3&half too 4 Pretty good to Good for me
mistermaxxx@yahoo.com | usa | 01/14/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)
"got a chance too hear John Temmerman's Band&Disc&I felt it covers a Nice texture of Past&Contempary Instrumentation&Tone.I prefered the Inter Play between Temmerman&His Band especially the vibe with His Drummer&Guitar Player on the Mellow tracks.my only knocks are "Slam Time" which started out with a James Brown layering&Groove but for me never took me too the Bridge.also the Crusaders Cover"Whispering Pine" didn't fully move me.I'm a Big Crusaders Fan&You gotta tap that Fusion aspect especially during there Mid 70's time period for me too feel the flow.but overall this is a Pretty Good too good Set that has nice pacing&timing&Colors."
Tasteful, back-to-the basics jazz.
Samuel Chell | Kenosha,, WI United States | 01/27/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)
"From Ammons, Griffin and Kirk to Freeman, Schneider and Fishman, Chicago has always set the bar high for tenor men. Wisely, Temmerman doesn't try to jump over it. Employing a huge tone with a minimalist melodic approach, he turns in a generous, varied, and tasteful program of pop and jazz standards along with some original heads. His playing is somewhere in between late Lester and late Dexter in terms of his sound and deliberative, economical apporach.In some respects, it's refreshing to hear a saxophonist who virtually eschews the altissimo register along with alternate fingerings, wobbles, shrieks and all of the other tricks that are now commonplace with most players. At the same time, at nearly 70 minutes the program inescapably invites a a certain amount of repetition. Rhythms range from walking 4/4 to latin to funk, but the same variety doesn't extend to tempos (though "Slick Color" is a welcome change of pace). Also, if the leader has an alto, soprano or flute in his arsenal, it would have been a good idea to showcase it on one or two of the selections.The instrumentation is the same as that employed by Sonny Rollins on "The Bridge," so the textures are on the thin side, limited to the chords supplied by guitarist Alger, whose fleet lines are a nice complement to the leader's more laconic solos. Additionally, the absence of a keyboard instrument permits the listener to concentrate on one of Chicago's finest, Rusty Jones, who supplies much of the energy on the session and fills in any potential holes. The audio quality and mix are first-rate, capturing Jones' percussion better than is the case on many major labels."
Musically Intuitive
Lily H. Rhinehart | Ketchum, ID | 04/03/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"
Power of Two is an intriguing blend of familiar pieces with fresh arrangements and original compositions. In all of them, Temmerman's silky sax takes center stage. I have now listened to this in two ways: First, as background music. Second, I really listened to each and every flawless note.
I first was introduced to Temmerman's work when I heard him on a 24/7 cable jazz station. I really took notice then and Power of Two lived up to what I heard on TV, in mono, I might add.
Anyway, I believe that casual jazz fans and serious enthusiasts would benefit from adding Power of Two to their collections.
"
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1