Customer Reviews

New York Stories

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Already legendary for his country and rock and roll guitar mastery, the late Danny Gatton also released a pure jazz CD on Blue Note, "New York Stories." If there was any doubt that this incredible musician was capable of any style, any time, any place, this CD will put those doubts to rest and we will continue to mourn and lament the passing of one of the greatest guitarists in history. His suicide was provoked according to some theories by his poor record sales, and what a shame.

"New York Stories" is actually a jazz combo effort with Gatton writing all or part of the tunes and sharing his time with a stellar piano and horn section. This is a jam session, and according to the liner notes, a limited amount of rehearsal was allowed to keep the tunes fresh and to allow the improvisational juices to flow.

It's smooth - so much so you almost want to take up smoking and don a fedora while you listen. It harkens back to the smoky dangerous days of the '40's and '50's, where down and dirty jazz emanated from grimy clubs in the bad parts of town. Yet at times the music is ethereal, such as the guitar tour de force "One For Lenny" that closes the CD.

The style here is reminiscent of Miles Davis' early years, ala "Walking" and "Someday My Prince Will Come" and perhaps a little Brubeck piano and sax tradeoffs.

Even rockers will appreciate the mastery on this session. "New York Stories" goes down like a cool drink on a hot summer afternoon, welcome as a surprise snowfall in July would be.

This is EXACTLY what I think of when I think of New York style jazz. As you listen to it, you feel as if you are cruising in a cab on a rain-drenched night in Manhattan, off to meet some classy lady for a night on the town. The line-up is superb: Danny Gatton on guitar, showing off his jazz licks with his unique rockabilly spice; amazing trumpet playing by Lee Hargrove; delightful and tasteful Joshua Redman on tenor sax; plus others. Every single cat is WAILING on this release. Look for incredible ensemble playing in the horns, presenting that big, New York banner sound. Get it soon, if you can find it!

In case anyone was inclined to give credence to the "disappointed" 2-star review, it's worth pointing out that the writer doesn't even know who's playing on the album -- he complains of "Danny Watson's" guitar sound, but of course there's no Danny Watson on the album. The guitarist is Danny Gatton, and though I suppose there could be some people who don't like his guitar playing, he was one of those under-appreciated guitar geniuses who could play any style, and could fuse any styles -- thus he was impossible to pigeonhole or market in the contemporary music world. His playing on this album is brilliant, and I would argue than anyone who believes jazz "requires" a hollow-body guitar hasn't really listened.

I should point out, in the context of the guitar discussion above, that this is really an ensemble piece by a group of master musicians -- Danny Gatton's guitar is not really featured any more (well, maybe a little) than Franck Amsallem's piano, and the album wouldn't be as good as it is without the the horn section of Bobby Watson, Roy Hargrove, and Joshua Redman, the bass of Charles Fambrough, and the drums of Yuron Israel. Of the 9 tracks, 3 were composed by Gatton, 2 by Watson, and 1 each by Fambrough, Amsallem, Israel, and Hargrove -- to the extent that any one person can be said to have "composed" a piece in what was intended to be an old-style Blue Note jam session.

This CD is timeless and an absolute classic. It has to rate as one of my top 5 -- maybe *the* top -- jazz albums ever. The playing, the production, and the overall recording quality are superb. A look at what people are charging for used copies of this CD will indicate how much it's treasured by those who know it.

The CD has a subtitle: "Volume 1" -- it's too bad Danny Gatton died before they were able to make a Volume 2.

I love Jazz. I love Danny Gatton.
This is the Danny Gatton album every Jazz enthusiast should own. This one and Relentless by Danny and Joey De Francesco. This one is perfect Jazz in every sense. A stellar obscure and forgotten recording.
Oh Danny boy !!!!!!! What a nocaster player!

I can't tell you how good it makes me feel, reading these reviews, that I'm not the only one that likes this record! This album was one of the last I engineered before I left NYC. What a blast! A coupla days in heaven. Studio B at Unique was a small room, and I just tried to make it sound like you were in a club with these guys. Up front.

I had done a few Johnny Copeland records with (Producer) Dan Doyle before this where we tried to make them sound more like "anthologies," I believe was his word. Although I'd done my share of jazz, I engineered a lot more blues, rock and pop. I just tried to make this record sound clean and comtemporary. At the time I took some flack for it - particularly the dampened kick drum and some of the reverb. I guess 18 years later it doesn't sound so "offensive" - except to that one 2 star guy.

Danny was such a great player; he often sounded like two. If I hadn't been there, I'd be looking for the open second track, particularly on One for Lenny. Having always been a fan of Five O'Clock Bells and Mo' Breau (also produced by Doyle) it was like he was channeling Lenny. Doyle was always good at throwing people together, like the night he got SRV to drop by on one of Johnny's records. But he really outdid himself on this group. Fambrough had a record on the jazz charts at the time, and Bobby Watson had obviously been around but some of the other guys were just starting out. "Who's that kid?" "That's Dewey Redman's son, man!"

You know what else? Danny was also a really nice, quiet, unassuming guy for someone so talented. The Tele did the talking. I asked him to sign my copy of Elmira St. (which lost the Grammy to Eric Johnson that year. I mean, that had to hurt! Any other year... Think about it; if he won, would he still be here today?)

Anyway, he signed it, "Thanks a mil, Danny Gatton" I wish I had that on this record, but of course it didn't exist at the time. And unfortunaely, I never saw him again.

Again, glad to know the record has meaning to people. Think I'll go play it again - and order a couple more copies before they run out!

Michael Finlayson

This album is nothing short of spectacular. It is, without a doubt, a "desert island" CD. Gatton plays on another level and elevates this record to astonishing heights.

Of the many albums I have from Danny Gatton, this one is perhaps my favorite. This cd really puts Danny in a pure straight ahead jazz atmosphere and he preforms flawlessly. Danny's technique has always been such a mystery with his use of octaves, tremolos, double stops and lush chords. These are always preformed with a clean sound which is so refreshing from the typical shred masters of today. It is interesting to me that so many modern players seem to ignore these other aspects of virtuosity in the pursuit of just blinding speed. The other players all do a stellar job and compliment each other wonderfully. I am instantly transformed into New York's metropolis listening to jazz street musicians and smoke filled rooms of big band music. The last track "One for Lenny" is particularly moving and inspiring. I think I enjoyed this version even more than his version on "The Untouchable". A true gem from a lost giant.

The original concept of New York Stories was to bring a diverse selection of musicians together in the studio, record the jam session, and repeat the process with different players on subsequent volumes. The other volumes never happened, but this recording is one of the most exciting jazz discs I've ever heard. Those assembled on this gathering are: Danny Gatton (guitar), Bobby Watson (alto sax), Roy Hargrove (trumpet), Joshua Redman (tenor sax) on his recording debut, Franck Amsallem (piano), Charles Fambrough (bass), and Yuron Israel (drums). Each musician, less Redman, brought a composition to the session where it was recorded in the least takes possible, to create a spontaneous sound that is stellar! Unfortunately, this is currently out of print, but if you have never heard this and enjoy these artists, you owe it to yourself to seek out this masterwork.

If you want a Danny Gatton Cd with backing musicians you will be let down.
If you want to hear Gatton play with musicians on his level and create great jazz this for you.
The three star reviewers are clueless.

I agree with most of the reviewers that this is one of the finest recordings of any kind of music that I've heard. The interplay between the musicians, in a jam session no less, is astounding, and it represents Danny Gatton in his most supportive, understated, yet leading role I've also yet heard. It is also a wonderful recording, one that I use constantly to evaluate audio equipment with enjoyable music rather than a sonic spectacular. I can't believe it is out of print!