrack, overdubbed recordings." Even so, there's a rather conspicuous edit at the 5:02 mark preceding Rothermel's clarinet solo on "Just Friends." Aside from that, everything seems shipshape and spontaneous. This may not be, in the strictest sense of the phrase, a "bigband album" (two or three trumpets, three or four saxophones, trombone and rhythm), but thanks to Welker's wellcrafted charts and earnest blowing by his teammates, it's close enough. And from whatever corner of paradise she may be listening, Elisabeth Welker must be glowing with pride.
Track Listing
Paradise Is Awfully Nice; Sweet George; Chelsea Bridge; Just Friends; A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing; Gee Baby, Ain't I Good to You; Detour Ahead; Nica's Dream; Born to Be Blue; In Your Own Sweet Way; Come Sunday
Personnel
Peter Welker
trumpetPeter Welker - Trumpet/Flugelhorn/Piano/Leader; Michael Whitwell - Flugelhorn/Trumpet; Gus Klein - French Horn; Ren
Album information
Title: Paradise Is Awfully Nice | Year Released: 2002 | Record Label: Peachy Productions
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