Steeped in the film music of Henry Mancini, Ted Nash opens n
Jan P. Dennis | Monument, CO USA | 08/09/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"(Ted Nash - tenor sax, alto sax, soprano sax, alto flute, piccolo; Frank Kimbrough - piano; Rufus Reid - bass; Matt Wilson - drums)
Not only did Ted Nash's father, a trombonist, play on almost all of Henry Mancini's film projects, so did his uncle, an alto saxophonist. But that leaves out the most important instrumentalist, the tenor saxophonist. More often than not, this was the great British tenor man, Tony Coe, winner of the prestigious JazzPar Prize, whose signature sound as lead instrument on "The Pink Panther" carved out a tenor aesthetic perhaps as prominent and certainly as distinctive as Stan Getz' bossa nova sound. Certainly Ted Nash would have heard him and been familiar with his breathy, romantic approach. That he sounds almost nothing like Coe says everything about what Nash is aiming for on this tribute disc.
Right off, we notice that "Moon River" and "The Pink Panther," Mancini's two most popular and instantly recognizable tunes, are not included on this project. Why, one wonders? My view is that Nash wants listeners to reconsider the Mancini oevre sans its signature works. More, Nash's approach is about as far from Coe's as one could imagine. His tone is drier and more cerebral than Coe's, often evoking mystery where Coe conjured lush romanticism.
Nash's bandmates excel at bringing out the heart of Mancini's genius. Frank Kimbrough on piano, certainly among a handful of living first-rank jazz pianists, consistently delivers unique and novel interpretations of Mancini's music. His ability to find the perfect groove, be it the hard bop of "Dreamsville," the scary lope of "Theme from Night Visitor," the gentle Brazilian vibe of "Something for Nash," or the sultry Latin mood of "Lujon," a brilliant but seldom heard gem in the canon, always perfectly contextualizes Mancini's compositions. Matt Wilson, an of essential modern jazz drummer, adds sly rhythmic and percussive accents, adding to the mysterioso sensibility. The ringer here is bassist Rufus Reid. One would have expected Ben Allison, Nash's longtime collaborator in the Jazz Composers Collective. But Reid strikes me as the perfect musician to man the bass chair. A generation older than the other three musicians, he brings a legacy of playing on important projects and a history of the tradition that beautifully anchors this project. Proof? His to-die-for tasty solo on "Breakfast at Tiffany's."
Surely a departure from Nash's usual outings, where his role as composer is at least as prominent as his playing and bandleading, The Mancini Project strikes me as much more than a kind of paying-one's-dues endeavor: this is a labor of love, a tribute as much to his family as to a film music genius. Thank you, Ted Nash, for giving us a glimpse into the magical world of Henry Mancini as lovingly interpreted by your forebears and updated by your unique vision."
AN UNSATISFYING RECORDING, & HERE'S WHY:
Des Francis | Winnipeg, MB CANADA | 05/21/2009
(2 out of 5 stars)
"It must be a source of some distress to jazz freaks (of which I am one) that arguably the greatest arranger this past century produced didn't come from the jazz world. Mancini worked on some pretty big canvases at times, & had a bent towards the usage of unconventional instruments. If one ignores a few unfortunate assignments he took during the later sixties & early seventies, he produced a pretty impressive body of work.
Here's one problem: If one were to take some of the more mellifluous and/or dark work of composers like Ottorino Respighi or Frederick Delius (both of whom have some affinity with Mancini) & attempt to render that music through the use of a string quartet or madrigal choir, the results wouldn't be very worthwhile. That's what happened here; folks well-versed in Mancini will find this rather thin gruel, the lineage of the reed man notwithstanding. When one considers the chordal underlay of many Mancini pieces, simple bass & piano can't carry the can.
In addition, the quartet suffers from inadequate rehearsal time & is lumbered with an overly-busy drummer who seems content here to ignore some of the imperatives of keeping time once in a while.
Lastly, maybe I've been listening to too much well-engineered stuff lately. With the advent of processes like 24-bit, DSD, etc. it should be evident to most ears that the evolution of the compact disc is a work in progress. This 2007 recording sounds like something made about 1996.
Mancini himself also worked with smaller groups, albeit rarely. I certainly can't see HIM (nor either senior Nash) letting a thing like this out of the studio. Historically, many performers have tried to 'cover' Mancini compositions with mostly dubious results, possible exceptions being Quincy Jones or Dave Grusin. To these ears, Mancini stuff doesn't often cover very well for the simple reason that he did it too well the first time. And he did it with discipline, proper preparation & rehearsal, which are not evident here."
Seductive, Sexy, and Smooth
Scott Williams | Oakland, CA United States | 08/17/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Overview:
The Mancini Project features Ted Nash's interpretations of film composer Henry Mancini's work. The project is deeply personal to Ted as his father played on most of the Mancini soundtracks and Ted grew up listening to this music. The overall sound is seductive and smooth. It reminds me most in style of 60's bossa nova (Stan Getz) and 50's jazz. Also is has a bit of a lounge feel to it. The album is played by a quartet - Rufus Reid bass, Frank Kimbrough piano, Matt Wilson drums, and Nash on tenor sax, alto sax, soprano sax, alto flute and piccolo. The spacing on the album is great. Each musician's part can be clearly heard and the sound is never cluttered. More so than any other of Nash's album, this quartet setting really showcases Nash's playing on a variety of instruments as he is the primary soloist throughout the album. On his other albums there always seems to be so much going on that you don't always get a great look at Nash's playing. Here the sound is very clean and crisp. You really get to see all sides of Nash's playing.
Song Highlights:
Theme From the Night Visitor: The track opens with a killer bass line by Reid. Light piano strokes, and cymbal work along with Nash's haunting, reflective sax really set the mood for the album. The liner notes call the song suspenseful and mysterious. I think this in an apt description.
Lujon - (also known as a slow hot wind) - This composition from Mr. Lucky goes Latin has a bossa nova feel to it. This dreamy song has a great walking bass line and features a nice piano solo by Kimbrough.
The Party - This song is a swinging 60's soul jazz boogaloo burner. Sounds like something Lee Morgan, Blue Mitchell, or Archie Shepp would have played in the 60s.
Soldier in the Rain - This ballad features Nash on flute. Definitely one of the prettiest tracks on the CD. Also features a nice bass solo by Reid and great brush and cymbal work by Wilson.
This CD shows another side of Ted Nash. It is absolutely essential listening for Ted Nash fans.
"
Track Listings (14) - Disc #1