Gary Smulyan - Smul's Paradise

Year: 2012

Style: Jazz

Label: CAPRI Records Ltd.

Musicians: Gary Smulyan - baritone saxophone; Mike LeDonne - hammond B3; Peter Bernstein - guitar; Kenny Washington - drums.

Review: "Gary Smulyan dresses sharply, sports attention-getting eye wear...He plays with a granite tone and a suitably raspy attack that suit the instrument well; that, along with his eminently refined technique, has made Smulyan the outstanding baritone player of his generation...Despite the mischievous glint in his eyes, he appears to be a perfect gentleman."  (Liner notes: Neil Tesser - Chicago News Cooperative and the Examiner.com)

In reality, this review of the CD "Smul's Paradise" could end right here...that is, until you hear the man and his band play. Then Neil Tesser's glowing assessment becomes...an understatement.

Bobby Hebb's popular 1963 hit ("Sunny"), starts the date like the Space Shuttle rocketing off from the Florida coast into Earth Orbit; with no need for the customary 'countdown.' Peter Washington's drums achieves immediate, flawless ignition; Mike LeDonne's surging B3, provides effortless lift and thrust; Gary Smulyan's baritone sax applies the after burners, and that stuff you see in the Shuttle's wake is not burning rocket fuel; it's the smoke coming from Peter Bernstein's fingers as he burns through his fret!

As luck would have it, Smulyan finds a smoldering gem written by organist Don Patterson, ("Up In Betty's Room") that has a swaying, unpretentious melody, perfectly constructed for Peter Bernstein's wonderfully understated and logical guitar solo. Bernstein eschews crowding his solos with piles of notes; the result is a persuasive technique, that is sonically very intelligent. Smulyan's baritone sax and LeDonne's Hammond B3 appear very relaxed in playing the melody; coloring the musical domain with charming familiarity; meanwhile Kenny Washington describes the beat and maintains the time with immaculate precision bordering on celestial.

Guirarist Peter Bernstein

"Smul's Paradise" swings uncontrollably with an effervescent emotional character, evenly distributed between the musical bookends of a "Sunny" disposition, and the rapturous delight of "Heavenly Hours." It is a date made with pride, and earmarked for enjoyment; remarkable in its bold concept, yet familiar and accessible (Pistaccio) on which LeDonne's B3 simply roasts the nuts to a crisp, and Kenny Washington adds a funky left brain bossa beat. Smulyan's baritone sax sound is coated with a signature golden-crusted patina developed through discipline, dedication, commitment to a high standard, and plain old big "chops."

The classic format for organ is usually - organ/tenor sax or, organ/guitar (musical rum and coke, or whiskey and soda), take your pick! But organ/baritone sax, not very often; even Smulyan admits that this is a first for him. Smulyan grew up on a steady musical diet of guitarist George Benson, organists Lonnie Smith, Larry Young, Don Patterson, and alto/tenor saxophone titan Sonny Stitt. It follows that Smulyan knows a thing or two about organs, organists and what he likes to hear.

His players have been around good music and iconic jazz musicians for their entire careers. In this regard they are kindred spirits. Peter Bernstein studied jazz at Rutgers University with Ted Dunbar and Kenny Barron. He has played with tenor saxophonists Sonny Rollins, , Joshua Redman, Eric Alexander, Joe Lovano, alto saxophonist Lou Donaldson, organist Jack McDuff, pianist Brad Meldau, singer Diana Krall, drummer Jimmy Cobb, trumpeter Roy Hargrove, and many, many more. His guitar solo on Smulyan's swinging, bopish composition (Smul's Paradise) is clean, clear, warm and evenly melodic. He always knows where he is going, and proceeds confidently.

Drummer Kenny Washington

In the drummer's chair, (probably still playing those "K's" Mel Lewis gave him long ago) is every body's current percussionist of choice, the very peripatetic Kenny Washington. Kenny is a thrill to listen to, but he's downright sensational to see live. He gets so much bounce, rise and rhythm out of his drum set, that it seems he has more than two hands; just listen to his blistering two-handed attack on hard bop saxophonist George Coleman's (Little Miss Half Step), and a Smulyan-composed burner (Heavenly Hours). Kenny studied at the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts. He has been in bands with alto saxophonists Lee Konitz, Phil Woods, Sonny Stitt; singer Betty Carter; tenor saxophonist Johnny Griffin; trumpeters Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry; pianist George Cables; bandleaders Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton, Ahmad Jamal; and pianist Tommy Flanagan.

Hammond B3 organist
Mike Le Donne

Organist Mike LeDonne graduated from the New England Conservatory of Music at 21. He has played with his share of jazz giants; the great vibraphonists Milt "Bags" Jackson & Bobby Hutcherson; bandleaders Benny Goodman & Benny Golson; tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins; trumpeters Art Farmer & Dizzy Gillespie. He is regarded as one of the leading players on the Hammond B3 organ, and is also a pianist of acclaim, having been described by the late, great pianist Oscar Peterson, "as one of the most promising and talented pianist of this era." Listen to the emphatic exclamatory fashion in which he ends each track. It's like a stinging knock out punch delivered short and sweet, that is never seen coming.

His is the voice that creates that bright emotional character and deep, unbridled, sense of swing throughout the CD. The sound colors (timbre) that he paints with Gary Smulyan's baritone saxophone are seamless as a cloud. Smulyan's voice has just enough of a muscular knarly, raspy edge and attitude that fits snugly with the percussion and preempts any stolidness or predictability in the music, Don Patterson/Sonny Stitt's (Aires) is the tune on the CD that brings this all into clear focus; it is by far the most down reaching and beautifully fulfilling selection on the date: it cries with longing.

It maybe simply a case of outrageous, fortuitous serendipity that makes this CD such a tour de force of tonal warmth, familiarity, modernity; not running afoul of the laws of good texture, or turning out an unrecognizable experiment. It seems patently obvious, to me at least, that Gary Smulyan's brain child of pairing the "granite tone" of his baritone saxophone, and "his eminently refined technique" with Mike LeDonne's  warm Hammond B3 organ has in it's own way elevated serendipity to stirring genius.

There may be a new bird in paradise, and Smulyan's "raspy" baritone saxophone might be its tweet!

Track Listing: Sunny; Up In Betty's Room; Pistaccio; Smul's Paradise; Little Miss Half Steps; Aires; Blues For D. P.; Heavenly Hours.

Produced by Thomas Burns
Recorded at Manfred Knoop Studio - River Edge, NJ
Recording and Mixing Engineer - Christopher Sulit
Mastered at Airshow Mastering, Boulder, CO
Mastering Engineer - David Glasser
Graphic Design - Nathalie Breakstone

Mike LeDonne appears courtesy of Savant Records
Gary Smulyan endorses Vandoren Woodwind Products

CAPRI Records, Ltd.
P. O. Box 892 Bailey. CO 80421
http://www.caprirecords.com/