Search - Sonny Criss :: Jazz in Paris

Criss away from home

N. Dorward | Toronto, ON Canada | 12/25/2002

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This reissue finds Sonny Criss in Paris in 1963, with a very solid backing band of French musicians; according to the liner notes the album marked the start of Criss's 3-year sojourn in France. On this album Georges Arvanitas switches between piano & organ & sounds in fine form on both, & the disc also affords a fine glimpse of the ill-fated guitarist Rene Thomas. Criss demonstrates his possession of the most sheerly pretty sound among Bird's disciples (sounding like a hybrid of Parker & Johnny Hodges). He sounds good on all the tracks but really comes into its own on ballads like "Daydream" & "God Bless the Child". (The latter can be compared usefully with his later recording of the tune for Prestige on _Portrait of Sonny Criss_.) Other tracks include a rather breezy take on "Saint Louis Blues", a couple blues tracks called "Early and Later" (the 1st is faded out), & various other readings of standards--nothing too fancy, but nothing that sounds less than good.I'm a little puzzled about this issue: I gather that there's another session dating from about the same time on which Criss recorded "Mr Blues pour flirter" but the title-track is actually omitted from this CD! Furthermore, the liner-notes indicate that Henri Renaud played piano on some of these sessions, yet he is not on any of the tracks on the disc. So I assume that this CD is only a partial issue of these sessions. One hopes that they will get more comprehensively & clearly reissued one of these days. Meanwhile, this is certainly worth a listen: if hardly a major session, it's an entirely enjoyable listen."

What a discovery

Ava L. Lemert | Citrus Heights, CA USA | 03/07/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Wow. I need a cigarette after track 14. I am a sax player (hobbyist, community band) and I had not heard of Sonny Criss before I took a chance on this CD. I will now be collecting the late Mr. Criss. What a tone: sweet and urgent. Just the kind of yearning and facility I would love to hear from my own playing. It is joy and sorrow, soaring and grovelling-- all the passion and tearing of a well-lived life-- all out of a horn! I am sad to see that again, one of these heavenly talents took his life too soon. Discover Sonny Criss for yourself!"