• Those Were The Days

 Jerry Weldon: Those Were the Days

It's no longer certain what music cold be classified as "mainstream" jazz. One can argue that the genre (and all others, for that matter) have atomized to the point of each performance being considered a genre in itself (a desirable outcome to the music anarchists among us). That said, some type of classification remains useful in describing music, if for no other reason than to let a listener know that "this sounds a great deal like that." Which brings us to tenor saxophonist Jerry Weldon. Weldon presently serves featured soloist in Harry Connick, Jr.'s long serving big band, who presently provide tafelmusik for Connick's Harry weekday talk show on ABC. The present Those Were the Days is Weldon's debut on Cory Weeds' Cellar Live label. The saxophonist has released seven previous recordings.

The touchstone of Those Were the Days is economy. Everything about this recording smacks of a scrupulous efficiency borne of an extended tenure in a big band like Connick's. This begins with his judicious use of an organ trio format augmented with a percussionist not unlike that employed in the 1950s and '60s Blue Note organ blowing dates. Organist Kyle Koehler is a conservative sort, favoring understated organ stop positions and thoughtful solo excursions. His tone reveals the best of a sepia-tinged style that could have been heard introducing The Edge of Night. Koehler's contribution to this date cannot be understated and is splendidly emotive and orchestral. He is most present introducing the title cut, which closes the recording, framing Weldon's muscular and exacting tenor tone with a soft glow, propelled by the gentle loping rhythm of drummer Colby Inzer.

Weldon favors modern ballads like the full-throated "Strangers in the Night" and the Bacharach/David "Walk on By" played samba style in a breezy and laconic mode. Weldon's own "Sunny V," retaining a bit of samba itself, is bright and inventive. The saxophonist and organist reach a precise critical mass playing Jimmy Smith's "The Sermon," the only blowing blues on the set. Everything comes into relief focus on this tune with all instruments well synced and calibrated. This is an excellent penultimate piece to introduce the closing "Those Were the Days." This could definitely be called "mainstream" jazz, that brand of jazz immediately recognizable, durable and expressive, a joy to behold and listen to.

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 Jerry Weldon: "Aquellos eran los días

Ya no es seguro que la música fría sea clasificada como jazz "mainstream". Se puede argumentar que el género (y todos los demás, para el caso) se han atomizado hasta el punto de que cada interpretación se considera un género en sí mismo (un resultado deseable para los anarquistas de la música entre nosotros). Dicho esto, algún tipo de clasificación sigue siendo útil para describir la música, aunque sólo sea para que el oyente sepa que "esto se parece mucho a eso". Lo que nos lleva al saxofonista tenor Jerry Weldon. Weldon actualmente sirve como solista destacado en la big band de Harry Connick, Jr., quien actualmente provee tafelmusik para el programa de entrevistas Harry weekday de Connick en ABC. The present Those Were the Days es el debut de Weldon en el sello Cory Weeds Cellar Live. El saxofonista ha publicado siete grabaciones anteriores.

La piedra de toque de Those Were the Days es la economía. Todo en esta grabación huele a una escrupulosa eficiencia que se deriva de una larga permanencia en una gran banda como la de Connick. Esto comienza con su uso juicioso de un formato de trío de órgano aumentado con un percusionista no muy diferente al que se empleaba en los años cincuenta y sesenta, Blue Note. El organista Kyle Koehler es un tipo conservador, que favorece las posiciones de parada de órganos discretas y las excursiones en solitario reflexivas. Su tono revela lo mejor de un estilo sepia que podría haber sido escuchado introduciendo The Edge of Night. La contribución de Koehler a esta fecha no puede ser subestimada y es espléndidamente emotiva y orquestal. Está más presente introduciendo el corte del título, que cierra la grabación, enmarcando el tono muscular y exigente del tenor de Weldon con un suave resplandor, impulsado por el suave ritmo de loping del baterista Colby Inzer.

Weldon prefiere las baladas modernas como "Strangers in the Night" (Extraños en la noche) y "Walk on By" (Pasando de largo) de Bacharach/David, que tocaban el estilo de samba en un modo alegre y lacónico. La propia "Sunny V" de Weldon, que conserva un poco de samba en sí misma, es brillante e ingeniosa. El saxofonista y organista alcanza una masa crítica precisa tocando "The Sermon" de Jimmy Smith, el único blues que sopla en el set. Todo entra en relieve en esta melodía con todos los instrumentos bien sincronizados y calibrados. Esta es una excelente penúltima pieza para presentar el cierre "Those Were the Days". Esto podría llamarse definitivamente jazz "mainstream", esa marca de jazz inmediatamente reconocible, duradera y expresiva, una alegría para contemplar y escuchar.

https://www.allaboutjazz.com/those-were-the-days-jerry-weldon-cellar-live-review-by-c-michael-bailey.php

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Tracks:

1 - Love Won't Let Me (Vinnie Barrett-Bobby Eli)
2 - Strangers In The Night (Kaempfert-Singleton-Snyder)
3 - Sunny V (J.Weldon)
4 - Where Is Love (Lionel Bart)
5 - Rosetta (Earl Hines)
6 - Walk On By (Bacharach-David)
7 - This Is Always (Harry Warren-Mack Gordon)
8 - The Sermon (Jimmy Smith)
9 - Those Were The Days (Gene Raskin)


Credits:
Jerry Weldon - tenor saxophone
Kyle Koehler - Hammond B3 Organ
Colby Inzer - drums
Daniel Sadownick - percussion


Recorded at Trading 8s Recording Studios in Paramus,New Jersey on January 12,2018

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