RECORDING REVIEWS DANIEL KELLY, COLUMN EDITOR Recently released recordings of music for solo trumpet, trumpet ensemble, brass ensemble, jazz ensemble, or other groups that feature the trumpet may be submitted by the artist, agent, recording company, or distributor. Reviewers and items for review are selected by editor, and recordings will not be returned. Journal publication deadlines require that reviews of selected items appear at least six months after they are received. Qualified ITG members are invited to review recordings submitted based on their area of expertise (e.g., solo trumpet, brass quintet, jazz). Copies of the discs will be forwarded to selected reviewers. Reviews reflect the opinions of individual reviewers and not those of the International Trumpet Guild. The editor strives to present unbiased reviews written by musicians not affiliated with the recording artists. To submit a recording for review consideration or to request to join the review staff, please contact: Dr. Daniel Kelly, Recording Reviews Editor, 830 Windham Dr, Rockwall TX 75087 USA, 972-375-1482 (cdreviews@trumpetguild.org). Avishai Cohen and Yonathan Avishai—Playing the Room Avishai Cohen, trumpet; Yonathan Avishai, piano ECM 2641 (CD); ECM Records, Edition Zeitgenössische Musik GmbH, Postfach 600 331, D-81203 München; ecmrecords@ecmrecords.com; http://ecmrecords.com; 49 089 851048; fax 49 089 8545652 Cohen: The Opening; Avishai: Two Lines; Coltrane: Crescent; Ellington: Azalea; Ibrahim: Kofifi Blue; Coleman: Dee Dee; Jackson: Ralph’s New Blues; Wonder: Sir Duke; Alterman/Argov: Shir Eres (Lullaby). Playing the Room showcases a level of musical intimacy that can come only from a long relationship between performers. Trumpeter Avishai Cohen and pianist Yonathan Avishai first played together during their teen years in Tel Aviv, and their continued collaboration has yielded something very special in this duo recording. The pair kicks off this outing with one original composition each. Cohen’s aptly titled The Opening establishes a sense of warmth, lyricism, and sincerity that continues throughout the rest of the album. The theme of The Opening begins with a phrase borrowed from Guy Wood’s oftrecorded standard My One and Only Love and blossoms into something clearly brand new, yet also somehow familiar. With consummate phrasing and a sound ranging from vulnerable to declamatory, from breathy to bold, Cohen demonstrates what an expressive master of the trumpet he is. During an extended piano interlude, Avishai displays similar breadth, with a touch reminiscent of Fred Hersch. Avishai’s Two Lines, constructed largely of modal sections with sporadic moments of more rapid harmonic rhythm, brings out the best in Cohen as an improviser. Whether patiently developing motifs through sequencing and rhythmic variation or delivering expressionistic flurries with peaks in the extreme upper register or simply sustaining or repeating a tone, his playing is engaging at all times. Moreover, it is virtually never marred by extraneous filler, instead characterized by a high degree of compositional integrity and absolute commitment. These qualities are heard in the seven additional selections by John Coltrane, Duke Ellington, and Ornette Coleman, among others. It is hoped that this duo will continue to record together, as they clearly have much to share. (Nikola Tomić, artist-teacher of jazz trumpet and contempo66 ITG Journal / March 2020
rary improvisation, Longy School of Music of Bard College, Cambridge, MA) Augie Haas—Dream a Little Dream Augie Haas, trumpet and vocals; Carmen Staaf, piano, organ, and vocals; Jared Schonig, drums, percussion, and vocals; Dick Sarpola, upright bass, double bass, and vocals; Suzanne Ornstein, Janey Choi, Sasha Margolis, Katie Kresek, Kiwon Nahm, Sean Carney, Kiku Enomoto, Naho Parrin, and Joel Lambdin, violins; Eddy Malave, Jason Mellow, and Chris Souyuza, violas; Robert Burkhart and Eliot Bailen, cellos; Andrew Neesley, vocals 888295914086 (CD); Playtime Music LLC; playtimemusicllc@gmail.com; http://augiehaas.com All compositions arranged by Neesley: Andre/Schwandt/Kahn: Dream a Little Dream of Me; Lennon/McCartney: Blackbird; Malneck: Goody Goody; Carmichael/Gorrell: Georgia on My Mind; King/Goffin: Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?; Warren: I Only Have Eyes For You; Poulton: Love Me Tender; King/Leiber/Stoller: Stand by Me; Belvin/Hodge/Williams/Williams: Earth Angel; Vincent: Ooh Child; Williams: Stay (Just a Little Bit Longer). When an artist covers originals well, one result is that listeners may hear things they missed previously. While the tune is familiar, an effective cover can make a song or part of it seem new. That is the case repeatedly in this collection of pop and jazz standards from New York City-based trumpeter and educator Augie Haas. For the most part, Haas slows tempi and/or lowers the volume on classics ranging from Georgia on My Mind to Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? and Stay ( Just a Little Bit Longer). As a result, many of the songs’ lyrics seem more prominent than they were in their original recordings. Making his debut as a vocalist, Haas seems to be reaching for the vocal style of Chet Baker. While lacking Baker’s cool, Haas lays down smooth vocals with excellent instrumental accompaniment. Though most of the album features slow offerings, Haas picks up the pace on Love Me Tender, offering the Elvis Presley ballad as an instrumental in a moderate jazz © 2020 International Trumpet Guild
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