Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Keith Ailer: Spaces & Places

Keith Ailer: Spaces & Places

By Jim Santella
November 1, 1999
View read count

Since the male jazz vocalist remains a universal minority, Keith Ailer’s arrival on the scene represents a rare occasion. His voice is deep and strong, not unlike the clear delivery of Nat King Cole. For his session, Ailer has enlisted exciting partners who carry the jazz torch and improvise with hot hard-bop solos. Established in 1993, the Jazzateria label lists an eclectic group of artists: some new, some veterans, and all worth the attention.

"Midnight Sun" and "I Love You for Sentimental Reasons" emit a spark, a fair amount of drama, and some romance to surround Ailer’s solid delivery. His supporting ensemble enhances the affair with a welcome and spontaneous approach. Later, Gary Bartz and Marc Cary turn a corny arrangement of Lionel Bart’s "Where Is Love" into a swinger through their solo opinions. Of Ailer’s five original tunes, three stand off to one side as smooth R&B songs for our generation; they’re touched-up by the lush flute work of Y.C. Laws. The other two, "Spaces & Places" and "Blues For Khaliq," are performed as instrumental numbers with a mainstream jazz intensity that combines a loose swing with hot saxophone and piano improvisation. Although uneven, Keith Ailer’s album represents a tasteful vocal scene with superb accompaniment.

Personnel

Keith Ailer

Album information

Title: Spaces & Places | Year Released: 1999 | Record Label: RCA

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Essential Michael Brecker
< Previous

Steve Lacy with Irene Aebi at Divers...
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.