Customer Reviews

Kids: Live at Dizzy's Club

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

 

 

Five MAGNIFICENT Stars!! The legendary jazz keyboard master Hank Jones and legendary tenor saxophone titan, Joe Lovano, have conjured up one of the best jazz duet performances in years!! And they are caught live at the intimate Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola in the Frederick P. Rose Hall, which is the Jazz At Lincoln Center performance complex in NYC. These are timeless, beautiful, flawless performances by two jazz masters who have almost restlessly searched the jazz spectrum for fulfillment in many formats over the years. They definitely have found something very special here that just may require an encore and it happened in a great venue. Stepping away from Mr Lovano's quartet, these two incomparable musicians have all of the propulsion and rhythm that is needed to propel these excellent performances along nicely. Unencumbered by bass and drum, they bend and stretch the time at will, with Hank providing solos and colorations as well as wicked time-keeping 'stride piano' with Joe declaratively soaring above and in between, making for some wonderful mellow jazz music. '80ish' Mr Jones plays with equal fire as '50ish' Mr Lovano making this duo an empathetic match made in jazz heaven.

The 'Pieces De Resistance', the best of the best, are wall to wall equally-captivating performances which proceed without letdown from song to song. But I especially like the fire by both players on "Lady Luck", written by Hank's brother, Thad, and "Kids Are Pretty People". I also love Joe's nod to older tenor players with his 'Ben Webster-ish' tenor sax effects on "Lullaby" and his nod to Yardbird Parker on "Charlie Chan", so reminiscent of Miles' "Half Nelson". Hank gets two solo bites of this CD apple with a wonderful, shimmering "Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin' " and "Oh! Look At Me Now", which is fitting since "Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola" is known for great solo piano performances. Joe gets off what is probably his best solo, alone and later with Hank, on a swirling performance of Monks' "Four In One", blowing hot, liquid strings of notes. Pure, timeless, magnificent jazz music! Encore, gentlemen! My Highest Recommendation. Five ENJOYABLE Stars!!

(This review is based on an iTunes digital download.)

Do so now!

I, probably like anyone reading this review, waited a long time before picking up a copy of this for myself. I had heard good things about it, but was unsure if it was worth a buy. Duets can be phenomenal, but can also fall flat very easily. I am here now to say that I should not have waited so long, and neither should you.

Both Lovano and Jones are in excellent form here. This duet gives both of them just enough freedom to express themselves and lets them highlight what they are best at. Lovano has played with Jones a number of times before and their communication on stage was obviously excellent. Jones has continued to become even more subtler and talent as time goes on. He switches from really swinging licks into more wry, dryly expressed passages with ease while always betraying a superb musical sense. It is not always easy to improvise without any backing from another musician (whether it be drums or bass or whatnot) but Jones shows that he is up to the task and then some. Not once will a listener feel that he has in anyway lost track of the melody or the overall arch of the song, his solos are so well crafted: truly musical gems.

In turn Jones sets a perfect stage for Lovano. Lovano's has a big, rich, dark sound that is just perfect for this sort of duet and he works with Jones excellently during his solos. They work very well together, not much more can be said. If you are on the fence about this album, take it from me that you have no reason to be. It is more than worth a listen.

mr jones playing is great as always.mr lovanos playing is the most distinctive of all the current sax players. the playing on this album is very good, the monk tune "four in one" is my favorate. the only thing i not not like is that the piano could have been recored with a little more volume.

If music heals, this is one of those times. Dad loved this CD and I did too.

This is a sax-piano duet album, a challenging pairing. I'm not familiar with Joe Lovano, but he plays very well. Hank Jones (who must be approaching 80) is absolutely brilliant (check out his accompaniment of Abbey Lincoln for more stunning work). The cd reminds me of another great sax-piano duet album by Bill Charlap and Houston Person--also highly recommended.

The album title is very apt as the music exudes a sense of innocence and playfulness. Jones, at 88, is nimble as ever, and Lovano responds by opening up his lyrical side. The interplay on these live performances is exquisite. Excellent selection of tunes. The piano and recording quality are superb. Definitely one for that desert island.

My first impression was too much saxophone, not enough piano. Lovano's solos are much lengthier than Jones'. After listening 3 - 4 times, I was able to better appreciate the balance between the two.

One can feel how the musicians enjoyed this set, they really had a great time. They are enjoying the moment, no pressure, just playing.

Four in One captures Monk's magic and together with Little Rascal on a Rock are the best on this CD.

Hank Jones was once the epitome of tastefully understated accompaniment, but in his lengthy old age, he's become a little bit more aggressive, introducing elements of stride and a more pronounced sense of swing back into his approach. He's like a boppier Teddy Wilson. It's made him the living pianist that I most enjoy hearing play solo. So Joe Lovano deserves some props for getting Jones, at 88 years of age, an opportunity to record for Blue Note, which, in its latter-day mainstream cheesiness, would probably never otherwise touch this subtle old veteran. This set gives us ample helpings of solo Jones, and he's a marvel. But there are downsides that will limit how many times I return to listen to this album (and to the number of stars I can give it). One is the annoyingly respectful audience that applauds loudly after every solo, making this sound more like a recital than a nightclub performance. The other is that we also have to put up with Joe Lovano, whose not-so-latent Coltraneisms have never been my cup of tea. But Lovano's makes for a bearable sidekick, for the most part, giving the Old Master plenty of space and even besting Jones on a version of Monk's "Four in One". Lovano essays the Monk tune as lovingly as Steve Lacy would have.