‘Cadence
Jan – feb – march
2012 | cadence | 223
MIKE LONGO TRIO + 2
TO MY SURPRISE
CAP 1030
A PICTURE OF DORIAN MODE/
STILL WATER/
NEW MUSE BLUES/
LIMBO/
ALONE AGAIN/
I HADN’T ANYONE TIL’ YOU/
OLD DEVIL MOON/
MAGIC BLUZE/
TO MY SURPRISE/
YOU’VE CHANGED/
EYE OF THE HURRICANE/
IN THE WEE
SMALL HOURS. 64:09
Longo, p; Bob Cranshaw, b; Lewis Nash, d; Jimmy Owens, tpt, flgh;
Lance Bryant, ts.
8/1/11, Englewood, NJ.
You would expect musical excellence from the man Dizzy Gillespie chose to be his pianist and music director for many years, and that’s what you get with Mike Longo. Longo’s trio, with the veterans Lewis Nash on drums and Bob Cranshaw on bass, affords a perfect example of excellent straight-ahead mainstream modern Jazz. And on his second CD with this particular pair, the addition of trumpeter/ flugelhornist Jimmy Owens (a 2012National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master) and tenorist Lance Bryant on six of the twelve tracks provides a nice sound contrast and two additional fine soloists. The leader himself composed five of the tunes and Owens contributed “Magic Bluze.” Except for Wayne Shorter’s “Limbo” and Herbie Hancock’s “Eye of the Hurricane,” all the others are standards. Longo created real arrangements of the tunes, most of which were recorded in one take. Longo’s “A Picture of Dorian Mode” (with a nod to Oscar Wilde) starts things off at a blistering tempo that inspires fiery playing from all. In stark contrast, the subsequent “Still Water” is slow, soulful, and almost elegiac, with Longo’s quietly funky solo the only improvisation. His “New Muse Blues” presents a textbook example of a medium groove, back-beat Hard Bop/ Soul Jazz chart and features ear-catching up-to-date solos by the pianist and both horns. The other blues, “Magic Bluze,” is slow and simple and, interestingly, features the bass on the melody at the beginning. Longo’s improvisation on this one is especially earthy. Owens offers a richly melodic and tuneful solo on Longo’s “Alone Again,” a medium tempo Latin with a lovely melody. Bryant’s chorus is also warm and expressive. Indeed, the tenorist impresses throughout, whether in a contemplative mood or in an all-out wailing one. Cranshaw and Nash prove rock-solid at all times, with the drummer constantly interjecting rhythms that can’t help but inspire the others. And rhythm is a crucial aspect of Longo’s approach. He cites learning from Dizzy, who, he says, “had the greatest depth of understanding of rhythm of any musician I ever met.” That he took those lessons to heart is evident in his every note placement, which demonstrate his impeccable sense of time.
….David Franklin
To purchase this CD follow this link:
http://store.fastcommerce.com/jazzbe/to-my-surprise-ff80818132aff4940132b11c708b0192-p.html