Customer Reviews

Ballad Session

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A couple of items: 1.) Contrary to the wishes of the Amazon.com reviewer, this is not Mr. Turner's 'sophomore effort.' Rather this is his third date on RCA and counting one on Criss Cross, his fourth as a leader.

2.) This isn't a Coltrane tribute and there aren't any 'sheets of sound.'

The cd is as advertised. It is indeed a 'Ballad Session' performed by a group of completely up to the minute musicians led by Mark Turner, one of the most accomplished and versatile of the younger tenor saxophonists on the scene. Combining standards with tunes by Wayner Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Bobby Hutcherson and Carla Bley this is an extremely sophisticated and utterly gorgeous effort.

Elegant, romantic and substantive this is an exercise in mood. Subtle yet swinging. Introspective yet generous.

Much like 'Night and the City', a series of duets by Kenny Barron and Charlie Haden from a couple years back this is understated yet completely compelling music.

'Energy' is not merely a function of tempo and/or volume. Rather it is what takes place when musicians are actually listening to one another, repectful of one another's contribution and mindful of giving the music space to breathe and grow. It isn't easy making music sound this simple.

Oh and by the way. The version of 'Some Other Time' found here is worth the price of the cd.

Mark Turner has matured. He, and Roy Hargrove, have learned that if you sweeten, control and sculpt each note, you can breathe new life into old standards (the album starts with standards, and moves on to lesser know songs and originals with a similar emotional stance). Stan Getz and Miles Davis understood the importance of each note they played. This shows maturity, rather than Turner's earlier style which focused on how many notes he could jam into a measure, and sound be damned.

If the first note doesn't sound good it doesn't matter how many more follow.

It is with ballads that a jazz musician proves his understanding of his craft, demostrates his emotional depth, on the songs everyone knows.

This music is quiet, and contemplative. Seductive 'Round Midnight music, Hypnotic. Meditative. Sad.

It is this album, and his "Two Tenor Ballads" album with Tad Shull, which I listen to over and over.

If you like Stan Getz, Roy Hargrove, and early Miles Davis, you will love this CD!

4 stars for a great warm performance, not yet a bestseller.

The acclaimed Tenor saxophonist's current release displays yet another facet of this intriguing artist's endless array of musical invention.Slowing down the tempo and turning up the romance, Turner has delivered a diversed yet intricately connected set of compositions that reconfirms his reputation for artistry,improvisation and unparalleled style.Give it a listen!

Tenor saxophonist Mark Turner, who at least in the photographs included in this CD bears a striking resemblance to the Indiana Pacers' Reggie Miller, shows in this CD that he has the potential for being as big a star on the jazz circuit as Mr. Miller is in the NBA. Ballad Session features a crack lineup of Turner on tenor, Kurt Rosenwinkel on guitar, Kevin Hays on piano, Lary Grenadier on bass, and Brian Blade on drums. The ballad selection is also sterling, starting off with Gershwin's "I Loves You Porgy" and ranging over cuts such as Wayne Shorter's "Nefertiti," Hoagy Carmichael's "Skylark," Paul Desmond's "Late Lament," and several others.

The musicians really seem to enjoy playing these classic tunes; Rosenwinkel deserves special mention, as he is able to blend perfectly into the texture of the music, never calling overt attention to himself, but adding immeasurably to the beauty of the sound. Brian Blade has a wonderful touch on the drums, so soft and sure and deft, and of course Turner himself sets the tone, playing with a tone at once caressing and confident, and always serving the music, never once seeming to be showing off.

The engineers (James Farber with assistance from Tom Schick) also handle their instruments with skill and grace, making Ballad Sessions a delight sonically as well as musically. The end result is a superb production that I would recommend highly not just to jazz fans, but to music lovers of all persuasions.

dear god, i have never heard a saxophonist play on the level as mark turner with the exception of coltrane or sonny rollins. But im not talking about the bebop musicians. im talking about the post -bop players. This cd captures the essense of his master tone which is instantaneously recognizable. It picks up a flavor (or mood) that one might find on such albumns as miles davis's kind of blue or coltran's sound just to name a few. mark turner is highly under rated on the jazz scene today and should be treated with much more respect than critics and peers give him. i dont see how anyone could give this cd anything less than five stars.

Mark Turner has been gaining a reputation as a Coltrane sound alike with a bright future built around a masterful tone. Unfortunately on this recording, Turner has listened more to what people think he is and less to what he could become. The imitation of Coltrane is so strong (including imitations of "sheets of sound")that I would suggest the listener put on Coltrane's Ballads instead of the imitation. However, make no mistake - this is a good album! You will find yourself humming along - but what you won't find is inspiration. In part the problem is as much the uninspired accompaniment as it is the leader. Both have opted for safe and pretty as opposed to invention and daring. Mark Turner will be a better player and will record better albums. For now, this is not bad - it's just not great.