The Walt Weiskopf Quartet
Recorded Live at Koger Hall, South Carolina - April 8, 2008
Capri Records 2011
Review by Ken Hohman
Featured Track: Dizzy Spells & Jay-Walking
Sometimes consistency can be a double edged sword. It’s the goal of any musician to perform music of consistent quality, but being so good for so long can prompt fans to turn their heads in search of the next big thing. Such is the case with Walt Weiskopf, a critically acclaimed saxophonist for over 15 recordings now. For thirty years, tenor saxophonist Weiskopf has been displaying his enormous technical skill, cogent improvisation and muscular sound as the leader of his own combos, as well as sideman for groups ranging from Steely Dan to Toshiko Akiyoshi. Moreover, he’s been a highly regarded composer, penning five books on improvisation and teaching at Temple University.
Weiskopf’s latest release Walt Weiskopf Quartet: Live is his first live recording and touching tribute to his late friend and collaborator, drummer Tony Reedus. For those not familiar, Tony Reedus was a highly regarded jazz drummer who led his own sessions and played with jazz luminaries like Woody Shaw, Freddie Hubbard and Mulgrew Miller (check out Reedus’s excellent 1996 release Minor Thang). Reedus died suddenly in 2008 due to a pulmonary embolism, and this was one of his last performances.
While not the a long-time collaboration, this quartet is formidable with Weiskopf on tenor sax, Paul Gill on bass, Reedus on drum and the perennially superb Renee Rosnes on piano. The set opens with the fiery stop-time theme of “Man Of Many Colors,” dominated by Weiskopf’s steely tenor cleaving deep passages into the bedrock rhythm set by a percolating Reedus. This opens the door for Rosnes, who pins down the beat at the left side of the ivories while stretching the melodic canvas with a dazzling triplets and cascading runs on the high end. It’s a great opener with a thrilling finish by Weiskopf.
The lovely mid-tempo number “Little Minor Love Song” showcases Weiskopf’s softer tone through a memorable 4-bar theme. Weiskopf’s pliant sound on the intro melts into a quicksilver solo by Rosnes that is both bluesy and elegant. Weiskopf switches to a deeper tenor tone for his second solo, digging deep into the pocket and producing some real fireworks a la Dexter Gordon style. Paul Gill’s bass solo provides supple counterpoint to Weiskopf and, though low in the mix, reveals intriguing patterns upon a closer listen. The song returns to Weiskopf responds to his softer tone with aplomb and takes it to the finish line massaging the melody in the mid range.
Rosnes opens up “ Dizzy Spells/Jay Walking” with an ornate, classically styled waltz, setting the stage for Reedus and Weiskopf who continue the waltz in kind. By the time the tempo shifts, Reedus is utilizing every inch of the kit, popping along at brisk clip, nudging the song forward with the confidence and style of Billy Higgins. Rosnes is the most at home with the composition, applying her conservatory elegance to her solos while Weiskopf unveils his boldest tone, spinning off descending lines while pushing the waltz tempo to its extreme.
Further on, Weiskopf breaks out his hard edge on the breathless improvisation “Blues In The Day” and the fast paced “Breakdown” with Rosnes almost matching his pace beat for beat. Weiskopf displays his mastery of ballads on “Blame It On My Youth” and even offers an inspired take on European song forms with the captivating “Scottish Folk Song.”On the latter, he squeezes pure emotion from each passage and Rosnes sprinkles fair dust across the keys, giving the composition a Tartan nobility that is not the least bit contrived, but rather honest and moving.
So while this live recording is a posthumous tribute to drummer Tony Reedus, who is in superb form throughout, it is still the versatility of Weiskopf that takes the biggest honors. Let your ear wander where it may, you’ll always have a captivating listening experience when you return home to Walt Weiskopf.
To purchase your copy of the Walt Weiskopf Quartet Live, visit Walt's web page by clicking here.
