The "Unheard Herd" Must Be Heard
John Tapscott | Canada | 04/01/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"CD producer Graham Carter consistently comes up with inspired ideas. One of his most recent was to team the premiere alto saxophonist soloist Phil Woods with the crack Los Angeles Jazz Orchestra playing the bebop charts from Woody Herman's famed Second Herd. Have the band led by Ron Stout, a Herman alumnus with a deep understanding of the Herman sound. Then present the package in concert before an appreciative audience at Ken Poston's 2004 "Springsville" Festival. Top it off by recording the proceedings for Carter's excellent JazzedMedia label (which produced Woods' stunning "Groovin' With Marty Paich" recording from the same venue). If you sense that all the ingredients are here for an inspired jazz recording, you are right.
Woods seems to have found a real comfort level and plays with an inspired sense of creativity in his recent recordings for Jazzed Media. This one is no exception. He sails through these charts with verve and enthusiasm, bursting forth from the ensembles with great joy and vigour in his solos. While Woods always plays at a high level, there is a real treat in hearing him dig into his bebop roots, something producer Carter seems to have perceived.
These charts are from the book of Woody's "Second Herd" and some are fairly familiar ("Keen and Peachy"; "More Moon"), while some are more obscure ("Man, Don't Be Ridiculous;" "Yardbird Suite;" and the roaring blues, "Boomsie" which closes the program in fine fashion). The chief arranger is Shorty Rogers, but there are also contributions here by Neal Hefti and Gerry Mulligan.
Needless to say, these big band bebop charts swing hard and are full of solo space, not only for Woods, but for the band's other fine soloists, including trombonists Scott Whitfield and Andy Martin, tenor saxophonist Bill Trujillo, reed man Kim Richmond (whose clarinet solo is particularly impressive on the small group version of "We The People Bop") and trumpeters Stout, Bob Summers and Carl Saunders (who also scats on "We the People"). In fact, nearly all the band members get to solo at some point in the one hour program. The big band charts are generally of the straight ahead and shouting variety, but the program is highlighted in the center by a reflective duo version of "My Old Flame" featuring Woods and pianist Ross Tompkins.
Along the way, Woods and Stout interject some humorous spoken jazz stories, which add further enjoyment to an already uplifting and heart-warming program. This well-recorded CD is highly recommended to all Phil Woods fans and fans of straight-ahead big band jazz. It's not hard to imagine this one showing up on several best-of-2006 lists."
Good, but...
A Reader | 08/13/2006
(3 out of 5 stars)
"The guys who made this record obviously love Woody Herman and Phil Woods - with good reason. Both made jazz history and maintained high standards for many years.
I love 'em both, too - but not this record. Phil, to my sorrow, has lost a step. It's not surprising, due to the passage of time and the depredations of disease. On the Unheard Herd, he
seems to depend on bop cliches (his own and others') in his solos, the exception being on "My Old Flame", a duet between Woods and pianist Ross Tompkins. Phil displays his passion and fluency on the ballad.
The band is first-rate, well-rehearsed and tight. Shorty Rogers' chart of "More Moon" and the Gerry Mulligan arrangement of "Yardbifd Suite" are excellent. The sidemen solo with vary degrees of effectiveness.
But, somehow, "Unheard Herd" falls short of my expectations. Nice, but forgettable. If you want to hear vintage Woods in a big band setting, try any of his recordings with the Quincy Jones band of the early 60's...especially the one recorded llve at Newport."
Track Listings (10) - Disc #1