The mail arrived two days ago with a surprise—a copy of In the Still of the Night, the latest CD from Grant Stewart recorded a year ago and released in February by Sharp Nine. The package was from the album's producer, Marc Edelman, the same person who produced the Tardo Hammer CD I wrote about on Monday.
I'm always suspect of CDs by contemporary jazz artists and producers' claims of excellence, probably because so many recordings today are soul-less, superficial and bereft of ideas, which is what jazz in its essence is all about.
When I popped in the Stewart CD and hit "play," I was taken aback. Up came the title track, and Stewart's tone sounded eerily similar to Sonny Rollins'. Not a clone, mind you, but a sound that was deeply influenced by Newk's approach, intellect and sophisticated sense of humor.
As the first track played, I slipped out the liner notes and saw they were by Ira Gitler, the jazz critic and literary legend. I had to laugh when I read Ira's lines:
"Whenever you hear the first bars of the opening, title number of In the Still of the Night, you will think, just as I did, talking out loud inside my head, 'This guy can play!' And that conviction continues to build as he plays.' "
Tell me about it. That's exactly what happened to me. As I listened, I began to realize that more than just the opener was special. Track after track was exceptional, and the song lineup was perfect. Backed by Tardo Hammer on piano, Peter Washington on bass and Joe Farnsworth, Stewart takes runs with enormous energy and agility. Like Sonny, the 36-year-old Toronto native who lives in New York knows when to pause, blow, circle and slash. And he doesn't run dry of ideas.
As I mentioned, the taste in song selection is superlative:
In the Still of the Night is taken at breakneck speed, yet Stewart never gets lazy or coasts. Stewart loves the bottom of the tenor and makes great use of the lower register.
Theme for Ernie is a medium-tempo ballad that lets Stewart dart and soar, and he does so with verve and control.
Stewart smartly avoids being cliche on Burt Bacharach's Wives and Lovers, opting instead for a burnished interpretation that feeds off the waltz rather than sucking up to the melody. This is a dangerous song to take on by any jazz artist, since there's enormous risk in sounding like you're gigging at the Hilton. Stewart wisely keeps it real.
On Autumn in New York, Stewart uses a Dexter Gordon-esque approach to this moody Vernon Duke ballad. And like Dex, Stewart's choices are pretty without being mawkish.
The high point of the album for me is If Ever I Would Leave You. It's taken at a spirited pace that generously shows off Stewart's chops. Rollins' rendition from 1962 (What's New?/RCA) used a bossa nova beat and featured Jim Hall on guitar. Stewart plays the tune straight but doubles Rollins' pace to great effect.
For kicks, I played Sonny's and Stewart's recordings simultaneously to see what would happen. Both recordings appear to be in the same key, and the two tenors sounded as if they were playing a duet.
If you buy Stewart's album or download the tune, try this if you own the Sonny Rollins version. The contrast is a gas, especially when Sonny sits out and Jim Hall solos, which occurs exactly while Stewart is playing. Hall appears to be playing on both albums! Then when Stewart sits out and his trio plays, they're backing Sonny, who has returned at this point. Extraordinary. It's truly a joy to hear them play "together."
Thelonious Monk's Work and Billy Strayhorn's Lush Life are jazz classics, and Stewart handles Monk playfully while pulling back for the Strayhorn ballad.
The CD ends with a clever choice—Loads of Love from No Strings, an obscure Richard Rodgers' Broadway show from 1962. Like Rollins, Stewart can take any good pop tune and turn it into an original work.
Stewart is due in the studio again at the end of the month. I, for one, am looking forward to hearing what's next for this tenor.
Wax tracks: By my count, this is Grant Stewart's eighth CD as a leader. You can find In the Still of the Night here. If you're just downloading tracks at iTunes, grab In the Still of the Night, If Ever I Would Leave You and Loads of Love. Or just download the whole thing. It's tops from start to finish. To hear samples of the album at Stewart's web site, go here.
Wax clips: Doubt the Rollins comparison? See and hear Stewart in action blowing on This Could Be the Start of Something Big and two other tracks here. Click on the song titles.
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