Search - Mario Pavone :: Dancer's Tales

Inventive, swinging band of top NY musicians

Ian Muldoon | Coffs Harbour, NSW Australia | 01/09/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've always been attracted to music that throws up a challenge on first listening. Like the 1956 Riverside album The Unique Thelonious when at 16 years I heard Monk artfully deconstruct Tea for Two - Oscar Peterson this was not! Lunch with Julius on DANCER'S TALES reminds me of Monk in its opening. But there are other similarities. The music is not predictable and never boring. It swings when it needs to. It is inventive. And it's hot. All the compositions are by the leader and bassist Mario Pavone, whilst Marty Ehrlich, the late Thomas Chapin, and Peter McEachern arrange 3, 1 and 1 tunes respectively. There are some lovely moments on the album - On Double Diamond the entry of Mr McEachern on trombone after the sax solo ends in a high pitched cry - Mr Madsen's solo on the ballad Roma - all of Mr Ehrlich's clarinet(dig him on Foxwood Shuffle, what a joy! I can't help but feel this musician is a worthy successor to the late great John Carter at least in his command of this instrument and is creating a body of work that will be among the best in contemporary music)-Mr Chapin's reedless sax on Recovery - Mr Madsen's solo on Recovery- the tribute to Mr Mingus on Foxwood Shuffle written and arranged by Mr Pavone and featuring a great bass solo in the Mingus mould,with great muted trombone from Mr McEachern with Steve Johns pushing everyone on. What a band! Bless the Knitting Factory and all those who pass through her doors! This CD is rich enough to warrant many listenings and still have you asking for more."