The Four of Us: Live at Steamers

Artist: Mort Weiss Quartet
Label: Sms Jazz
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Format: Live
Media: Audio CD

UPC: 783707116303
EAN: 0783707116303
ASIN: B0009QTRUY

Release Date: 2005-06-14

Related Categories:

General

| Jazz | Styles | Music

General

| Pop | Styles | Music

General

| Live Albums | Jazz | Styles | Music

Tracks:

The Song Is You
I Thought About You
East Of The Sun
Over The Rainbow
St. Thomas
Stella By Starlight
Embraceable You
Blues In The Closet

Similar Items:

The Three of Us
Mort Weiss Meets Sam Most

Customer Reviews:

Heated Session at Steamers.......2006-11-20

"The Song Is You" is not an easy song at any tempo, but this accomplished and empathetic foursome takes to its challenging harmonies like B. B. King to the blues (which, incidentally, ends this programmatically diverse set). It's relaxed and comfortably in the pocket despite being taken at the speed limit, with Weiss' fluid clarinet taking the melody to places where even the composer might follow (Jerome Kern was notorious for disapproving of musicians who improvised on "All the Things You Are" or any of his songs). Guitarist Ron Eschete, in his dual role as harmonic and melodic voice, deserves double pay for his stalwart support and stellar solo turns. Bassist Dave Carpenter and drummer Roy McCurdy are locked tight in the groove when Carpenter isn't insistent on equal solo time.

It's hard to believe this is the same percussionist who was once stirring up thunder and lightning for Sonny Rollins' ventures into free jazz not to mention hard-core funk for Julian and Nat Adderley. On the present date, he's the quietest member of the group--more evidence of the reversed priorities these days in balancing the recorded sound of a rhythm section (I can remember when drums were actually loud instead of being dominated by "acoustic" bass players) but also, I suspect, testimony to the veteran drummer's versatility and impeccable taste. The drummer receives a short featured spot on Sonny Rollins' "St. Thomas." And even though the sound is in the background, the presence of the drums provides just enough contrast and variation to prevent the bass solos from wearing out their welcome overly quickly. (Whatever happened to bass solos consisting of nothing more than masterfully constructed "walking" 4/4 choruses? Doug Watkins, Paul, Ray, Pettiford, Mingus, Sam, even Scotty could hold my attention indefinitely with the time-feel and breathing sound of their walking lines).

The on-location recording ensures that not only the musicians but also the listener is very much in on the action, which captures the audience's responsiveness to the music as well as the leader's communication with the audience. Weiss is a musician whose enthusiasm, verbal encouragements and comments are palpable additions on virtually all of his recordings. But capture him in a setting where the crowd is actually present and "alive" yet respectfully attentive (compare this house to the gratuitous "noisiness" of the crowd on Wynton Marsalis' "Live At The House Of Tribes"), and the man is clearly in his element. The listeners, moreover, save their audible approval for the moments that have earned it--like Weiss' expressive solo on "I Thought About You" or Eschete's building chordal excitement on "East of the Sun."

Music CD:

Music CD

Music CD

Music CD

Pay Ya Dues ~ Low Profile

Everybody's Girl ~ Jen Foster

In Search of Eddie Riff ~ Andy Mackay

From in the Shadows ~ Shelby Starner

Colezo: Shocking Blue ~ Shocking Blue

Gone in a Flash ~ Snakebite

Won't Get Over You ~ Matt Handley

Psychotic Genius ~ Ganksta N-I-P

In Formation ~ Justin Hale

Poisons the Minds of the Children