LEE KONITZ
Play Fresh Impressionist Music From The 20th Century
Palmetto
PM-2064
www.palmetto-records.com

It is risky to arrrange French chansons and chamber works for string quartet with a jazz saxophonist doing the only improvising. Ohad Talmor’s arrangements keep the French flavor, and I’m not averse to messing around with pieces, famous or not. Konitz is a saxophonist who for decades has never rested content in one style (this is a compliment) whether bebop, solo sax improv on standards, or playing with talented younger pups.

Here takes the works of Koechlin, Satie, Debussy, Ravel and Chausson, retains the French sound mostly by adopting with his alto sax that appropriately high, often bittersweet (some say shrill) piercing French oboe and clarinet sound so prevalent in French chamber music of this period. I don’t find these works to be correlative with the painterly “impressionism” that most critics, as do the aritists here, label them, I do prefer the original compositions to these arrangements by Talmor, and enjoy others of Konitz’ projects, but many will find this worthwhile.

The notes by producer Matt Balitsaris explain that their intent was not to “convert Debussy to Mingus...or Ellington-ize Ravel.” That was a smart move, as each of the afforementioned were consummate colorists and orchestrators. Nonetheless, I could imagine Konitz or some other worthy taking on these chansons et mélodies by improvising on them as if they were the “standards” they are. The producer is right that this disc is is neither jazz nor classical, yet has “essence and integrity.” For me, I could use a little more soul, or to be French about it, panache.

Steve Koenig

Track Listing: 1. Les Bandar-Log (Koechlin); 2. Le Colibri (Chausson); 3. Sur Un Lanterne (Satie); 4. Rêverie (Devussy); 5. Berceuse sur le nom de Gabriel Fauré (Ravel); 6. L’absent (Fauré); 7. Sel à la Maison (Satie); 8. Soupir (Debussy); 9. Valse Romantique (Debussy)

Personnel: Lee Konitz, saxophone; Meg Okaura and Rob Thomas, violins; Catherine Bent, cello; Judith Insell, viola