Search - Jon Faddis :: Remembrances

The Milder Side Of Jon Faddis

07/17/1998

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Jon Faddis is generally know for his close association with the late great Dizzy Gillespie, and his he-man abilities in the trumpet's upper register. His earlier recordings were dominated by his personalized take on charts from the books of not only Gillespie, but his other key influences, e.g. Armstrong, Eldgride, etc. As a technician Faddis surpasses them all in terms of raw power, upper register prowess, and ability to play unbelievably fast and clean be-bob phrases. On each preceding album you can also find examples of Faddis' ability to play mellower ballads which are typically well done, showing his range as a musican. "Remembrances" is a beautifally produced album which focuses exclusively on Jon's ballad interpretation skills. The arrangements are lush, utilizing a unique blend of acoustic instrumentaion, unlike that used in a typical jazz setting. While you have to appreciate the production and Jon's performance in this setting, it will "dis! ! appoint" the Faddis fan who is looking for a "more of the same" type of performance typical to previous recordings: i.e. swinging, fast paced, trumpet screaming, be-bop, rock, showmanship, etc. But as Remembrances proves maybe more than any of his previous recordings, Faddis is able to work both ends of the spectrum effectively. His restraint is absolute on this recording. I don't think he plays a single note above high-C, or a line comprised of anything faster than an 8th note at 120 bpm on the entire recording.Do I recommend this CD? Yes, if you want a mellow disc and want to hear another dimension of one of history's all-time greatest trumpet players. For a 1st time listener that wants to hear Faddis do the things that he does better than anyone, I suggest you listen to the following recordings in order: "Legacy", "Into the Faddisphere", "Hornucopia" , then "Remembrances". It's worthy of attention, but I'm also ! ! looking forward to his next "Faddis As Usual" rec! ording."

Brilliant performances

02/06/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Jon Faddis' Remembrances is a superb example of colaboration between a jazz soloist and an ensamble of some of the finest jazz side men in the world.Beautifully arranged by Carlos Franzetti,Faddis plays muted trumpet and flugelhorn with rare musicality and beauty of tone.Evergreens like,Laura.Foot Prints,In Her Own Sweet Way and Naima,share the programming with new tunes by Faddis and Franzetti.The orchestration,solos and ensamble playing are excellent,no wonder this gem has been nomminated for a Grammy as best instrumental large ensamble.A winner.Richard Nieves"

Beautiful!

JetTone12 | USA | 09/28/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Jon Faddis is one of my all-time favorite trumpet players, but one thing people often forget about him is he's more than just a jazz trumpet virtuoso. He is a great musician. This album proves he is. Some people criticized Faddis for playing high often and "going for the cheap thrill" (whatever that means). Then he makes an album displaying his brilliant musicianship, and people criticize. Go figure. Faddis plays both styles beautifully, and easily overshadows Wynton Marsalis (sorry, a harsh truth). On this album, Faddis plays beautiful stuff in an orchestral setting conducted by Argentinian composer/arranger/conductor Carlos Franzetti, and almost every song is a ballad. Whoever said he never played over High C is incorrect, he does on a few occasions (most notably on "Laura", "Footprints" and "Johnny Bug"), but mostly he is playing beautifully in the trumpet's lower register. His rendition of Duke Ellington's beautiful "Sophisticated Lady" is wonderful to hear. He improvises on it with such warmth and emotion, it makes you feel it. "Laura" is ironically played in medium swing (an interesting idea), it definitely does swing and Faddis solos confidently over it with a cup mute. Herbie Hancock's classic "Speak Like A Child" is played in a peaceful, relaxing slow-to-midtempo setting. Faddis sounds good here. "Footprints" is a strange, slower rendition that gradually speeds up a bit, but not much. Faddis solos nicely once again. John Coltrane's romantic "Naima" is impeccably played. Such a beautiful composition, and performed great too. "Johnny Bug" has a slight latin tinge to it, created by Jon Faddis after one of Dizzy's nicknames for him. "La Rosa Y El Sauce" is another slow, spanish piece, the title meaning "The Rose And The Willow". It's haunting in a strange way. Jon switches back to a cup mute for Dave Brubeck's fun "In Your Own Sweet Way", which is a mellow, laid-back performance. The album becomes even more restrained on Franzetti's great composition "Riverside Park" and the finale, "Goodbye". At first this relaxed me so much I fell asleep, but it captured my attention the whole way through because Jon Faddis is a great player. Faddis fans, get this, and jazz fans should as well, although don't expect another Good And Plenty, Legacy, Into The Faddisphere, Jon Faddis & Oscar Peterson or Hornucopia. Just listen to it with an open mind. I too love Faddis's high register heroics but I also appreciate his musicianship as a whole."