Search - Bruce Barth :: East & West

Get This One

01/13/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"OK, so Bruce Barth probably doesn't look as good in a dress as Diana Krall does and will probably never be as popular. On the other hand, he is one of the most respected instrumentalists, composers and arrangers in the New York jazz scene. This is my favorite Barth album and if you like jazz this is about as great as it gets. The original compositions are wonderful, the covers (Monk) are terrific and the performances are both aggressively exploratory and sympathetic to the music and each other. In other words, on just a straight music level, this stuff does everything you want jazz to do for you. As an interesting overlay, Barth has chosen to structure his compositions around a multifaceted, often ironic musical rendering of the Eastern and Western regions of the United States; this is not just a collection of jams or abstract jazz compositions, but is actually programmatic in a way that very few jazz composers have achieved successfully. The standout original composition on the album is clearly "The Lexter," a hard-driving, multi-faceted bop anthem. It's so obviously a blast to play it seems a shoo-in to become a standard for live jazz performers. In short, BUY THIS ALBUM NOW. You won't regret it. (To catch Barth in an entirely different, but very compelling context, I also highly recommend the album "Shifting Sands of Time" by the Wayfaring Strangers.)"

Solid effort from talent deserving wider recognition

Rob Watkins | Augusta, Georgia United States | 02/02/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"bruce barth is a regular on the new york jazz scene, but as this album demonstrates, is beyond the labeling of "east coast" or "west coast." this album presents an interesting idea--represent the coasts in music, and he does so with swing and verve. this is a fun set of originals with some covers thrown in. highlights for me were "sundown time" and the bop workout, "the lexter." mr. barth is a skilled pianist, and his solos are worth spending time with, listening to his playfulness and inherent swing. however, the other solists are also excellent, particularly steve wilson on sax. all in all, this is a great CD featuring new talent and talent deserving of a bigger audience. buy this and enjoy it time and again."