Customer Reviews

Out of the Blue

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This album is a quiet major event. One of the best, most technically adept and most musical trumpet players to hit the scene in years. And yet, as so often happens, the truth somewhat different: he's been working and refining for decades. And he sounds like it. Nothing tentative, no show-boating -- just wonderful stories told by a masterful player. And one of the finest trumpet sounds you'll ever hear this side of Clifford Brown. Bravo, Carl.

Out of the Blue was recommended to me by another trumpet player, shortly after it was released. My friend had played with Carl in Las Vegas for several years in the early 1980s and always thought he (Carl) was seriously undiscovered.

When I first heard the CD, I was blown away by Carl's sound and technique. He is blessed with the ability to play anything he hears in his head--something most trumpet players simply cannot do. And, after more listenings, I found that, not only can Carl play what he hears, but he hears some really great stuff.

I can't recommend this CD highly enough. Unlike other technically proficient players, Carl uses his abilities to play beautiful music. In fact, if you're not a trumpet player, you'll probably be unaware that what he's doing is impossible. And, after all, isn't that the point of music making?

Carl has always played with an effortless fluent sound. Ideas seem to flow endlessly and accurately. This is my newest favorite album. Everyone I have played the album for is amazed at his agility and flexibility. What they don't know is that Carl has been playing this way for more than thirty years. His knowlege of changes and ability to get around the horn has always been phenominal and he has improved with age. "Minute Waltz" is a great feat to pull off and he does it with such ease as to make your head spin. The personnel on the album is outstanding. It's good to hear Roger and Santo together, and Buster is as solid as any bassist around.

I have been playing trumpet for 60 years and listening to good music (pop and classical) for almost that long. In those years a number of fine trumpet players have surfaced who stand head and shoulders above the rest (Bud Herseth with the CSO and Maynard). I put Carl Saunders among the best. He is doing things that don't seem possible, either technically and musically, on trumpet. Because I have never been prolific at "improv" (that's an understatement) I marvel at those who make an art of this playing technique. But Saunders seems to go beyond the normal technique. Ideas come so fast that he can't keep up with them. Enough can't be said about this fabulous performer. Everybody should listen to his technical facility and musicality, everybody!

This is a CD which will appeal to just about all listeners of contemporary music. It's very versatile and will be appreciated by a wide range of audience. Carl is extremely melodic in all his playing, which I believe accounts for the wide appeal. Technically he is so sound one cannot help but be impressed. Because of both the great artistry and technicality of his playing, it's a great CD for other musicians to play along with. It really challenges the chops. The production is also very high quality, having "wrung" the most from this recording effort. I greatly look forward to any future efforts that might be coming in '99. Thanks for the musical adventure.

Lead trumpet for Bill Holman's Grammy-winning big band jazz "Brilliant Corners." Talented "unsung" hero who has been trumpeter for Maynard Ferguson. Stan Kenton, Buddy Rich, Harry James, Woody Herman. That is Carl Saunders. And this, Carl's first CD for the new SNL label, is a sterling-bright example of breathtakingly long musical trumpet "lines" that make Saunders originals and familiar jazz standards vivly exciting. Saunders makes "The Minute Waltz", with its flowing musicality and inventiveness, as much his own as it was Chopin's. Backed by jazz veterans pianist Roger Kellaway, bassist Buster Williams and drummer Santo Savino, this CD is, in the words of jazz big band wizard Bob Florence (who Carl also plays lead for), "this CD is filled with surprises" .. Carl "can play anything he thinks of and he thinks of everything." Full of variety and jazz surprises, this is a five star outing by Carl Saunders and group. More will come, and we hope soon, from this amazing five star trumpeter who brings maturity, excellence and experience to the art of jazz. From blues to classics to standards, "Out Of The Blue" is a rewarding, swinging jazz encounter. We hope for more and soon from Carl Saunders, a man who has been associated from his early young start until the present day with jazz greats who have respected his work and hardly thought of him as unknown and unsung. Listen to him here and on Holman's Thelonius Monk tribute album, "Brilliant Corners"...then expect to hear much more of Carl Saunders as he continues to make the jazz idiom come to life. This is an excellent jazz CD!