专辑简介

By GEORGE FENDEL SEPTEMBER, 2010

Jazzscene, Oregons Jazz Magazine

Ed Bennett has carved out quite a niche among bass players in his twenty or so years as a Portlander. I love catching him on the last Friday of each month at Wilf's in his longtime association with Tony Pacini, piano, and Tim Rap, drums. But for this recording, the versatile ex-Carmen McRae bassist chose a different path, enlisting the considerable skills of Paul Mazzio, trumpet and flugelhorn, Scott Hall, tenor and soprano sax, Dan Gaynor, piano, and Todd Strait, drums. All of the tunes, save one, are Bennett originals, and at least a few deserve special mention. "Solari" is a very uninhibited, spirited line with espeically invigorating solos from Mazzio and Gaynor. "Ask Me How" is Bennett's clever realignment of the melody line of the Monk classic, "Ask Me Now". And the title tune has that breezy, freeway feel to it. On the latter tune, Gaynor and Hall offer resilient solo work preceding Bennett's own solo statement. S & W is yet another straightahead swinger, and is followed by the disc's only standard. It's a chance for the leader to shine on "For Heaven's Sake". Mazzio's silvery flugelhorn touch is featured on the Brazil-flavored "Suavemente Ahora", and "When It Was" showcases Bennett's skill on a lilting waltz. These and others all add up to a melodic, swinging, in-the-pocket album of real deal jazz. Bennett is undoubtedly one of the few remaining totally acoutic bassists on planet Earth. And the music heard here defines him as a life long jazz musician. Saphu, 2010, 59:55.