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I N - T H I S - I S S U E :
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Recent Recordings by Area MusiciansPaul
Vornhagen is generally acknowledged to be one of the hardest working
jazz musicians in the SEMJA area; he plays at various venues on an almost
daily basis, travels far field for guest performances, and makes regular
visits to the recording studio. On his latest compact disk Heart
(BOPO 012)
he is featured alongside pianist Tad Weed and some of his regular sidemen,
bassists Kurt Krahnke and Nick Calandro, drummers Pete Siers and Randy
Marsh, spiced up by Jonathan Ovalle on percussion on three tracks and
a cameo visit by vibraphonist Cary Kocher on "Firefly Mambo."
Although he continues to favor his main axethe tenor saxophone
Vornhagen continues to develop his proficiency on many horns. Here he
also plays soprano, alto, and baritone saxophones as well as the ocarina
and the flute, and his signature vocals grace three tunes. The repertoire
is a nice mix of well-known standards such as "My Heart Stood Still,"
and "Secret Love," a hard-bop anthem, As the title implies, Vornhagen carries his heart on his sleeve; in a sense he is an old-fashioned player who gears his instrumental abilities to basic emotional expression rather than to harmonic complexity or technical dazzle. Weed understands this well, and their rapport contributes much to the success of this recital. Although there are a variety of moods represented here, one returns most often to the ballads. Vornhagen continues to feature his Chet Baker-inspired vocals, often accompanied only by piano and bass, much like the instrumentation favored by the late singer/trumpeter in his latter years. His gentle, Mulligan-like baritone saxophone playing on the ballads is particularly apposite. Most important, he crafts his slow tunes with pensive flavors, expressing complex emotions with just the right touch of reserve. Perhaps it is time that he offered us a ballad album. Bassist
James Ilgenfritz and saxophonist Dan Bennett play together
in many different groups covering a broad spectrum of musical styles.
Such versatility is I N - T H I S - I S S U E : |
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