Cellar Groove

DAVID FATHEAD NEWMAN: Cellar Groove
Cellar Live, 2014

STRAIGHTAHEAD JAZZ – Great live set by one of the last of the great bluesy-bop saxophonists, recorded at a Vancouver club in 2004. He’s backed up by pianist Tilden Webb’s trio, and it’s a fine match. Newman’s tone thinned a bit with age, but he’s in solid swinging form here as he blows through bop tunes, testifies on the blues, and caresses the ballads.

All top-notch! Fo’s Picks: 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8

1. 8:53 – upbeat, snappy swinger: breezy sax solo, trio is in the pocket
2. 7:17 – bouncy soul-jazz strut: sax really works it, piano brings grease
3. 6:14 – soft ballad: hushed sax is full of tenderness, piano floats
4. 7:04 – a standard blues stroll done right, very expressive sax tone
5. 8:08 – snazzy hardbop at a brisk tempo, solid all around, bass solo
6. 8:45 – slow spiritual groove: sax weaves bluesy magic through it
7. 7:32 – light, jaunty bop stroll: catchy piano & freewheelin’ sax
8. 9:52 – bop classic pushes the tempo, sax surfs atop the trio’s hard drive
9. 4:38 – upbeat blues strut: Fathead on flute plays it high and low

[ Fo ] - 24 April 2014