RECORDING
OF THE MONTH
CD 1
The Soprano Summit
1. Swing Parade
2. The Mooche
3. Oh Sister, Ain't That Hot
4. Steal Away
5. Linger Awhile
6. Panama
7. Song of Songs
8. Swing Thirty-Nine
9. Egyptian Fantasy
10. The Fish Vendor
Kenny Davern - Clarinet, soprano sax
Bob Wilber - Clarinet, soprano sax
Marty Grosz - Guitar, banjo
George Duvivier - Bass
Connie Kay - Drums
CD 2
The Soprano Summit
1. Kansas City Stomp
2. Original Jelly Roll Blues
3. Froggie Moore
4. Shreveport Stomp
5. Sidewalk Blues
Kenny Davern - Clarinet, soprano sax
Bob Wilber - Clarinet, soprano sax
Marty Grosz - Guitar
George Duvivier - Bass
Connie Kay - Drums
Dick Hyman - Piano
The Blue Three
6. C. C. Rider
7. Fidgety Feet
8. Sweet Substitute
9. Shim-me-sha Wabble
Kenny Davern - Clarinet
Dick Wellstood - Piano
Bob Rosengarden - Drums
The Ruby Braff/Bob Wilber Session
10. Sugar
11. When You're Smiling
12. These Foolish Things
13. All of Me
14. Fine and Mellow
Ruby Braff - Cornet
Bob Wilber - Clarinet, soprano sax
Wayne Wright - Guitar
George Duvivier - Bass
Fred Stoll - Drums
When Bob Wilber appeared
at the Swinging Jazz Party in Blackpool last
year, he told the audience that he and the
late Kenny Davern had the idea for Soprano
Summit at a 1972 jazz party in Colorado Springs,
where he and Kenny decided to enliven things
by both playing soprano saxes. In fact the
leaders of the group often played clarinets
as well as soprano saxes, but it was the double
sopranos which gave the band its special sound.
The group was probably modelled on earlier
sessions by Sidney Bechet and Mezz Mezzrow,
who specialised in duetting on soprano sax
and clarinet.
Soprano
Summit lasted for much of the 1970s, and this
album is a real find. It is taken from a previously
unreleased set of live recordings formerly
owned by the New Jersey Jazz Society, which
gave the tapes to the Institute of Jazz Studies.
The "And more..." in the album title seems
like an understatement, as there is a great
deal more. This double CD contains not only
ten tracks recorded at a 1975 concert, but
also five more from a tribute concert to Jelly
Roll Morton (with Dick Hyman added), four
by a trio led by Davern in 1979, and five
by a 1976 quintet where cornettist Ruby Braff
joined Bob Wilber in the front line.
Fans
of Soprano Summit will obviously rush out
to buy this album, but so should anyone who
enjoys good jazz, well played. Wilber and
Davern are/were masters of their instruments,
and they are well served by the respective
rhythm sections - especially Marty Grosz strumming
guitar and banjo, and bassist George Duvivier
supplying a solid foundation. Although the
bands play many venerable numbers, there is
nothing stodgy or dated in their delivery.
It
is difficult to pick out highlights, as every
track has particular delights. Shreveport
Stomp includes adroit clarinet from Bob
Wilber. The trio tracks on the second CD allow
us to hear Kenny Davern's brilliant clarinet
clearly, backed simply by piano and drums.
And Ruby Braff's cornet shines on the last
five tracks: playing the lead and soloing
with mellow assurance, and combining in sympathetic
harmony with Wilber. Just savour Braff's poetic
reading of These Foolish Things.
If
I have one slight caveat, it is to echo Kenny
Davern's jokey remark: "There's nothing worse
than a soprano saxophone, unless it's two
of them". Two sopranos playing together can
occasionally sound shrill, although both players
are such consummate musicians that most listeners
can ignore this. The recording quality is
surprisingly good for these old tapes, which
have been sensitively restored by Doug Pomeroy.
So, what are you waiting for? Buy or order
it now.
Tony Augarde
CD Reviews
Arbors
Jazz ARCD 19328
