Live at Small's [Live]

Mark Elf | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 12, 2000)
• Original Release Date: September 6, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Live
• Label: Jen Bay
• ASIN: B00004WK5P
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #270,757 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Mark Elf plays bop guitar in a classic vein--high speed, harmonically adventurous, rhythmically aggressive--recalling giants of the form like Barney Kessel, Tal Farlow, and Jimmy Raney. He has technique to spare, and it enables him to add fresh rhythmic detail to a cascading line and to push a long solo to its logical limits. His combination of raw vigor and high dexterity is especially apparent on this, his first live release, recorded in 1995. The youthful rhythm section of Neal Miner on bass and Joe Strausser on drums provided the guitarist with all the fuel he needed. On bop classics like Horace Silver's "Quicksilver" and Thelonious Monk's "52nd Street Theme," Elf is happy at tempos that would have pleased Charlie Parker. He also swings effusively on Kenny Dorham's "The Theme," a Jazz Messengers anthem. The guitarist's lyrical side shows in some rich chorded passages on standards like "Stella by Starlight" and "Too Close for Comfort," but even the ballads are animated by kinetic, coiling, single-note lines. There are two extended versions of his blues song "109 West," and Elf shows that he can find different inspirations in the same material. --Stuart Broomer

From Jazziz

The excitement and intensity of small group improvisation in the bop tradition is evident on every track of this excellent live recording. Guitarist and leader Mark Elf, bassist Neal Miner, and drummer Joe Strausser are a tight, mobile unit. As soloists they are consistently engrossing, and the blowing is counterbalanced by fresh treatments of songs like "Too Close for Comfort."

The vitality of the music is in part attributable to Elf's flexible approach to the material. For up-tempo tunes such as Horace Silver's "Quick Silver" and Kenny Dorham's "The Theme," he favors serpentine, single-note phrases, brief song quotes, and an occasional chorus of chords. In the most rapid-fire passages, each note rings clearly, as Elf effortlessly moves from idea to idea. The same standard applies to two versions of his medium-tempo blues, "109 West." On "Too Close For Comfort," his playing is somewhat deliberate and breathes more, yet includes double-time surprises. During a ballad feature, "It Was Written in the Stars," every phrase carefully fits into a delicate melodic scheme.

Although Elf's laudable guitar work is the core of the record, the disc's success also belongs to Miner and Strausser. They both provide continuous stimulation for the guitarist, and Miner's walking bass holds things together even at the swiftest of tempos. An exceptional drum soloist, Strausser uses the entire kit, structures his strokes and footwork with the composition in mind, incorporates silence, and builds momentum without being flashy.

--David A. Orthmann, JAZZIZ Magazine Copyright © 2000, Milor Entertainment, Inc.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars High Quality Speed Bop, February 10, 2004

By 

Mr. Matthew G. Jones "drjazzjones" (BUENA PARK, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Live at Small's (Audio CD)

Mark Elf's playing is in the tradition of bop guitar. His touch makes him sound a bit like Grant Green. Elf plays high speed runs with ease, somewhat a la Pat Martino, and can slip into chordal mode on medium and slower tempo tunes. He is not attempting to take jazz guitar anywhere new, he just does an outstanding job of continuing the tradition. The first two songs should tell you whether you'll enjoy his style on the uptempo tunes.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I really enjoy listening to Mark Elf., January 11, 2010

By 

E. L. "Wyvern" (Florida, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Live at Small's (Audio CD)

He is quite impressive in his dexterity and fluidity. There are many good things to say about his playing and I'm sure others will corroborate that, however, he tends to noodle a lot and at times he also sounds very choppy. Additionally, I can't tell many of his songs a part from one another as he tends to sound very repetitive. By far though the most annoying and distracting thing he does is "sign" the notes as he plays his solos. I noticed that in some of the songs in his Live at Small's CD, I don't know if he does that all the time. In all fairness, while I have listened to many of his songs and do enjoy his music, I have never bought any of his CDs because I refuse to pay $17 for CDs and it's unlikely that I ever will buy one at that price.