Search - Andrew Scott Quartet :: This One's For Barney

Spirited, Swinging Jazz

John Tapscott | Canada | 12/21/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Andrew Scott is a new name to me and I bought this CD on the basis of Sackville's strong track record of releasing fine mainstream jazz albums. I was certainly not disappointed. In fact, "This One's For Barney" is one of the pleasant surprises of 2004. This uplifting session would easily make my top ten list for the year.



Andrew Scott is a swinging young guitarist whose style reflects the influences of Barney Kessel and Herb Ellis, and to a lesser degree, Sonny Greenwich, whose music Scott studied for his Ph.D. thesis. But perhaps even more striking than Scott's impressive guitar work is the overall feeling of the CD. This CD is full of that undefinable but very identifiable jazz spirit.



The basic group is a quartet with Scott joined by pianist Bernie Senensky, bassist Louis Simao, and drummer Joel Haynes. This group knows how to swing and lays down a strong groove at any tempo. The quartet is joined by tenor saxophonist Harry Allen on tracks 1-7. Allen's big, breathy sound and his swinging, melodic solos are a major asset of the CD. So too, is the playing of Senesky in solo and comping roles. The boppish trumpet of Jake Wilkinson is added on tracks 4 and 8 and his flowing solos make a strong impression.



The 9 track program is quite varied and never lacks interest. The CD contains mostly standards, both uptempto and ballads, plus a couple of originals by Scott - the bossa nova "For Mindy" (Andrew's wife), and the loosely swinging "Blues for Sonny" (Greenwich). The opening "This Cound Be the Start" swings strongly out of the gate and sets the tone for the entire CD. "Barney's Rag" is a bright tribute to the late Kessel. The musicians have a lot of fun on this one and really dig into their solos. "To the Moon and Back/My Romance" is a solo guitar reflection by Scott for his wife, and a fine way to end the set.



"This One's For Barney" is an inspired CD and a strong debut for Andrew Scott. It is warmly recommended to all who enjoy swinging jazz which embraces both swing and bop."