High Standards

Ron Kaplan

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 10, 2000)
• Original Release Date: April 27, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: The Orchard
• ASIN: B00000IYV9
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #620,253 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars RON KAPLAN / HIGH STANDARDS / KAPLAND (49:53), June 1, 1999

By A Customer

Monterey-area vocalist Ron Kaplan delivers a set of 11 American songbook chestnuts backed by a veteran trio of musician-educators, Smith Dobson, piano; Stan Poplin, bass; Steve Robertson, drums. Kaplan phrases with sophisticated ease at any tempo, scats sparingly, and gives his sidemen (including two guesting tenor saxmen) plenty of space as he glides through favorites such as "Dindi," "My Favorite Things," "Angel Eyes," and "Song For My Father." An auspicious debut.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ron Kaplan / High Standards / Kapland Records, June 1, 1999

By A Customer

The state of jazz in Santa Cruz County? Doing fine, thank you~at least judging by vocalist Ron Kaplan's debut release, High Standards. The title works two ways. With an all-star band including bassist Stan Poplin, drummer Steve Robertson, pianist Smith Dobson and sax greats Donny McCaslin, Jr. and Paul Contos, Kaplan obviously demands (and gets) much from his sidemen. And filled with time-honored favorites like "Summertime" and "Autumn Leaves", the album covers the work horses of jazz repertoire. The whole thing is full of tasteful arrangements and top-notch performance. Kaplan has a robust voice in the mold of Mel Torme and enough musical sense to step aside and let the band take a few choruses in the middle of songs. Though standards, the 11 cuts on High Standards, certainly aren't run-of-the-mill fare. Arrangers Kaplan, Dobson and Robertson put together some smoking reworkings that reveal the thoroughbred grace of tunes often treated in the hands of hacks like mules.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb musicians and the heart and soul of a mature vocalist, May 29, 1999

By A Customer

By Eric Nemeyer...Jazz Improv Magazine.... volume 1 number 4

High Standards presenting Ron Kaplan is a smart package, featuring superb musicians, and the heart and soul of a mature vocalist and leader. To introduce himself to a wider audience, Los Angeles native Kaplan has wisely chosen some of the more well-known compositions from the standard and jazz repertoire. Repertoire including compositions such as Gershwin's classic "Summertime" and "Song For My Father" make this album highly accessible. Add to that Kaplan's style and approach that is influenced by the enduring quality of great songstylists of the 1950's and 1960's and you have a winner.

High Standards is just that, from the moment you look at the album jacket and put on the CD until you hear the final notes of "Lazy Afternoon." The variety of ballads, swingers, and latin grooves are sequenced in an order that works well to maintain this listener's attention. It's apparent from the packaging, the quality design and the professional photography, that Kaplan has put alot of effort into this superb independently produced and distributed release.

This CD release is evidence of a musician who both loves the music, and has invested the necessary listening time to create and distribute a quality package.