Recording engineer Jim Czak is a dear friend. I've stood behind him numerous times at the old Nola Studios on New York's 57th St. when he's been in charge of sound, and the results on jazz recordings have always been spectacular. So when Jim reached out a couple of weeks ago to let me know about a new album he had just finished recording, I told him to send it along for a listen. Jim has great taste. [Photo above of Ed Joffe]
Yesterday, after I sliced through the plastic of Ed Joffe's Contrasts and put on his CD, I couldn't believe my ears. The opening track was called Journeys, a song composed and arranged by pianist Tom Rainer. What blew me away was the Supersax-like quality of the saxophone section's playing. The reeds are Ed Joffe, Lawrence Feldman, Bob Malach, Dan Willis and Roger Rosenberg, with Willis and trumpeter Richie Vitale soloing.
Throughout the album, the woodwinds are backed by Ranier (#1 and 2) or Allen Farnham (#3, 8,10,13 and 14) on piano with Andy Eulau on bass and Tim Horner on drums. Guitarist Howard Alden joins the rhythm section on #10. There also are strings added on some tracks.
Listening to Journeys, I thought immediately of saxophonist Zoot Sims on I Await Thee, Love and J'espère Enfin from Zoot Sims Plays Four Altos (January 1957). The album was one of several that Sims recorded overdubbing himself as a high-register sax section. I also thought of Gene Roland's Oh, Them Saxes from May 1949. The reeds on Ed's album have that same sound, like a flock of beautiful birds all taking off at once.
Next came a jazz-classical set for woodwinds—Variations on an Autumn Theme (Patrick Williams), The Dome Cathedral (Chris Byers) Bordel 1900 (Astor Piazzolla) and Contrasts (Bartok). These were followed by Antonio Carlos Jobim's Dindi, with a vocal by Carolyn Leonhart (above), who may be best known in her role as a member of Steely Dan's backup singers. Astor Piazzolla's Oblivion followed.
It's About Buddy is Ed's ingenious transcription of a solo chorus by Buddy De Franco (above) on How About You from 1955. Arranged by Farnham, the song features Ed and Rainer overdubbing clarinets in Supersax fashion (yes, pianist Rainer also plays a mean clarinet). On the overdub, Ed handles the top and bottom parts while Rainer covers the inner voices. Howard Alden is on guitar. This is a spectacular arrangement that showcases breathtaking blowing on one of the reed family's most difficult instruments.
Concert D'aujourd'hui brings us back to Piazzolla, while Mariner Man from 1922 by William Walton is a brief 38-second classical interlude.
Jazz stages one last comeback on What's New?, which was arranged by Marion Evans and features the sax section. This song, like Journeys, is a glorious reed-heavy chart. The same goes for Big Bruiser by trombonist John Fedchock. The soloists here are Mike Davis on trombone and Roger Rosenberg on baritone sax. Fans of Steely Dan also will recognize Rosenberg as the anchor of the touring band's horn section.
So who is Ed Joffe? As saxophonist Bill Kirchner writes in his liner notes, Ed is one of the foremost players of multiple woodwind instruments on New York's recording and performing scene. In musician-speak, this is known as "doubling." He has played with various symphonic orchestras as well as with the Philip Glass and Steve Reich ensembles. He also has played and recorded with Ray Charles, Tony Bennett, Aretha Franklin, Mel Torme and others, and he is a veteran of Broadway pit orchestras.
Contrasts is an album of extraordinary playing, arranging and swinging not to mention taste. I could listen to Ed and the orchestra all day long. While the pure jazz saxophone pieces total three, you soon become acclimated to what Ed is trying to achieve by touching on a wide range of musical genres. Ultimately, this is a thrilling woodwind album, and the playing raises hairs on your arm no matter what they're up to.
JazzWax tracks: You'll find Ed Joffe's Contrasts only at Ed's site here.
JazzWax clip: Here's Journeys. See what I mean about the thrilling sound and execution?
