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Allen Hermann/Carl Fontana: The Jazz Trombone
Sea Breeze Jazz has thoughtfully provided concise listening notes about the music, insofar as which trombone is featured on which chorus, and has miked the album so that each trombonist is on a separate channel. Although both of the players are similar in style, it is possible to differentiate them, with Hermann retaining a bit more of a N'awlins influence, especially on numbers like "Limehouse Blues." In trying to follow the notes and separate the two bones, I also found myself missing out on the fun and finally decided to just listen and have a good time.
Essentially, both Hermann and Fontana are post war boppers, and they perfectly complement each other. While Fontana plays the melody, Hermann provides inventive fills behind him, and vice versa. The eleven tunes are strictly from the Great American Songbook, and how can you go wrong with titles like "It's You Or No One," "I'm Old Fashioned," or "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes." Listening to these two shining on ballads like "Emily" or "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" is indeed a treat. The aforementioned "Limehouse Blues" is slowed down a bit, so the song doesn't really have that flag-waver quality that it usually exhibits.
The rest of the quintet includes Stefan Karlsson, whose sparkling albums on Justice in the early '90s showed a lot of McCoy Tyner's influence on piano; Bob Badgley, who worked for Joe Williams for a six year period and was the house bassist at the popular NPR Four Queens Jazz Night in Las Vegas; Santo Savino on drums, who provides a crisp pulse; and guitarist Curt Warren, who contributes some tasty, brief solos and support.
Track Listing
It Might As Well Be Spring, I'm Old Fashioned, Meditation, Limehouse Blues, Emily, Stella By Starlight, The Night Has A Thousand Eyes, The Days of Wine And Roses, It's You Or No One, Polka Dots and Moonbeams
Personnel
Allen Hermann, Carl Fontana, trombone; Ssstefan Karlsson, piano; Bob Badgley, bass; Santo Savino, drums; Curt Warren, gujitar.
Album information
Title: The Jazz Trombone | Year Released: 2004 | Record Label: Sea Breeze Jazz