16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Stan Getz rides (or sails) again!, November 7, 2001
This review is from: Final Concert Recordings (Audio CD)
I am always reluctant to buy 2 CD sets, especially when the artist has been dead for a decade! One would think to good stuff is already out. But Stan the Man, the greatest saxophonist of all time, continues to be amazingly prolific in death.
Despite the title, "People Time" is actually Stan Getz last known recording, silvered some three months before his death. This CD set is from a concert at the Munich Philharmonic, July 1990, 11 months before his death.
For a 63 year old guy who would be gone from us in a year, Stan sound amazingly sprightly and energetic here. Moreso than he does on "People Time"! He was on a Zen marcobiotic diet, excercised, and had discontinued his, umm, unheathful habits, and was feeling good here. He bops through a number of happy, upbeat songs, five from his latest album with Herb Alpert, "Apasionado".
Apasionado had a lot of New Age (NOT Smooth Jazz) influences, trying to be part of the latest thing in 1990. "Coba", the title track and "Espanira" have a strong classical Spanish influence like Miles Davis "Sketches of Spain". He plays a Miles Davis tune "Seven Steps to Heaven". The orchestra on the "Apasionado" CD is herein replayed by the song writer Eddie Del Barrio on synthesizer. In his later years, Stan liked to feature new music by lesser known people in his group.
Other tunes include numbers from "Anniversary" & "People Time". Also with him is Kenny Barron, clearly the best Jazz piano accompanyist in the business, then and now. Stan plays Barron's tune "Voyage".
Only four cuts are ballads and here Stan shines, as always. Especially on "People Time" & "Blood Count". I like disc two the best, should they ever become available seperately. Also "Amorous Cat", which I'd never heard elsewhere from Getz, sounds particularly sensual, like a cat rubbing itself on your leg!
The acoustic is a little echoy and bright, sometimes the drums and piano seem closer than the sax. Later in the concert he asks for, and gets, a more focused sound.
Steve Getz has said that his father's instantly recongizable music has a "healing quality". I believe that is true. May more of his music continue to be found!
Stan fans and collectors will enjoy this album, another good posthumous release. Four stars for a performance every bit as good as Stan in his prime, three stars for recording quality, under my extra tough grading system!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An inspiring performance exhibiting perfection in each genre, February 20, 2003
This review is from: Final Concert Recordings (Audio CD)
The expression "a full Mastery of one's instrument" is arguably impossible to attain, but a handful of musicians (the likes of Getz, Tatum, Evans, Dizzy, and Bird) are often credited with having done just that. The Final Concert is proof positive that perfection, or near perfection, is possible. Getz, with the help of some of the world's most talented musicians, performs a variety of compositions in different tempos & genres, that most musicians can only dream of doing. Technically & Lyrically this CD is a masterpiece, and a must have for any lover of Jazz. We can only hope that the Getz estate has many more of these gems hiden away.
STAN LIVES ON!!!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
