Customer Reviews

Old Friends New Friends

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

 

 

For heaven's sake, this recording is simply one of the best set of compositions by one person ever put together. And it is just as beautifully realized (the sound of Kenny Wheeler playing Ralph's melodies is such a perfect match). In a standout career of more than 30 years of composing and recording, this is surely one of Ralph's very finest moments.

A must have album for fans of Ralph Towner, guitar virtuoso. Old Friends or new friends, Ralph certainly must have been writing about good friends. This music is extremely warm and beautifully produced with horns and piano. The first time I had the privilege to hear Ralph Towner live (Iron Horse, Northampton MA) he capped off the concert with Beneath and Evening Sky. The recorded version is every bit as tasteful and full of magic as I recall the live performance in 1982.

This is a rarity insofar as it's one of the few Ralph Towner albums with a trumpet(and fluegelhorn)-player (Kenny Wheeler) playing throughout most of the album. All the songs except "Celeste" last about 7 minutes each. I like the more experimental tracks, especially #2.

On "New Moon", Wheeler's trumpet and Towner's French horn play the atmospheric melody in unison over a strumming acoustic guitar (of course, played by Towner). Some trumpet and cello (David Darling) improvisations alternate with the main theme.
"Yesterday And Long Ago" begins with an angular guitar line joined by soft fluegelhorn. Later on, the fluegelhorn emits high tones with counterpoint by French horn and cello. It eventually gets quite experimental with the guitar and other instruments tossing out almost random bits of sound before finishing with the original theme.
"Celeste" is a relatively short (4:48) trad jazz trumpet-led song with piano/bass/drums (like Wynton Marsalis). It's unusual to hear Ralph Towner play trad jazz piano.
"Special Delivery" has a similar jazz feel, but more active and less trad with Towner playing acoustic guitar. (This one sounds more like Woody Shaw.)
"Kupala" has trumpet improvisation over active classical guitar lines, the patter of drums (Michael DiPasqua), and the bass (Eddie Gomez) plucking away at the beat. Later, as the song works-up, there is even some type of subtle "scat" vocalizations.
"Beneath An Evening Sky" begins with a short intro of syrupy cello with bass and piano before seguing into the main theme, a quiet acoustic guitar melody. Later, the cello interjects rhythmic pulses of long notes, with Towner's classical guitar improvising above.

For heaven's sake, this recording is simply one of the best set of compositions by one person ever put together. And it is just as beautifully realized (the sound of Kenny Wheeler playing Ralph's melodies is such a perfect match). In a standout career of more than 30 years of composing and recording, this is surely one of Ralph's very finest moments.