Search - Warren Chiasson :: Point Counterpoint

Rare record of guitar great Chuck Wayne, w/Chiasson on vibes

T. Hanson | Gardiner, WA USA | 07/16/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a duo recording of Warren Chiasson (vibes, 1934-) and Chuck Wayne (guitar, 1923-1997).In the 70's, New York jazz fans visited Gregory's (on 2nd Avenue as I recall) on Tuesday nights to hear Chuck Wayne, one of the most remarkable guitarists of all time. He usually played with Warren Chiasson, the leader of this duo recording, though Warren played piano at Gregory's (due to New York's bizarre Cabaret laws of the day that restricted the use of percussion instruments). This CD illustrates the swinging conversations carried out between these two great musicians. Sadly, Wayne's greatest playing never seemed to make it to recordings; so although this CD has wonderful music, you must understand that it was recorded very late in his career, after Gregory's was history. And even his earlier recordings, with the Woody Herman First Herd, George Shearing, Duke Jordan, Slam Stewart, Coleman Hawkins, and others, somehow don't measure up to what so many NY guitarists felt -- that Chuck Wayne stood alone. His effortless bebop lines often sounded more like a great horn player than a guitarist, and his technical influence on modern playing would be hard to exaggerate.Chiasson, also, is under-recorded and a great player.So this album is good in its own right, but it is great because it is a way to hear one of the greatest guitarists of all time, no longer with us, and a too-little-known vibes player who will expand your perspective on the instrument."