Stefano Battaglia Trio Things Ain't What They Used to be

Nick Brignola - Things Ain't What They Used To Be: Last Set At Sweet Basil (1992) {Reservoir Music RSRCD174 rel 2003}
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© 1992, 2003 Reservoir Music | RSR CD 174
Jazz / Post Bop / Hard Bop / Saxophone

Baritone saxophonist Nick Brignola, who was influenced by Pepper Adams, had a flurry of activity late in his career, recording for several labels, particularly Reservoir. This disc was recorded during a live set in 1992 at Sweet Basil, featuring the leader with pianist Mike Holober, bassist Rich Syracuse and drummer Dick Berk. The musicians were clearly relaxed and having a ball, stretching out playing favorites like the loping "Things Ain't What They Used to Be," a brisk samba treatment of the normally languid ballad "You Go to My Head" and an extended workout of Dave Brubeck's "In Your Own Sweet Way." But Brignola throws his audience a curve by switching to alto sax, clarinet and even soprano sax for individual features.

McCoy Tyner - Things Ain't What They Used To Be (1990) {Blue Note CDP 7935982 rec 1989}
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© 1990 Blue Note / Capitol-EMI | CDP 7 93598 2
Jazz / Post Bop / Modal Jazz / Piano

For this Blue Note project, pianist McCoy Tyner is heard solo on eight numbers and also has two duets with tenor-saxophonist George Adams and three with guitarist John Scofield; Tyner dominates throughout. A standards-oriented set (there are only four songs by the leader including "Blues On The Corner" and the near-standard "Song For My Lady") but the pianist makes every melody sound like a fresh original through his distinctive chord voicings and harmonies. This is a strong effort by one of the best.

An amalgamation of two previous albums, the material here is predominately contemporary pop. Ella puts her Midas touch on compositions by Randy Newman, Bacharach/David, Harry Nilsson, and Lennon/McCartney, as well as some typical easy listening standards like "Black Coffee," "Things Ain't What They Used to Be," "Days of Wine and Roses," and "Manteca." Highlights are three Smokey Robinson compositions: "Get Ready" (where Richard Aplanalp's baritone sax replicates Melvin Franklin's bass part heard on the original by the Temptations), "The Hunter Gets Captured By the Game," and "Ooo Baby Baby." A rendition of Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" doesn't work as well, but she nails Eddie Floyd's "Knock on Wood" like a journeyman carpenter - proving, as she does on all 22 selections, that a classy voice like hers can sing anything and sing it very well.