Vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, who successfully translated John Coltrane?s "sheets of sound" approach to the vibes, became the acknowledged master of that instrument when Milt Jackson died in 1999. A veteran of many histor... more »ic Blue Note dates, a bit player in the movie Round Midnight, and founding member of the SF Jazz Collective, Hutcherson calls this mostly ballads CD, with pianist Renee Rosnes, bassist Dwayne Burno, and drummer Al Foster, his "love record." All of his powers are evident here: his melodic fluency, vast harmonic imagination, and his incredible ability to make the vibes sing. Like Lester Young, Hutcherson knows how to melodically tell a story, as evidenced by his shimmering takes on the Latin-tinged "Ode to Angela," and "I Wish I Knew," his sumptuous piano duet on the Bernstein/Sondheim classic "Somewhere," and his heartbreaking, solo number "I?ll Be Seeing You," Hopefully we?ll be seeing and hearing from this genius more often. --Eugene Holley, Jr.« less
Vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, who successfully translated John Coltrane?s "sheets of sound" approach to the vibes, became the acknowledged master of that instrument when Milt Jackson died in 1999. A veteran of many historic Blue Note dates, a bit player in the movie Round Midnight, and founding member of the SF Jazz Collective, Hutcherson calls this mostly ballads CD, with pianist Renee Rosnes, bassist Dwayne Burno, and drummer Al Foster, his "love record." All of his powers are evident here: his melodic fluency, vast harmonic imagination, and his incredible ability to make the vibes sing. Like Lester Young, Hutcherson knows how to melodically tell a story, as evidenced by his shimmering takes on the Latin-tinged "Ode to Angela," and "I Wish I Knew," his sumptuous piano duet on the Bernstein/Sondheim classic "Somewhere," and his heartbreaking, solo number "I?ll Be Seeing You," Hopefully we?ll be seeing and hearing from this genius more often. --Eugene Holley, Jr.
"If anyone in jazz has a right to make a simply beautiful disc, without gainsaying or snipping from the critics, it's Bobby Hutcherson.
Certainly the leading vibes player of his generation, taking over from Milt "Bags" Jackson who in turn took over from Lionel Hampton, Hutcherson, with a resume that literally covers the waterfront from modernistic post-bop to adventurous outings such as his brilliant Solo/Quartet on Contemporary, a kind of sui generous jazz classic, in the twilight of his career, should be given a free pass to do whatever he likes. If he wants to make a drop-dead gorgeous disc of mostly love ballads, featuring, it must be noted, three of the finest side-persons on the scene today (Renee Rosnes, piano; Duane Burno, bass; and Al Foster, drums), more power to him.
The good news is that it works spectacularly well. What could've been a session of everyone mailing in their performance, magically coalesces into something stamped with genius. Music this beautiful and this subtle takes real imagination, even otherworldly synchronicity, to avoid slipping into cliché and sentimentality. The leader's vision, combined with the entirely simpatico playing of all involved, vaults this session into rarely encountered precincts of felicity.
Highest recommendation."
Like Fine Wine......
Robert G. Bouey | Toronto, Ontario Canada | 07/18/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Bobby Hutcherson really doesn't say much between songs when playing live. His focus is on the mood and the music and he speaks through his vibraphone. Breathing through pursed lips as the tones from his instrument resonate throughout the room, he will occasionally smile as Renee Rosnes impresses him with the textures she overlays. There is always that undertone of sophistication and subtle humour. I especially like when he ends a song emphatically by striking a low single note at the bottom of the register on his vibes. Take that!
Having caught five sets of Bobby's band over the last year from locales as distant as Vancouver to New York I was fortunate to have gained an appreciation for what was to become the CD, For Sentimental Reasons. Little did I know when I caught Bobby at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola last November that he and the band were recording the new CD. I think one of the sets that stands out the most for me was a Saturday night at the Blue Note during his CD release party this past June. What a treat.
The song, For Sentimental Reasons, is just that....sentimental. Ode to Angela is a breezy workout by the band, a great driving song. Listen to how Renee fills in the spaces around Bobby's playing on Embraceable You, Dwayne and Al provide a tasty backdrop. Along Came Betty steps out from the ballads, it is a pleasant groove that builds on the solos of Bobby and Renee. Somewhere is reminiscent of Manhattan Moods, that great duo record with McCoy Tyner. Who can help but hum the tune to Jitter Bug Waltz, it is contageous. Renee's solo builds and builds until she becomes the perfect foil for Bobby's solo and the two climb to soaring heights together, ultimately to leave us with that melody. I have always liked Al Foster's playing, especially on Skyline, Bobby's last solo effort, but his cymbal work live on Jitterbug Waltz is outstanding. What Are You Doing The Rest of Your Life - the notes land like dew drops - it's as if the song were written for Bobby. Don't Blame Me, like track four, steps away from the ballads and has a great walking bass line. Spring is Here, beautiful. I Wish I Knew makes me wish Bobby would do a samba/bossa type CD, great tempo and cymbal embellishments from Al. Finally, I'll Be Seeing You....Bobby playing with four malletts....exquisite.
Yes I am a fan of Bobby's, his music, his band and particularily, For Sentimental Reasons. His solo releases are like fine wine...better with age and to be savoured."
Silky
G. Lee | San Juan Capistrano, CA | 09/07/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Everyone knows that Bobby Hutcherson is a Hall of Famer. He's played with all the greats, in all the jazz styles, and penned classics of his own. Here he is digging into some classic Great American Songbook stuff, and the entire CD is a very warm, mellow affair. One of his partners from the SF Jazz Collective, Renee Rosnes, is on piano throughout, and she is a fantastic complementary player to Bobby. A great late night listen. I heard this band live in New York City at the Blue Note and this is just like being there. Slip into something comfortable when you put this on and enjoy this master craftsman."
Plenty of beautiful love ballads !!
pp777 | New York, NY | 06/29/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
""One of the hardest things in the world is to play simple, to give the listener room to become part of the creative possibilities of the experience"...
Thus vibes maestro Bobby Hutcherson, perfectly summing up the considerable appeal of his latest album, on which he's joined by a subtly responsive rhythm section pianist Renee Rosnes, bassist Dwayne Burno and drummer Al Foster on what the vibesman himself describes as 'a whole album of ballads and love songs'.
Ever since he appeared on the scene in the 1960s, the music of Bobby Hutcherson - "master vibes player" - has come in two parts. One is tough and abstract, the other, well, softer. It's still like that, and this record certainly catches Hutcherson No 2, the "romantic".
Essentially, it's a ballad session, though occasionally jogging into medium tempo for a piece such as Fats Waller's Jitterbug Waltz.
The mood is helped considerably by the rhapsodic piano of Renee Rosnes.
Even in this melting mood, Hutcherson's sound still has his trademark, slightly extra-terrestrial, feel, with a note sometimes left to hang in the air like a hovering UFO.
But he has seldom seemed closer to his predecessor among great vibes virtuosi, the elegant Milt Jackson of the MJQ.
Culminating in a gorgeous, softly glowing solo rendition of "I'll Be Seeing You", the album showcases the limpid elegance and delicately burnished power of Hutcherson on achingly tender material such as "Embraceable You" and "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons", but also includes spritelier fare such as a sparkling mid-tempo visit to Harold Land's "Ode to Angela" and an arresting version of Fats Waller's "Jitterbug Waltz".
The focus throughout is mainly on Hutcherson's understated power and apparently effortless grace, but Rosnes also shines; as the great man says: "Renee knows so well how to keep things open and flowing just by all the varied harmonic suggestions and implications of what she plays"...
Another classy, intensely musicianly album from Kind of Blue."
Track Listings (11) - Disc #1
