Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Jerry Weldon: Those Were the Days
Jerry Weldon: Those Were the Days
ByThe touchstone of Those Were the Days is economy. Everything about this recording smacks of a scrupulous efficiency borne of an extended tenure in a big band like Connick's. This begins with his judicious use of an organ trio format augmented with a percussionist not unlike that employed in the 1950s and '60s Blue Note organ blowing dates. Organist Kyle Koehler is a conservative sort, favoring understated organ stop positions and thoughtful solo excursions. His tone reveals the best of a sepia-tinged style that could have been heard introducing The Edge of Night. Koehler's contribution to this date cannot be understated and is splendidly emotive and orchestral. He is most present introducing the title cut, which closes the recording, framing Weldon's muscular and exacting tenor tone with a soft glow, propelled by the gentle loping rhythm of drummer Colby Inzer.
Weldon favors modern ballads like the full-throated "Strangers in the Night" and the Bacharach/David "Walk on By" played samba style in a breezy and laconic mode. Weldon's own "Sunny V," retaining a bit of samba itself, is bright and inventive. The saxophonist and organist reach a precise critical mass playing Jimmy Smith's "The Sermon," the only blowing blues on the set. Everything comes into relief focus on this tune with all instruments well synced and calibrated. This is an excellent penultimate piece to introduce the closing "Those Were the Days." This could definitely be called "mainstream" jazz, that brand of jazz immediately recognizable, durable and expressive, a joy to behold and listen to.
Track Listing
Love Won’t Let Me Wait; Strangers in the Night; Sunny V; Where is the Love; Rosetta; Walk on By; This is Always; The Sermon; Those Were the Days.
Personnel
Jerry Weldon
saxophone, tenorJerry Weldon: tenor saxophone; Kyle Koehler: Hammond B3 Organ; Colby Inzer: drums; Daniel Sadownick: percussion.
Album information
Title: Those Were the Days | Year Released: 2018 | Record Label: Cellar Live
< Previous
Birdsongs
Next >
Love & Surrender
Comments
About Jerry Weldon
Instrument: Saxophone, tenor
Related Articles | Concerts | Albums | Photos | Similar To