Customer Reviews

Old Faces Old Places

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Joe Sample stepped away from the style of the Crusaders and into his own with this beautiful CD. The playing is crisp and exact and the songs flow very well. The songs take you through different styles of music, yet they blend very well. "Free Yourself", "Black and White" and "Hippies on the Corner" will make your head nod without even realizing it. "Miles of Blue " does the same thing. My favorite cut is "Angels on my mind". Its a beautiful song that makes you sink back into your seat and listen to it one more time. If you listen closely, you can hear Joe humming on this one. Pick it up!

This album could have been titled "Old Places, Old Faces,
Suite" It is the most cohesive collection of compositions
I have heard from a recording artist in a long time.
Read the liner note descriptions of each tune, it is Joe's
inspiration for every selection, and a diary of the most
significant impressions in his life. His reflections make
each piece even more meaningful and interesting. The tracks
are tight and his signature style is in top form! A must have!!

When it comes to music, especially when it comes to Mr. Sample, this album is what I set as the standard. There is excellence in ever facet of this album. "Old Places Old Faces" creates a mood that cannot be avoided. It is filled with spirit that other artists couldn't touch, and that Sample probably couldn't touch before 1995. It is an album filled with pain, love, beauty, revelation, and most importantly, growth. The listener can hear Sample reflect as he lays his hands on the keys. The compositions here are the most expressive that Sample has written in some time. One can tell that this album wasn't released to make money, get airplay, or propel a concert tour. This album was made to work out issues and share his feelings. It's this kind of emotion that the listener need to take part of, and to look back on this album time and time again. This is, in this writer's opinion, Joe Sample's best work.

Being a Joe Sample fan since his "Rainbow Seeker" days, I have enjoyed--and sometimes endured--many of his records over the last 20 years. But "Old Places.." is Sample's crowning achievement.

For this record, Sample removes all the slick arrangements, vocals and pop aspirations and leaves us with an acoustic small group format that showcases quite well some of his finest compositions in a long, long time. His trademark jazzy barrelhouse blues piano style stays intact, with a lot of thoughtfulness that is typical in his playing. He gets excellent support from percussionist Lenny White, bassist Jay Anderson and Bay Area sax legend Charles Lloyd. Anderson really stands out the most, in my opinion, who can get downright funky on the upright when he needs to.

It's pointless to pick out songs for special mention, they are all very good. Listen very closely and you will find that Joe did sneak in a Fender Rhodes on "Hippies On a Corner", but the acoustic spirit stays intact.

Anyone who has seen his acoustic trio live when this CD was new a couple of years ago knows what a truly special artist Joe Sample is. It's also interesting to note that a lot of his older "electronic" tunes that he played during that tour sounded surprisingly better in this setting, too. It's proof that his compositions and musicianship way transcends the commercial treatments he sometimes gives them.

Released in 1995, "Old places, Old faces" is the coolest, smoothest and most relaxing Jazz album Joe Sample ever produced so far.

All tracks are mostly acoustic with JS. emphasizing on his original melodies, backed by Jay Anderson on bass, Ralph Penland on drums, Dean Parks on Guitar, Charles loyd on Tenor Sax and Lenny Castro on Percussion.

"Old places old faces" Original sound and melodies; one thing for sure, this is a very pleasing and a well memorable album for this great artist.

Highly Recommended

Is there such a thing as smooth jazz that doesn't suck? Yes, there is, and this CD offers proof. Joe Sample has always been several cuts above your average smooth jazz player, but let's be honest: he recorded a lot of mediocre music in the 80s and 90s. For this release, he cut out the synth glop, the strings, and the saccharine saxophone, wrote some nice tunes, and stuck to piano and Fender Rhodes. The result is a very enjoyable CD that grooves and doesn't insult your musical intelligence. It's mellow enough that you can use it as background music, but it's interesting enough that you can sit down and focus on it. It's not the masterpiece that some of the reviewers here are claiming it is, but it is high quality, soulful pop jazz. It's smooth jazz that fans of real jazz can enjoy.

This cd is a must for those who really like that pure, old-time jazz sound instead of that smooth jazz sound that is so popular with listeners today. Smooth jazz has its place, but it can't touch this!

As a long-time fan of Joe Sample and one who has seen him many times in concert, I have no idea how Old Places, Old Faces escaped my notice when it was first released. I never saw it in a music store and I never saw it here on amazon until it recently popped up in my recommendations. After reading the uniformly positive reviews, I had to have it.
Old Places, Old Faces is one of those rare albums that has no filler. Every piece is worthy. Nevertheless, I have my favorites. Those are the mellow and dreamy Free Yourself; the methodical, mesmerizing Black and White; the ever-so-cool Clifton's Gold; the suave title cut; Hippies On A Corner, a punchy tune that oozes with Sample's trademark style; and the relaxing piece that closes the album, Angels on My Mind.
If you are a Joe Sample fan on any level, don't miss this one like I did. The CD comes with an artsy insert in which Sample adds personal commentary about each of the cuts. Get it before its gone. You'll be glad you did!

I was so pleased to be able to purchase the above mentioned CD, I'd been looking for it for quite sometime until someone told me about AMAZON.Com. I listen to a special jazz radio station and they play the best music, so when I heard this particular CD again on the air, I decided to give AMAZON>com a try and I wasn't disappointed. Thank you very much---------PHYLLIS McNabb

Wow, I am surprised to be the first person to review this CD. Sample has created a CD that was an intergal part of the sound track of my life for almost two years. I mean, I could not make myself take it out of rotation on my CD platter. Great music, well arranged, played with heart and soul. A must have. I am sending this one to a friend.