Search - Marvin Stamm :: Bop Boy

How many jazz ideas can fit into one head?

James A. Vedda | Alexandria, VA USA | 11/16/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Nobody can accuse Marvin Stamm of playing it safe. He constantly challenges himself (and his listeners) with new ideas, both in his choice of material and in his solos. Only two of the 10 tracks on this CD, "My Ship" and "Lover Man," are jazz standards. The rest of the tunes give us something new to enjoy. Among these are five originals by Bob Mintzer, who also lends his tenor sax talent to this effort.

The variety of tempos and styles presented here demonstrate Stamm at the top of his game. He must have been taking his vitamins and eating his Wheaties during January 1990 when these sessions occurred, allowing him to display a controlled energy that makes everything he does sound far easier than it is. Whether it's the frenetic pace of "Zoom" and "Bop Boy," the modal movement of "Lunatic," or the smoothness of "Svensson," "May Moon," and the aforementioned jazz standards, Stamm has plenty to say, and does so with the right blend of excitement, sensitivity, and precision. Mintzer's tenor adds an ideal complement on the tracks where he joins in.

Stamm tells us in the liner notes that his intent was to record the album in the same way it would be done live, rather than to produce a "perfect" album. One could argue that he has done both."