Lew Chuvok

While pianist-arranger-composer Toshiko Akiyoshi headed a fine big band in New York after moving cross-country in 1982, the orchestra that she led in Los Angeles in the 1970s was arguably her greatest accomplishment. The three-CD Mosaic Select set Toshiko Akiyoshi-Lew Tabackin Big Band collects all of the music originally released on the RCA albums Kogun, Long Yellow Road, Tales of a Courtesan, Insights, and March of the Tadpoles. With such major players as Akiyoshi’s husband Lew Tabackin on tenor and flute, trumpeters Bobby Shew and Don Rader, trombonist Britt Woodman and altoist Gary Foster among the many soloists in the all-star band, the orchestra could swing as hard as any of its competitors. In addition to the more boppish pieces, Akiyoshi often wrote works that displayed her Japanese heritage, utilizing Eastern harmonies and instruments along with her husband’s flute. Many of the highpoints of her career are on this perfectly conceived Mosaic release.

The great tenor saxophonist and flutist Lew Tabackin is joined by pianist Hank Jones, bassist Dave Holland, and drummer Victor Lewis on this well-rounded program. The Concord CD has many highlights, including "Hot House," Duke Ellington's "Serenade to Sweden," Tabackin's "A Bit Byas'd," and "You Leave Me Breathless"; the leader's tenor in particular is in top form. Highly recommended to fans of straight-ahead jazz, this release gives one a strong sampling of Lew Tabackin's talents.

A sharp departure from 1999's acclaimed With a Song in My Heart, which featured Soloff in a rare straight-ahead jazz setting. This outing, in contrast, features no fewer than four songs from the classic rock canon: Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Susie Q" and "Born on the Bayou," Jimi Hendrix's "Up from the Skies," and – no kidding – Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven." One almost wonders why they left out Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Freebird." In all seriousness, Soloff and crew have a lot of fun with these, especially the Hendrix tune, which was a staple of the Gil Evans Orchestra's repertoire when Soloff was a principal member. Even the supermarket-ready reading of "Stairway to Heaven" has its rewards – Lou Marini playing the opening countermelody on a real flute instead of a Mellotron, for instance.

Lew Tabackin - What A Little Moonlight Can Do (1994) {Concord Jazz CCD-4617}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 341 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 136 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 8 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1994 Concord Jazz | CCD-4617
Jazz / Post Bop / Hard Bop / Saxophone / Flute

The deep, smooth tenor sax tones of Ben Webster and Coleman Hawkins are clearly the models that Lew Tabackin patterns his playing after on this album featuring his quartet. The sax giants' influence can clearly be seen on "What a Little Moonlight Can Do," on which Tabackin plays above the melody, concluding with Webster's patented fluttering, whispering tone. Tabackin's playing throughout this session, irrespective of the tempo, is contemplative, exploring every nook and cranny, every nuance, every subtlety of the tune.