Search - Stan Getz :: Sweet Rain

WEST WIND NOT WELL INFORMED

James Bonevich | Kalamazoo, MI | 09/06/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Not to be confused with the (legitimate) Verve release of the same name, this CD entitled "Sweet Rain" on the mostly bootleg West Wind label presents tenor sax legend Stan Getz in a quartet setting with Chick Corea (on Fender Rhodes and limited acoustic piano) live at the Montreux Jazz Festival on July 23, 1972 and NOT "at the Salle Wagram, NYC, November 1969" as the scant cover notes purport. This meeting of two jazz greats (nimbly assisted by Stanley Clarke on bass and Tony Williams on drums) celebrates the contemporary 1972 Columbia release of the album "Captain Marvel", which featured the same musicians playing on no fewer than five Corea compositions, all new at the time. Most of the tunes from that album are reprised here, including a tender reading of the Strayhorn chestnut "Lush Life" and another Corea tune, "Windows", which Getz and Corea first rendered on the 1967 Verve album "Sweet Rain". But the song "Sweet Rain" itself is nowhere to be found on this CD and in fact, three of the seven tracks contained here are titled incorrectly. The performances by the musicians however are all serious business - workmanlike if not inspired, and well recorded, and well appreciated by the international crowd. The two final tracks find Getz in an entirely different quartet featuring Albert Dailey on a very poorly tuned piano, George Mraz on bass, and fearless skin-pounder Billy Hart. Left unlocated and undated (perhaps wisely) by West Wind, these two long and strong performances probably originate from circa Fall 1975 when the same foursome (with a different bassist) made the album"The Master" under Getz's leadership, also for Columbia. The highlight here is "Lester Left Town", the Wayne Shorter tune which Stan loved to play live. Mraz has a good time with his solo turn on it as well. Though not as well recorded, the outdoor crowd registers their approval throughout. A worthwhile historical document on both counts, despite the uninformed packaging job. -- Jim BonevichTRACK LISTING:
1. Captain Marvel (C.Corea) 6:33 mis-titled as "Sweet Rain"
2. Day Waves (C.Corea) 8:39 mis-titled as "Wee"
3. Lush Life (B.Strayhorn) 4:54
4. Windows (C.Corea) 9:23 mis-titled as "Night Time Street"
5. La Fiesta (C.Corea) 12:33Stan Getz - tenor sax
Chick Corea - Fender Rhodes, piano
Stanley Clarke - bass
Tony Williams - drums6. Lester Left Town (W.Shorter) 9:30
7. Lover Man (J.Davis - R.Ramirez - J.Sherman) 12:10Stan Getz - tenor sax
Albert DAILEY - piano
George Mraz - bass
Billy Hart - drums"

FINE DOCUMENT OF PAST MASTER

S. H. Dick | Greensboro, North Carolina United States | 03/17/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Past master Stan Getz is heard in a live recording, backed by Corea, Stanley Clarke, and Tony WIlliams on five tracks. The interaction between the players is intriguing. The enthusiam of the young rhythm section spurs Getz to a more forceful, somewhat edgier performance than we hear on his studio recordings from this period. The tunes are intriguing, and require significant rhythmic agility in negotiating their changes of tone, timbre and tempo. The players clearly enjoy the challenge, and their interplay is spirited. Sound quality is somewhat disappointing, but not so poor as to prevent the listener from getting involved with the proceedings. Although I can't confirm the other reviewer's information regarding the actual source of this live recording, I can confirm that the tracks are improperly identified. The last two tracks feature pianist Albert Dailey. I've never been particularly fond of Dailey, and this recording hasn't changed by opinion. The sound quallity on these tracks is superior, but the group interaction never rises to the level of the first five tracks.I'd probably rate this disc at 3.5 stars, and recommend it to fans of the classic "Sweet Rain" session released by Verve. I've rated it at Four stars, to split the difference with the earlier reviewer."