As Long as There's Music (Richard Wyands album)
| As Long as There's Music | ||||
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| Studio album by Richard Wyands | ||||
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Publication |
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| Label (s) | Savant Records | |||
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Format (s) |
CD |
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Title (number) |
10 |
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running time |
51:24 |
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Studio (s) |
M&I Recording Studios, New York City |
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As Long as There's Music is a jazz album by pianist Richard Wyands , recorded with his trio of Ray Drummond and Grady Tate . The recordings were made on April 6, 2000 in New York and released on May 7, 2001 on the Savant Records label.
background
It was not until 1978 that Wyands, who had mostly acted as a sideman in the course of his career, had the opportunity to record a first album for the Danish record label Storyville ; This was followed by further trio albums for the European labels Steeplechase and Criss Cross Jazz as well as the Japanese DIW label. At the age of 72 he finally recorded his last album - which was also his first for an American label. On As Long As There's Music , the pianist played jazz standards and third-party compositions in addition to his own composition. Wyands stylistically combined influences from swing , blues , bebop , hardbop , progressive and cool jazz in his playing .
Track list
- Richard Wyands: As Long as There's Music (Savant SCD2031)
- Stolen Sweets ( Wild Bill Davis , Dickie Thompson ) 5:29
- As Long as There's Music ( Sammy Cahn , Jule Styne ) 2:57
- Stairway to the Stars ( Matty Malneck , Mitchell Parish , Frank Signorelli ) 6:16
- Focus ( Tadd Dameron ) 5:29
- Ivy ( Hoagy Carmichael ) 6:34
- What's New ( Johnny Burke , Bob Haggart ) 4:30
- Drop Me Off in Harlem ( Duke Ellington , Nick A. Kenny) 5:36
- My Old Flame ( Sam Coslow , Arthur Johnston ) 5:26
- With The Wind and the Rain in Your Hair ( Jack Lawrence ) 2:33
- West 94th Street Funk (Wyands) 6:12
reception
Ken Dryden gave the album four (out of 5) stars in Allmusic ; In his review, he said it was hard to believe that Wyands, who first appeared as a leader on this album for an American label, didn't record under his own name until the 1970s, but he took full advantage of this long overdue opportunity. With the capable rhythm section of Ray Drummond and Grady Tate, Wyands heats up “As Long As There's Music” and gives “Stairway to the Stars” a “lavish lyrical treatment. But he is also exploring overlooked gems like Tadd Dameron's lively, Focus', animated Hoagy Carmichael , Ivy 'with a snappy Samba - Arrangement and packs, With the Wind and the Rain in Your Hai' in (a hit for Kay Kyser ) as if a full-fledged thunderstorm would be on the way. "Wyands also took time for classical jazz compositions and showed Tate's razor-sharp broom guidance in a version of Duke Ellington's " Drop Me off in Harlem ", which he (as a rare solo pianist) in the richly structured ballad" What's New “uses. Wyands' composition “West 94th Street Funk”, “a delightful, restrained blues” provides “a perfect finish”.
Harvey Sides ( JazzTimes ) said on the trio album, “bassist Ray Drummond and drummer Grady Tate reveal Wyands' trademark“ sophisticated bop ”; this is the starting point for some great standards, and yet the highlight of the album is the only original "West 94th Street Funk". After Drummond's bragging rights, Wyands' play gets dirty with Oscar Peterson- like tremolos , aided by Tate's occasional shuffle. Otherwise, Wyands' interpretation of the standards is "familiar, gentle swing, filled with a lot of polish," including the rarely heard track "Stolen Sweets" by Wild Bill Davis , the title track, which is an ideal up-tempo number, and "With the Wind and Rain in Your Hair ”performed at a surprisingly fast pace, and the always enjoyable gem from Ellington,“ Drop Me Off in Harlem ”. Wyands shines with slow melodies like "Stairway to the Stars" and the rubato interpretations of "What's New" and "My Old Flame", the latter sounding tatum esque with its extravagant runs and hints of steps . "
Mike Neely ( All About Jazz ) praised: “This recording is a presentation of what Wyands admirers have long appreciated - his rich sense of tradition, his impeccable taste, his rhythmic lightness and his harmonious sophistication. Wyands is not a flashy pianist; he is a pianist of thoughtful, heartfelt emotions, fully aided by the integrity of his technique and artistic choices. ”One of the highlights of this recording was Tadd Dameron's“ Focus ”; Wyands' subtle change in tempo via the stop-and-go course of the opening glides into a long, optimistic solo dominated by the bop, which rounds off the usual edges. Drummond follows with a concise solo in front of Wyands and Tate that leads to the end. This title shows the trio's effortless relationship throughout the session.
According to the author, Wyands' solo appearance with "My Old Flame" is another highlight of the album; this is a title "which clearly demonstrates the informal complexity of his rhythmic instinct". Listening carefully to his left hand at work and the way Wyand incorporates silence is instructive.
Individual evidence
- ^ A b Harvey Siders: Richard Wyands: As Long As There's Music. JazzTimes, December 1, 2001, accessed October 3, 2019 .
- ^ AAJ Staff: Richard Wyands: As Long As There's Music. All About Jazz, January 14, 2004, accessed October 3, 2019 .
- ↑ Richard Wyands: As Long As There's Music at Discogs
- ↑ Listing of the album As Long As There's Music on Allmusic . Retrieved October 1, 2019.
- ↑ Mike Neely: Richard Wyands: As Long As There's Music. All About Jazz, December 8, 2003, accessed October 3, 2019 .