Themes For Good Friends

Description

A giant of the tenor saxophone, as discreet as he is masterful. Only 12 albums as a leader, plus 8 with the trio The Fringe over more than half a century of career… For good reason: George Garzone is celebrating his fiftieth year of teaching at the Berklee School of Music in Boston, his hometown. The crème de la crème of tenor saxophonists today were nurtured in his class: Joshua Redman, Branford Marsalis, Donny McCaslin, Mark Turner, Seamus Blake, Chris Cheek… George Garzone is the archetype of a musician for musicians! This royal quintet revels in six tailor-made occasions. A repertoire jointly chosen by the saxophonist and the bassist, featuring original compositions (“Ripty-Boom” by Debriano, “Mingus That I Knew” and “To Michael Brecker” by Garzone), two covers (“Just Ring the Bell” and Archie Shepp’s “U Jaama”), and a reinterpretation of a standard as the boppers used to do (“It Will Happen to You”). While the brilliance of the solos and accompaniment is consistently present, the two pieces by the saxophonist are particularly special.