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Florian Ross: Tunes & Explorations
ByRoss underlines the contrast via jazz compositions from Bill Evans ("Fun Ride") and Horace Silver (the closing "Sister Sadie") and his own groovy curtain-raiser, "Baking Magels." The rest is all GAS, starting with a tasteful arrangement of Johnny Burke/Jimmy Van Heusen's enchanting "It Could Happen to You," featuring Canadian trombonist Craig Brenan with pianist Leon Hattori and Austrian trumpeter Bastian Stein. Hattori, bassist Dietmar Fuhr, drummer Tobias Backhaus and baritone saxophonist Niels Klein are the only members of the ensemble from Gemany.
Klein's bass clarinet leads the way on Ross's sweet and lovely arrangement of "Sweet and Lovely," with other solos by Hattori, Irish tenor saxophonist Matthew Halpin and Belgian guitarist Eliott Knuets who is showcased with Hattori on "Baking Magels." Stein's muted trumpet is front and center on Fats Waller's "Honeysuckle Rose," preceding a muscular tenor solo by Halpin and persuasive drumming by Backhaus. Stephen Sondheim's "Send in the Clowns" is lush and mellow, Jerome Kern's "Long Ago and Far Away" a fast-paced excursion for the ensemble with solos by Stein, Hattori and Knuets.
"If I Should Lose You," punctuated by Hattori's dancing piano, leads to the dreamy "Pure Imagination" (from the film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory), featuring Stein's expressive trumpet, and Evans' cheerful "Fun Ride" (splendid solo by Knuets). Halpin and Brenan share the spotlight on a blues-rhumba version of "Sweet and Lovely," while Klein's resonant baritone is most conspicuous on Silver's high-spirited "Sister Sadie."
An admirable session, underscored by Ross's clever charts, emphatic blowing by the ensemble, and an exemplary choice of material. Deposit it in the "well done" file.
Track Listing
Baking Magels; It Could Happen to You: I Should Care; Honeysuckle Rose; Send In the Clowns; Long Ago and Far Away; If I Should Lose You; Pure Imagination; Fun Ride; Sweet and Lovely; Sister Sadie.
Personnel
Florian Ross
composer / conductorMatthew Halpin
saxophoneCraig Brenan
tromboneNiels Klein
saxophoneEliott Knuets
guitarDietmar Fuhr
bassTobias Backhaus
drumsBastian Stein
trumpetAdditional Instrumentation
Leon Hattori: piano
Album information
Title: Tunes & Explorations | Year Released: 2022 | Record Label: Toy Piano Records
Comments
About Florian Ross
Instrument: Composer / conductor
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