Saxophonics
June 2006 By David Franklin
Infinite Gallodoro
CHMusic
Al Gallodoro has been one of the world’s leading saxophone (and woodwinds) virtuosos since the early 1930s when he joined Isham Jones and went on to become a longtime star soloist with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra. He also played under such classical-music...
June 2006 By David Franklin
Plays the Arthur Schwartz Songbook
HEP Records
Herb Geller won the Down Beat critics’ poll as new star on alto in 1955. Highly visible during the 1950s with well-known West Coast bands as well as groups of his own, he was known for a virile style that featured a full, even tone throughout the instrument’s...
June 2006 By David Franklin
Misconception
Blujazz
Ted Hogarth is a Chicago-based saxophonist and clarinetist who plays with the Chicago Jazz Ensemble (founded by Bill Russo) and Rob Parton’s JazzTech Big Band and holds a master’s degree in jazz composition. His Ted Hogarth Collective is a sextet that includes...
June 2006 By David Franklin
Everything I Love
Evening Star Records
Bill Kirchner’s appealing Everything I Love features novel instrumentation, first-class material and superior playing. Sopranoist Kirchner, accordionist-vocalist Eddie Monteiro and drummer Ron Vincent generate, thanks to the MIDI attachment on Monteiro’s...
June 2006 By David Franklin
Stellar Sax
CIMP Recordings
On Stellar Sax, Cleveland-based tenorist Ernie Krivda continues to display a captivating originality in both his playing and his composing. He complements his unique, forward-thrusting improvising style with compositions that, although logically constructed...
June 2006 By David Franklin
Sandan Shuffle
Renma
In karate, the third degree of black-belt status is called sandan, which saxophonist Virginia Mayhew recently achieved. She wrote the title tune of Sandan Shuffle while preparing for karate class, and her funky blues does indeed feature a shuffle rhythm...
June 2006 By David Franklin
Endangered Species
Summit
Endangered Species is a fun album by the baritonist with Harry Connick Jr.’s big band. A couple of David Schumacher’s colleagues from the Connick band, tenorists Jerry Weldon and Ned Goold, even show up to help him out when he picks up the smaller horn for...
April 2006 By David Franklin
Speaking of Stan: A Tribute to Stan Getz
Hallway Records
Prominent Chicago tenorist/educator Mark Colby's Speaking of Stan is a fitting homage to his long-time friend and musical influence, Stan Getz. The program includes some tunes associated with Getz, such as Benny Carter's "Only Trust Your Heart," Gigi Gryce...
April 2006 By David Franklin
Exposure
Fresh Sound New Talent
Filled with delightful surprises, Alon Farber's Exposure offers fresh takes on a variety of idioms from the spacey program music of "Illusions Swamp" to the funk of "Monkeys" to the exotic sound of "Mi Ze Itzik?" to the "Lonely Woman" paean "A Chat With...
April 2006 By David Franklin
The Good Life
Origin Records
Altoist Alex Graham's The Good Life is easy-going, straightahead post-Coltrane hard bop executed with skill by all involved. Although released in late 2005, it was recorded less than three years after Graham's 1995 debut, Countdown. And it, too, includes...
