Customer Reviews

My Foolish Heart: Live at the Left Bank

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

 

 

Let me start by saying I'm not old enough to have seen Stan Getz live. I have, however, discovered his music, and am undoubtedly thankful for it. My first encounter was what I'd venture to guess the typical initial experience with Getz. The sweet, breezy sounds of Getz/Gilberto. Since then I have picked up Captain Marvel, Quiet Now and a few others. My most recent purchase being My Foolish Heart, a "live" recording made in the mid-70s and just recently issued for the first time. All I have to say is I'm damn blown away. Getz has never sounded this alive to me before. It's as if I jumped aboard a time machine and was sitting four tables back from the stage. "Invitation" and "Lucifer's Fall" soar and swoop with harmonic dynamics that I've rarely heard in Stan's playing. "Spring Is Here" and "My Foolish Heart" are two gorgeous versions of well-worn standards, so good that the hair on the back of my neck stands up. While that big fat tone is right on the mark, it's forgoes the laid back, west coast tag that's often associated with Getz. It's visceral this time around.

I could only imagine what it would have been like to see this master at work, and this disc goes along way in sparking my imagination.

This is CD is a must for any Stan Getz fan. In fact, its a must for any jazz fan. Getz pulls the most gorgeous phrases out of thin air, over and over and over. His rhythm section with Jack Dejohnette and Bill Holland is like a four armed elastic man. Nobody plays this good anymore. I love Getz and this disc is a good as I've heard him live!!!!!

Getz, popularly known for his forays into Bossa Nova, shows his true strength as a straight ahead improvisor on this gem. Considering it was recorded on a small tape recorder and the tapes sat in storage until 2000 the sound quality is remarkable. The soundstage is quite acceptable through my high-end system. The bass is rendered clearly and without any sloppy overemphasis added in the mastering. DeJohnette's energized drums are rendered center/left but it doesn't distract from the listening experience. The piano has very nice impact and clarity, stage right. The previous reviewer's comment that it's really Corea on piano is plausible - sounds like him. The crowd sounds add a nice ambiance but aren't overbearing. Getz sounds as good here as I've ever heard him, perhaps energized by the live setting. Rated four stars for the slight shortcomings in the recording and five stars for the performance. This is a mature master of the tenor saxophone in full voice.

The pianist on this recording is Chick Corea. Just wanted to clear that up. "Litha" is a classic, a great version here.

This is another posthumous discovery by the greatest Sax player who ever lived.

A "live" recording done at the Baltimore Left Bank Jazz Society, May '75. As such, it contains the energy of a live recording, and some of the technical drawbacks of a live recording. The piano, drums and bass are in the left channel and Stan the Man, is in both, which is somewhat disconcerting. As you might guess, the ballads, "Spring is Here" and "My Foolish Heart" are the best tunes along with "Invitation" which is swing tempo.

The other lesser known pieces are of much faster tempo including one of unknown title (a small reward is offered to whoever can identify it). They are listenable, and show that Stan could play anything, he was not featherlight, but a "stompin' tenor man", as has been said elsewhere, ad-infinitum. But these fast songs are not engaging. The recording is somewhat bright and ragged when they all start cooking hard.

2 1/2 stars for an OK live recording, 2 for technical recording quality from Stan Getz Fusion period under my tough grading system. But I'm hard to please.