What Old Masters?
B. Wratten | Melbourne, Australia | 03/02/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"It's a popular and understandable misconception given the manner in which New Orleans Jazz has been marketed for most of its post WW2 history, that only old musicians from New Orleans can play authentic New Orleans Jazz. The problem with this theory, unless one wishes to buy into the same ageism which relegated even the great Louis Armstrong himself (52 yrs of age in '53)to the ageing "Uncle Tom" basket at around the same time as these recordings; is that these men were not old! The men making this magnificent music are all only in their fifties at the most, with the exception of perhaps the bassist Alcide Pavageau.
These guys are in their "aesthetic prime" with their styles of playing, individual tonality and so forth having evolved to a very mature level of expression.
True,the trumpeter Avery Howard's lip always gave him problems and this was apparently sometimes exacerbrated by his intemperance. So we sometimes find that his lead phrasing and improvisational asides sometimes don't seem to complete themselves. That being said, the "Kid" certainly drives the band in that manner unique to New Orleans trumpet players, with a spacious energy and passion which make up for any technical difficulties he may have been experiencing.
The blues and slower rolling tempos here exude an easy & relaxed luxuriosness of phrasing with an underlying broadness & solidity of rhythmic texture; whilst the faster tempos carry all that is wonderful and exciting about real New Orlaens music played by men & women such as these,in their prime, not their decline!
George Lewis and his band(s), as all great bands & individual artists should, evolved continuosly over some 20 years of recorded documentation.
This is one of the very important George Lewis sessions to have as part of an overall collection of that bands work and is not a bad place to begin if you don't have any.
"...so remember, the next time we're in your neighbourhood, to drop in & say "hello" and we'll talk about our favorite music, that good old New Orleans Jazz"."
Are You KIDDING?
For Two Cents Plain | Brooklyn, New York United States | 03/01/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Nothing special about this CD? The Jazz Fan who wrote the thumbs-down review must have been suffering from clinical depression. Just listen to the sample tracks -- these guys were roaring! The George Lewis band was one of the most intense, ecstatic, authentic New Orleans jazz bands of the century, and this CD is a very favorable example of these Old Masters at the height of their powers. (Another great one is their CD "George Lewis and His New Orleans Stompers" on Blue Note)."
Track Listings (10) - Disc #1