Steve Patrick And The Music City Orchestra: Reflections

Back in the 1960s, sound technologies and in-studio recording/engineering advances were developing rapidly. Labels such as Solid State and Command Records produced brilliant, acoustically enhanced recordings, many done by New York studio greats such as trumpeter Doc Severinsen. Those companies leveraged technical advances to enhance the talents of the recording artists. As a result, it was a musically rich time for record buyers.

With Reflections, trumpeter Steve Patrick, long an ardent admirer of Severinsen, delivers ten selections of all-encompassing quality, beauty and balance. Every tune is either an established Great American Songbook standard or a familiar cinema theme, modernized, invigorated, and delivered in a style that fits perfectly in that classic 1960s mold.

A burning "After You've Gone" launches the date with Patrick's soaring horn calling and the band responding with fierce energy. Three lovely ballads, all taken straight up, bring tempos down—"Stardust," "Love Story" and "Unforgettable," which last features Mark Broussard nicely handling the Nat King Cole duties. Each of these ballads demonstrates Patrick's balladic skills and the superb textural talents of this world-class studio ensemble.

Patrick's chops and musical abilities are vast. Long a leading fixture in the Nashville studio scene, he has all the goods—pristine, inviting tone, high-note range, great improv, an impeccable vocal approach to his phrasing, and respect for the unsung lyric. The arrangements from Calvin Turner spotlight the leader while graciously allowing the ensemble and the other soloists to also shine. The ensemble swings and steps on the gas on the thumping mid-section of "Almost Like Being in Love." A somber clarinet leads into a bluesy "Stormy Weather" with a tasty guitar solo from Court Clement. David Raskin's "Laura" is a Stan Kentonesque take—lush and brassy. Vocalist Missi Hale covers the enigmatic "My Funny Valentine" with soulful flair. Michel Legrand's beautiful "The Summer Knows" is a gold ribbon that ties the bow on the session.

On July 7, 2022 trumpeter and Tonight Show bandleader, Doc Severinsen celebrated his 95th birthday. It would be a great gift for him to hear this wonderful, inspiring album. He would assuredly then know that his trumpeting legacy is in the best of hands for the future.