Jazz at the Bistro [LIVE]

Benny Green (Artist), Russell Malone (Artist)

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 28, 2003)
• Original Release Date: 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Live
• Label: Telarc
• ASIN: B00007KMO1
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #49,611 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Between them, the young duo of Benny Green and Russell Malone has a world of experience, having played with such jazz masters as Ray Brown, Harry Connick Jr., Betty Carter, Diana Krall, and Branford Marsalis. This live date captures the terrific twosome delivering a tasty palette of blues, standards, and ballads. Malone's guitar lines are impressive and encyclopedic, ranging from Wes Montgomery's ringing double octaves to Joe Pass's tender timbres. Green's pianisms imbue everything he plays with a haze of blues. They both treat chestnuts like Cannonball Adderley's "Wabash," Billy Strayhorn's "Intimacy of the Blues," and John Coltrane's "Moment's Notice/Lazy Bird" with dazzling and deft improvisations. Here, in front of an appreciative audience, these musicians beautifully highlight the difference between just making a record and actually playing music. --Eugene Holley Jr.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fun Recording from a Talented Duo, February 3, 2003

By	M. A Netzley "mnetzley" (Singapore) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have been waiting years for another live recording from Benny Green and, as expected, he has not disappointed with this latest release. Actually, it is misleading to call this a Benny Green recording. The duo of Green and Malone seems to be emerging, in my opinion, as one of the better collaborations in jazz. The duo is unquestionably the star attraction on this recording.

One of the more desirable characteristics of this CD is that Benny and Russell know how to swing. Even without a bass or drums, tunes such as Cannonball Adderley's "Wabash" come alive and get your body moving to the rhythm. The duo also performs a couple pop tunes such as "Sing," "How Deep is Your Love," and "Killing Me Softly" (maybe they have read the Hornby novel lately?). The recording features some classic tunes such as "The Intimacy of the Blues" and "Lazy Bird." Finally, for those Benny fans out there, there is a new composition from Mr. Green titled "Quiet Girl" which is quite beautiful.

In a larger sense, I am very impressed with the work that Russell and Benny are doing together. I think their recording collaboration began, if my memory serves, with These Are Soulful Days back in 1999 (Blue Note). Around this same time I observed that Benny was trying different band members and had some recording adventures such as Kaleidoscope (Blue Note) with Ron Carter or a band-member role with Tim Hagans and Marcus Printup. Coming off some fabulous recordings with Christian McBride and Carl Allen, I have to view these musical adventures as a transitional period. I am left with the impression he was moving toward a new voice.

Live At The Bistro makes one thing clear: the transition is complete and Benny--along with the amazing guitar work from Russell Malone--is playing with a clear voice. I think this recording is certainly well above par and is the type of performance that attracted me to Benny Green's music in the first place. Both Benny and Russell are stunning musicians and this recording reveals their talent and the beauty of their collaboration.

In terms of sound quality, this recording will deliver exactly what you expect from Telarc. Unlike the gritty and impassioned sound of the earlier live recording from Benny, this CD is crystal clear and flawless. If you are a fan of Telarc recordings, then you will certainly be pleased.

As for me, it is the music that matters. This is an excellent recording and I am certain I will be listening to it repeatedly. I hope the future has several more recordings in store from this duo. This is first-rate music and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I wish I could have been there, January 5, 2005

By	Cedric Westphal "cedichou" (san francisco, ca) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This cd was recorded live at a jazz club in St Louis, and I wish I could have attended this concert. I actually saw Benny Green and Russell Malone play together a little later at another jazz club, and the enthusiasm with which they play and share with the audience is very tangible.

This cd has 13 music tracks (and two 'introductions' for each artist). There are two originals, a bunch of standard-y standards (monk, strayhorn, coltrane tunes), and a few 'new standards', ie pop tunes made into jazz ('killing me softly' for instance). It is up there, along Jim Hall and Bill Evans 'undercurrent', as one of the best jazz duo of a guitarist and a pianist. The guitar and the piano complement each other perfectly, with each instrument being in turn melodic or harmonic. The styles of BG and RM differ a bit (complement each other as well), with BG going towards more harmonic sophistication, and RM towards more virtuosity.

The recipe here is the same as their other subsequent cd, 'bluebird', which I recommand equally. I guess this one should be picked first due to its seniority (it is 2 years older), but I cannot come up with a better reason.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Green & Malone Swing, April 3, 2006

By	Jazz Addict "JJ" (tyler, texas United States) - See all my reviews

Just returned from Jazz at the Bistro in St Louis to catch Benny and Russell live. Sat for two sets, one on Fri and one Sat. They were magnificent and this album reflects what I heard. If one is a jazz addict and trained in music and hear this CD you will appreciate their dynamics together. Listen to the CD and you will quickly become Green/Malone fans. Reminds me of the Evans/Hall Intermodulation duo album recorded in the 60's on Verve.