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Beatle Jazz With a little help from our friends LIGHTYEAR 54685-2

 

1. Yes It Is
2. Piggies
3. Imagine
4. Strawberry Fields for Ever
5. I Will
6. Working Class hero
7. A Hard Day’s Night
8. Across the Universe
9. Lovely Rita
10. And I Love Her
11. The End
12. Chains

Brian Melvin – Drums & Tabla

Dave Kikoski - Piano & Synth.

Larry Grenadier & Boris Koslov – Bass

John Schofield – Guitar (tracks 2 & 5)

Mike Brecker – Saxophone (track 6)

Mike Stern – Guitar (track 7 &10)

Randy Brecker – Trumpet (track 3)

On first hearing this record, I didn’t like it and so I left it for a couple of weeks to see if my mood was affecting my appreciation of the music. I am writing this after my second hearing and I still don’t like it!

Track 3 with Randy Brecker is nice, but the Piano and Drums are far too loud and spoil my enjoyment of some fine trumpet playing. Mike Brecker is on track 6, he is a tremendous saxophone player, but he gets similar treatment.

Mike Stern is a bit more fortunate he gets a better tune and he can also turn his wick up to compete with the other electronics.

For me the last track is the best and not because it’s the last track, here these excellent musicians show just how well they can play without the electronics.

The Beatles music is rarely played on the jazz scene, because it is not really suited to the jazz performance. The guys were not into jazz and those who are still alive are still not interested. Similarly an Andrew Lloyd Webber Jazz album would not be a very exciting prospect either!

Don Mather

 

 

 

 

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