LARRY VUCKOVICH: Somethin’ Special
Tetrachord, 2011

BOP – A mainstay of the San Francisco jazz scene since the 1950s, pianist Larry Vuckovich continues to produce eloquent, swinging bop. This time he’s joined by two tenor saxophonists (Scott Hamilton and local veteran Noel Jewkes) and a solid rhythm section for an offbeat set made up mostly of less-familiar standards. Nice work all around with some tasty grooves, but it’s the ballads that really shine.

Fo’s Picks: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 11

1. 7:10 – sneaky hard bop theme into breezy swing, bluesy solos for everyone
2. 6:25 – haunting ballad with a Latin sway: very nice sax work from Jewkes
3. 7:16 – relaxed, warm ballad: sweet, buoyant sax (Hamilton) & lovely piano
4. 6:57 – funky little groove: saxes roll with it, piano bounces, bass takes it out
5. 8:54 – beautiful: sweetly aching piano and a romantic sax moan (Jewkes)
6. 5:55 – classic bossa nova: Hamilton’s sax tone fits like this a glove
7. 3:38 – solo piano: a tender, shimmering take on a Thelonious Monk ballad
8. 9:07 – swinging hardbop: careful theme, but solos are loose and upbeat
9. 6:47 – original ballad fantasy with soprano sax, delicate but driving piano
10. 6:28 – hip trio blues groove, bounces along with glee
11. 4:30 – solo piano: an old standard gets some new harmonic flavors

[ Fo ] - August 2011