Search - Frank Hewitt :: Four Hundred Saturdays

It's Not Too Late to Discover Frank Hewitt

Ronald Lyles | West Hartford, CT | 04/20/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The two previous recordings that posthumously introduced the jazz community outside the Smalls inner circle to Frank Hewitt were trio studio recordings. "Four Hundred Saturdays", is the first opportunity for those of us not fortunate to be present for one of Hewitt's regular Smalls appearances to hear him in a live setting. It is also our first opportunity to hear him with horns. The language Hewitt spoke was unmistakably bebop. Here, Hewitt and his cohorts stretch out on four tunes that might have been played regularly during bebop's heyday. Although these performances were recorded in 1999, in the case of Hewitt the music feels like it is being played by someone who actually lived it, as opposed to studying it decades later. His piano playing is somewhat quirky. To these technically untrained ears he mastered his own dialect that was logical and technically impressive. One critic described Hewitt's playing as something which would be most appreciated by "insiders", but IMO if you listen and allow yourself to feel the music, Hewitt can and will be understood and thoroughly enjoyed by those like myself who could not tell you which notes should be played in a particular chord if my life depended on it. In addition to Hewitt, the two saxophonists (tenor saxophonist Chris Byars and alto saxophonist Mike Mullins) contribute impressive solos throughout, and the rhythm section (bassist Ari Roland and drummer Jimmy Lovelace) is rock solid and in sync throughout. Easily recommended."