David Larsen: The Peplowski Project

The Peplowski Project was a labor of love for saxophonist David Larsen, a longtime admirer of fellow reedman Ken Peplowski who sits in with Larsen's impressive quartet on each of the album's eleven numbers, playing clarinet on six, tenor saxophone on five.

As for Larsen, he plays his Gerry Mulligan-flavored baritone sax on five of the session's first six numbers, then sets it aside in favor of the alto (on Al Cohn's "Jazz Line Blues"), tenor or clarinet (a two-horn discourse with Peplowski on the even-tempered closer, "Two Funky People," the second of Cohn's admirable compositions). Larsen numbers Cohn among his leading influences, and his three clever originals ("He Who Getz the Last Laugh," "Into the Mild," "Tenor for Dinner") sound as though they could have been written by Cohn himself.

After opening with a sunlit reading of Jerome Kern's exquisite ballad, "All the Things You Are," the ensemble turns to Johnny Mandel's shapely "Black Nightgown" (a staple of Mulligan's Concert Jazz Band, written for the film I Want to Live!), then to Billy Byers' fast-moving "Doodle Oodle" (based on the standard "Sweet Georgia Brown"). Larsen plays baritone sax on "Last Laugh," Duke Ellington's "In a Sentimental Mood" and "Into the Mild," switching to alto on "Jazz Line Blues," tenor on "Sunny Side of the Street" and "Tenor for Dinner" (on which Peplowski also plays tenor). He could be playing clarinet, with Peplowski on tenor, on the standard "Love Me or Leave Me" (another Mulligan favorite), or it could be the other way around; the album offers no clue, and the solos could be either/or.

There really is no need, however, to know who is wielding which horn or when, as every ad lib on this splendid session is so admirable that it matters not whether Peplowski or Larsen is in charge. One seldom hears more consistently engaging solos than these (reinforcing perceptive statements from pianist Jake Svendsen and bassist Josh Skinner who with drummer Brendan McMurphy comprise a superior rhythm section). Add equal parts Larsen and Peplowski and you have by any measure one of the year's outstanding contemporary small-group albums, straight-ahead and swinging department. Easily recommended.