James Moody
Released August 25, 2010
Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group 2011
Top 10 Jazz Album of the Year DownBeat Critics’ Poll
YouTube: https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=VHuNFjcAif4&list=OLAK5uy_k1aY31SHH_ewc1jUsiJap88P25Oz_IH3w
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/0vUUxNoLIoxPc9WQIbFSpG?si=VcbiBfQIQ2KZikmZTXGl7A
About:
NEA Jazz Master James Moody returns to the recording scene with his sixth appearance on IPO, Moody 4B, the swinging sequel to last year’s critically acclaimed Moody 4A. Made in New York City in July of 2008 the disc marks Moody’s 60th year as a recording artist.
Moody says, “This recording was a total pleasure because producer Bill Sorin let me be me, musically. So many of the previous producers of my albums wanted a “concept.” Well, how about the concept being “Moody”? Bill is wonderful!!”
As on Moody 4A the leader is once again reunited with longtime friend and fellow NEA Jazz Master pianist Kenny Barron who first made his mark playing together with the virtuoso saxophonist in his quartet and later upon his recommendation joined the saxist as a member of Dizzy Gillespie’s band. “Kenny is a master and I always love working with him,” Moody says. ” I first played with him when he was 18 years old and I have loved him ever since. He is a very spiritual person and it comes through in his music.”
Joining the pair are bassist Todd Coolman, who Moody says “is like my right hand,” noting their 25 plus years of working together; and drummer Lewis Nash, who has played off and on together with the leader for many years and of whom Moody says “I admire him as a person and a musician.” The leader continues, “Choosing the music was a collaborative effort. I value everyone’s opinion and each musician had input and great suggestions. Of course, Kenny, Lewis and Todd are all masters in their own right and each always contributes greatly to any project in which they are involved.”
In his liner notes to the date, Ira’s Gitler, who has been listening to Moody almost since the saxophonist first came to New York way back in the Forties, points out that this follow-up to Moody 4A could be considered “too much of a good thing,” but is really more like “can’t get enough of it.” As on 4A, 4B presents the quartet interpreting, as Gitler notes, a selection of “pearls from the Great American Songbook as well as gems from the Great American Jazz Standards Library.” Moody describes Gitler as ” a walking history book” and says, “reading Ira’s liner notes is like going to school.”
Beginning with Barron’s easy striding piano intro to Billy Strayhorn’s classic Ellington theme “Take The A Train” the band will be adding its own twists to this familiar material, particularly Moody whose tone is in full bloom on the melody and unparalleled technical command of the tenor saxophone (which he plays exclusively on the date, leaving his alto and flute in their cases) is unveiled on his first of many brilliant improvisations that eschew the typical hackneyed chord progressions so common these days in favor of his own inventions which are always full of subtle revelations. Other selections include a much slower than commonly heard reading of Tadd Dameron’s “Hot House,” affording listeners the opportunity to savor Moody’s sound and ideas, a dancing Latin tinged version of “Speak Low” and a truly stirring rendition of “Polka Dots and Moonbeams,” demonstrating that at 85 there is no one alive who plays a ballad better than Moody. The quartet’s cha-cha-ish arrangement of “I Love You” keeps things moving. A pair of originals, Coolman’s “O.P.’s Update” and Barron’s “Nikara’s Song,” have the band traveling from classic bebop to Miles and Trane-ish modality. “Along Came Betty” is a swinging tribute to Moody’s fellow octogenarian saxophonist Benny Golson prior to the set closing out with a beautiful version of “But Not For Me.”
Track Listing:
1. Take the A Train (Billy Strayhorn) 4:30
2. Hot House (Tadd Dameron) 9:11
3. Speak Low (Ogden Nash / Kurt Weill) 6:27
4. Polka Dots & Moonbeams (James Van Heusen) 9:50
5. I Love You (Cole Porter) 6:45
6. O.P. Update (Todd Coolman) 5:18
7. Nikara’s Song (Kenny Barron) 6:06
8. Along Came Betty (Benny Golson) 6:16
9. But Not For Me (George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin) 6:41
Personnel:
James Moody: tenor saxophone
Kenny Barron: piano
Todd Coolman: bass
Lewis Nash: drums
Recorded July 21-22, 2008, at Avatar Studios, New York, NY
Produced by Michael Patterson
Executive Producer: William F. Sorin
Review:
Each year since 1950,
James Moody has played a concert at Carnegie Hall in New York. In 2010, the
annual visit will be a little sweeter as Moody celebrates his 85th birthday,
with a slice of cake on Seventh Avenue and a concert of greats. No doubt, the
sprightly sax (and flute) master behind such classic tunes as “Moody’s
Mood for Love” is still playing strong. Moody 4A (IPO, 2009)
featured a killer quartet with longtime partner in crime, pianist Kenny
Barron, as well as the excellent pairing of drummer Lewis Nash and
bassist Todd Coolman. The follow-up, Moody 4B, was recorded a day
later and maintains the same mix of well-chosen standards, one or two
originals, and a healthy dose of good swing by the best in the business.
The album opens with a touch of solo ragtime from Barron, before the band
launches into a cooking tempo with Moody at the helm of “Take the ‘A’
Train.” His solo alludes to bebop past, before giving way to Barron’s
inspired piano solo. The equally inspired choice of “Polka Dots &
Moonbeams” provides the requisite ballad to pluck at heartstrings, with
lush tenor and piano playing a duo chorus before bass and drums enter and pull
the tempo up. Nash’s brushwork here is particularly excellent, and the tasteful
chemistry generated by the rhythm section make the Latin-infused grooves on
“Speak Low” and “I Love You” dig deep.
Moody sounds as good as ever. His tenor is husky and lilting in the low
register, giving way to the occasional bluesy exultation up high. It often has
the tender smoothness of an organ, a warm hum with very little vibrato, and the
quartet wraps tight around this sound and style.
Standards are again the bread and butter, with the notable exceptions of
Barron’s “Nikara’s Song” and Coolman’s “O.P. Update,” both
of which are sweet and catchy enough to fit seamlessly into the program.
Familiar bop melodies, like Tadd Dameron’s “Hot House”
and Benny Golson’s “Along Came Betty” serve as highlights. The former
is eased down from the high haste of Charlie Parker’s days, into a
slow-churned swingfest, with each member of the quartet trotting out his best
stuff. Nevertheless, Barron’s solo would be worth most piano students’ while to
transcribe for its splendid melodic development.
To top it all off, the package comes with a full-length sampler disc culled from other recent IPO label releases. With selections from Sir Roland Hanna, Eddie Daniels, Benny Golson, Roger Kellaway, Stefon Harris, and the great Hank Jones, these tracks alone might be worth the price of admission. Yet there’s much more. As on 4A, the quartet digs into the stuffing of cool, with an easy chemistry happening between the band as they tackle nine beautiful, classic melodies. This music simply sounds like good jazz should.
Warren Allen (AllAboutJazz)
