ROB SCHEPS - Comencio
Steeplechase SCCD 31866
Rob Scheps (Tenor and Soprano saxophones); Jamie Reynolds (Piano); Cameron Brown (Bass); Jesse Simpson (Drums)
There are times when this old cynic, upon seeing yet another sax lead quartet CD thinks, OK so what’s new? However after slipping this CD into the system and hitting ‘play’ these thoughts were dispelled. Here we have the inventiveness of John Coltrane, the swagger of Dexter Gordon and the lyricism of Ben Webster and this reviewer loved it.
Rob Scheps is an Oregon born New York based performer, composer and educator who leads bands in many cities in the US and tours the world extensively. He has played and recorded with many of the great and the good in the jazz world from John Abercrombie to Clark Terry, via Gil Evans and Buddy Rich. Away from the jazz niche his credits range from Ray Charles to Mel Torme, taking in Liza Minnelli and Little Anthony and the Imperials on the way. That is some C.V.
This CD is released on the Danish Steeplechase Label, a onetime home for both Dexter Gordon and Ben Webster during their European sojourns. There are 10 tracks giving us an hour of splendid music and the liner notes written at a train station in Sweden (how romantic is that?) describe each tune as a dedication. There is one original ‘Shorter Time’ and the other tracks by Messrs Abercrombie, Tyner and Dorham amongst others. Each ‘dedication’ in the notes is a nice tribute to the composer and to Scheps’ mentors including his late Mother to whom Duke Pearson’s ballad ‘You know I care’ is dedicated.
I am a little uncertain as to whether this is Scheps’ first recording venture into the jazz world as leader, if it is not, I apologise. It is a CD that will remind this reviewer that good jazz is not dead and he should temper his cynicism, 5 stars.
Reviewed by Clive Fleckner
Steeplechase SCCD 31866
Rob Scheps (Tenor and Soprano saxophones); Jamie Reynolds (Piano); Cameron Brown (Bass); Jesse Simpson (Drums)
There are times when this old cynic, upon seeing yet another sax lead quartet CD thinks, OK so what’s new? However after slipping this CD into the system and hitting ‘play’ these thoughts were dispelled. Here we have the inventiveness of John Coltrane, the swagger of Dexter Gordon and the lyricism of Ben Webster and this reviewer loved it.
Rob Scheps is an Oregon born New York based performer, composer and educator who leads bands in many cities in the US and tours the world extensively. He has played and recorded with many of the great and the good in the jazz world from John Abercrombie to Clark Terry, via Gil Evans and Buddy Rich. Away from the jazz niche his credits range from Ray Charles to Mel Torme, taking in Liza Minnelli and Little Anthony and the Imperials on the way. That is some C.V.
This CD is released on the Danish Steeplechase Label, a onetime home for both Dexter Gordon and Ben Webster during their European sojourns. There are 10 tracks giving us an hour of splendid music and the liner notes written at a train station in Sweden (how romantic is that?) describe each tune as a dedication. There is one original ‘Shorter Time’ and the other tracks by Messrs Abercrombie, Tyner and Dorham amongst others. Each ‘dedication’ in the notes is a nice tribute to the composer and to Scheps’ mentors including his late Mother to whom Duke Pearson’s ballad ‘You know I care’ is dedicated.
I am a little uncertain as to whether this is Scheps’ first recording venture into the jazz world as leader, if it is not, I apologise. It is a CD that will remind this reviewer that good jazz is not dead and he should temper his cynicism, 5 stars.
Reviewed by Clive Fleckner
