Phil Markowitz

Though Bob Mintzer normally works in the big band tradition, the tenor saxophonist does the occasional small combo session as well. In the Moment is one of those rare sets, recorded in one December 2004 session with the rhythm section of pianist Phil Markowitz, bassist Jay Anderson and drummer John Riley. A completely straightforward mainstream jazz set in the post-bop tradition, In the Moment mostly consists of originals (the highlight of which is Markowitz's lovely ballad "Forgiveness"), with a respectful take on the ballad standard "Time After Time" and a playful, swinging version of Eddie Harris' soul-jazz hit "Listen Here" thrown in for variety.

Chet Baker’s 1978 European tour with pianist Phil Markowitz, bassist Scott Lee, and drummer Jeff Brillinger produced several recordings of varying quality. Live at Nick’s is considered a classic, whereas Two a Day, recorded only one month later, is less consistently rewarding. The tapes on which Oh You Crazy Moon is based were recorded live in Stuttgart within the same few weeks as the Two a Day concerts, and are certainly worth hearing, if not quite essential.

Chet Baker's personalized style was well served later in his life, and as his days in Europe were more conducive to his personal lifestyle, it also gave his music a chamber-like quality while maintaining modern mainstream values. Broken Wing is a combination of the two aspects of Baker's understated romanticism, the deep-seeded pain through his drug abuse and the humanity that lies underneath the rough-hewn surface of his tattered heart. ~ AllMusic

Chet Baker - The Sesjun Radio Shows (2010) {2CD Set, Beeld En Geluid PRCD2010091 rec 1976-1985}
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© 1976-85, 2010 Beeld En Geluid / T2 Entertainment | PRCD 2010091
Jazz / Cool / West Coast Jazz / Trumpet

Chet Baker was often not at his best in later years, taking nearly every live gig or recording date regardless of whether he was physically and mentally up to it (due to his longtime drug habit) or the musicians were truly compatible. Happily, Baker is in top form during these live broadcasts from the Sesjun radio shows (which aired from 1973 to 2004) in The Netherlands. The first four songs feature Baker with his regular pianist Harold Danko, bassist Cameron Brown, and flutist Jacques Pelzer. The breezy rendition of "There Will Never Be Another You" comes across effortlessly, with fine solos all around and the leader offering a strong vocal and intricate trumpet in the ensembles.

There's a 20-plus-year span between electric guitarist Hahn's Brotherhood recordings and this CD. In between he's gone from hippie to tweed suit while establishing the jazz guitar studies program at Wichita State University, taking residence in Portland and Denver, and doing this date in NYC with all-stars bassist Steve LaSpina, drummer Jeff Hirshfield, either pianists Phil Markowitz or Art Lande, and soprano saxophonist David Liebeman for two selections. Hahn's influence on Pat Metheny, John Scofield, John Abercrombie, Mike Stern, and Bill Frisell is clear. He uses a little delay, echo, and reverb, just enough to enhance his improvisations, and when he's technically concentrating, he can easily be coarsely sparse and sharply staccato, elongated from a chordal standpoint, a bit twangy, and consistently tasteful…

Chet Baker - Live at Nick's (1978) {Criss Cross Jazz, Criss 1027CD rel 1989}
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© 1978, 1989 Criss Cross Jazz | Criss 1027 CD
Jazz / Cool / West Coast Jazz / Trumpet

Recorded for Dutch radio, this is one of Chet Baker best live recordings. Live At Nick's is a very fine set, extermely well modulated, one of mere handful of albums from the last two decades of Chet's career that have to be considered essential.

Yellowjackets reedman Bob Mintzer, best-known outside that group for his big band recordings, steps out in a more straight-ahead jazz direction with Quality Time. Several of the tracks have a feel similar to the Yellowjackets acoustic work, while "All Is Quiet" sounds like a Coltrane ballad from the mid-'60s. On eight of the album's ten tracks, Mintzer's supporting cast includes pianist Phil Markowitz, bassman Jay Anderson and drummer Peter Erskine. The remaining two cuts are probably outtakes from recent Yellowjackets' recording sessions, with Mintzer playing bass clarinet beside Russell Ferrante's clavinet on the group-written "Emit A1," and the quartet showing its acoustic chops on "Family."

For this recording by Bob Mintzer's big band, the tenor saxophonist and his 17-piece ensemble perform ten numbers with an Afro-Cuban beat provided by percussionist Louis Bauzo. Although Mintzer's group does not really have its own distinctive musical personality, it is full of talented players. Best-known among the sidemen are tenor saxophonist Bob Malach, altoist Pete Yellin, trumpeter Mike Mossman, trombonist Dave Taylor and pianist Phil Markowitz.