Thursday, September 23, 2010

Szakcsi: Straight Ahead (1994)

Pianist Szakcsi found his initial fame playing new age, but this GRP CD shows that he was careful not to lose his jazz chops. In a trio with bassist Jay Leonhardt and drummer Marvin "Smitty" Smith (Tim Warfield guests on tenor during two songs), Szakcsi really challenged himself on this date, not only finding something fresh to say on "Body and Soul" and tackling Thelonious Monk's "Brilliant Corners," but coming up with eight new songs, many of them hard-driving and all quite straight-ahead. The excellent release shows that, at least for some of its practitioners, there is life after new age. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
Personnel:
Szakcsi (piano),
Tim Warfield (tenor saxophone),
Jay Leonhardt (bass),
Marvin "Smitty" Smith (drums)
Tracklist:
1. Exit from Customary
2. Homage to Monk
3. Katalin
4. For Duke DuBois
5. Body and Soul
6. Brilliant Corners
7. Spring is Here
8. Prisms
9. Reminiscences
10. Straight Ahead
11. Solar
12. Conteplation from the Body and Soul
Straight ahead
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