Back in the 60s and 70s, the jazz sound was muscular, macho and confident. Someone added something to the water, or maybe it’s the hormones in the food we eat, but something took the power out of jazz. These two albums turn the direction back to true north.
Angeleno Jerry Vivino brings his red meat tenor sax with a rotating team that includes Bernie Dresel/dr, Andy Langham/p, Bucky Pizzarelli/g and Martin Pizzarelli/b just for starters on this mix of originals and jazzers. His warm tenor emits embers on the slinky “Coast to Coast” with trumpeter Ron Stout while the two get soulful with the cantering rhythm team on “Spud Time.” Vivino’s modal “Category 5” is a rich stamped while his bopping “Lew’s Blues” and snapy “Sam I Am” have him riding the wave like a long boarder. He sings with charm to a joyful “Honeysuckle Rose” and is suave on soprano sax with Mark Sganga’s acoustic guitar on the lovely “Miracles.” Timeless tones.
Drummer Paul Kreibich brings a three (mostly) tenor sax team of Doug Webb, Glenn Cashman and Jeff Elwood to form a tsunami of a front line with Chris Colangelo/b for songs dedicated to or associated with the legendary drummer Elvin Jones. Since Jones’ most popular time was with the icon John Coltrane, it makes sense for three saxists to fill in the gap, and it works amazing well. You get a stop start groover “Fast Track” with the team boogalooing to Kreibich’s ride cymbal on “Space Mistress.” Elwood switches to soprano sax for some rich harmonies and searing solos on the modal “Sabai Sabai” and the infectious Caribbean “Cookie’s Calypso” whereas Kreibich booms out the beat to “George of the Jungle” on the tribal “Sambra” with the horns dripping with molten lava. Kreibich and company put a Latin lilt on the classic “Naima” while they swagger like bouncers at a bar on “Blues Trek.” High protein jazz.