In March 2000, pianist, composer and arranger Michael Weiss went into New York's Avatar Studios on West 53rd Street and recorded a masterwork. The album was Soul Journey and featured Michael Weiss (p,Fender Rhodes), Steve Wilson (as), Ryan Kisor (tp,flghrn), Steve Davis (tb), Paul Gill (b), Joe Farnsworth (d) and Daniel Sadownick (perc). Engineered by Joe Ferla, Soul Journey was released only on CD in 2003. [Photo above of Michael Weiss]
Now, 20 years later, Sintra Records has reissued Soul Journey on a double-LP vinyl album. Michael tells me the original master tapes were in pristine condition, and only 500 copies have been pressed. The album also is available in the reel-to-reel format through a special order. Bernie Grundman Mastering will dub the original master tapes onto a set of two 10.5" 2500' reels at 15ips.
Seems pretty fussy for music recorded in 2000, but that's Michael. And you know what? Soul Journey is terrific. I hadn't heard the album when it originally came out. But listening to it now, the work is majestic, brash and dynamic throughout. All compositions and arrangements are by Michael, and the playing is spectacular and supersized, with zero fat or wheel-spinning. [Photo above of Steve Wilson courtesy the City College of New York]
Born in Dallas and schooled at Indiana University, Michael moved to New York in 1982. I first heard him at Barry Harris's Jazz Cultural Theater in 1984. Michael has toured with Jon Hendricks and has worked with George Coleman, Art Farmer, Johnny Griffin, Slide Hampton and Gerry Mulligan, among others. In 2000, Michael was the grand prize winner in the BMI/Thelonious Monk Institute's Composers Competition. [Photo above of Ryan Kisor]
On the double LP, there are two songs per side, with three songs on the last. In order, the tracks are Optimism, El Camino, Soul Journey, Orient Express, Atlantis, The Prophecy, The Cheshire Cat, La Ventana and Second Thoughts. [Photo above of Steve Davis]
What makes the music exciting is the intricate feel and shifting mood of each song and the tightly wrapped arrangements. Then there's Michael's dagger-sharp playing on both the piano and Fender Rhodes. Songs have a sophisticated, '70s flavor, and the thunderous execution by the pros on the session is exhilarating. The arrangements are intricate, but they are splendidly melodic, and these guys dig in and chew away, especially when soloing. [Photo above of Paul Gill courtesy NJ.com]
Interestingly, the group sounds much larger than a septet. That's due to Michael's arranging skills. And on many songs, in the middle of the musical traffic, Michael flies in with a piano solo that raises hairs. What's especially rewarding about the album is that it plays like a seamless suite. You put on the first track and listen all the way through, as if the album were one long thought. [Photo above of Joe Farnsworth courtesy of YouTube; photo below of Daniel Sadownick courtesy of Drummerworld.com]
JazzWax tracks: The newly issued vinyl version of Soul Journey is available here (click on "numbered" or "unnumbered" and you'll be taken to your Paypal account. An unnumbered LP with shipping is $40 plus shipping, while a numbered LP is $60 plus shipping).
If you'd rather have the CD, mp3 or stream, you'll find them here.
Sample tracks are here.
JazzWax tracks: Here's Optimism...
And here's Orient Express...
