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The Randy Sandke Quartet: Trumpet After Dark
Sandke's jazz quartet features pianist Bill Charlap, bassist Greg Cohen, and drummer Dennis Mackrel. He has chosen a viol quartet, Parthenia, and it is likely that this is the first instance in which the viola da gamba has been used in a jazz context. Parthenia's deep sonorous timbre, as heard in the opening of "Being Human," sounds like Renaissance music before Sandke's clarion melody statement, without seeming out of place.
Randy Sandke has contributed five originals, of which two, "Quiet Is The Night" and "Nocturne," were written specifically for this album. Both "Nocturne" and and "Lullabye For Karen" are standouts. Most of these tunes are performed in ballad or mid-tempo with, oddly enough, the swingingest track being Chopin's "Etude In E." I enjoyed the eclectic choice of material from a variety of sources, such as a song taken from a Nana Mouskouri album, another from English composer John Dowland, and a piano duet with Charlap on "Monk's Mood." In addition, the standards "Lush Life" and "Star Crossed Lovers" blend in well. Throughout the album, Bill Charlap provides his usual sensitive accompanist role, as well as soloing to match Sandke's lyrical trumpet work.
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Track Listing
Quiet Is The Night; Nocturne; Being Human; Goodbye For Now; Star Crossed Lovers; Etude In E; Le Jour Ou La Colombe; Monk's Mood; A Blues Serenade; Can She Excuse My Wrongs; Lullabye For Karen; Blues For Sandy; Lush Life; Soul Eyes.
Personnel
Randy Sandke
trumpetRandy Sandke: trumpet; Bill Charlap: piano; Greg Cohen: bass; Dennis Mackrel:drums; Rosamund Morley: treble viol; Beverly Au: treble and bass viol; Lawrence Lipnik: tenor viol; Lisa Terry: treble and bass viol.
Album information
Title: Trumpet After Dark | Year Released: 2005 | Record Label: Evening Star Records