CD Review: Graham Dechter "Takin It There"

Graham Dechter

John Clayton, Graham Dechter, Tamir Hendelman and Jeff Hamilton

Listen up all my Jazz guitar fans!  New guitar sensation, Graham Dechter is in the house with his first lead album, "Takin' It There" and the sounds on it are just out of sight. Graham is in his early 20's but you would never know it from the great riffs and sweet sounds he gets out of his guitar. And if Graham's fresh sounds and arrangements are not enough for you, he comes prepared with sensational piano player Tamir Hendelman who is joined by two of my all-time living Jazz greats, John Clayton on bass and Jeff Hamilton on Drums. I have been in love with the music of Clayton and Hamilton ever since they teamed up with Diana Krall on perhaps her best Jazz album of all times, "Diana Krall, Live In Paris".  What comes to mind when listening to Graham and this group is fresh arrangements that are crisp and clean. This group of musicians could possibly be the best Jazz group playing today.

All four of these great musicians had a hand in the arrangements and Graham wrote two of the songs on the CD.  John Clayton also wrote "Grease for Graham" for the CD. If you know someone who loves great Jazz whether young or old, get them this CD. It is a high-end University course for anyone who wants to know the best of Jazz that being made today.

Graham Dechter and his group are touring around but mostly on the West Coast.  Check out Graham's site for his schedule.  This group is worth any effort to get to hear them in person. Congratulations, Graham for recording such a wonderful album and for bringing Tamir Hendelman, John Clayton and Jeff Hamilton to the party! I have attached a "YouTube" clip of Graham playing "Takin' It There" from his album of the same name.

                                           

The Top 10 CD's That Need To Be On Every Jazz Lovers' Bucket List

If you were limited to listening to only 10 CDs in the next 10 years, have you ever given any thought to what CDs you would put on the list?  I have, and I would like to share my picks with you.  I have listed below in no particular order the top 10 picks that would be on my bucket list.

1.  Dave Brubeck: "Time Out"1959. This CD is intriguing in that it introduces us to complex rhythms that never get old. This was the first instrumental Jazz album to sell over a million copies and was personally responsible for taking me over the bridge from popular music to real jazz. This album also introduced the world to the soft sax tones and phrasing of Paul Desmond.  Listening to this album today, 50 years after it was recorded, it still sound new, fresh and musically unique.

2.  Carol King: "Tapestry" 1971. How can anyone not like this CD with Carol singing all her great songs.   This CD while especially important to the women's movement in the 1970's also had a big impact on a lot of men. The test of time confirms that this CD belongs on this list. You still hear songs from this album being played on radio stations everyday.

3.  Diana Krall: "Live In Paris" 2002. Personally I think that this CD is sensational.  Diana plays jazz piano and sings as good as anyone I have ever heard.  This CD was recorded live in Paris, and you can feel the high emotions from the audience responding to the great singing and playing. I don't think I have ever heard a better CD. What more can I say?

4. Ella Fitzgerald, "Live In Berlin". If there is only one album from Ella you could have, this is the one you need to get.  This recording was released again on 01/05/2011 so you can find it on iTunes, and I believe it sells for $9.00.  Ella kills on this album with classic Ella recordings of "Mack The Knife", How High The Moon", Too Darn Hot and "Gone With The Wind". She also covers "Misty", "The Man I Love", "The Lady Is A Tramp", "Summertime" and "Lorelei".  Simply great singing from Ella at her best!

 5. Andre Previn With Joe Pass & Ray Brown: "After Hours" 1989.  The story of this CD is very interesting.  Andre Previn was asked if he wanted to do a CD with Joe Pass & Ray Brown, and he jumped at the chance. The only date that they are all in the same place is on a day when Previn is conducting a major orchestra so he arranges to meet Joe Pass and Ray Brown at a recording studio after his classical concert.  They all met around 11:00 pm at the studio with no music, no agenda, no charts, just ideas of certain songs that would work for the three of them. Previn picked a song and a key and off they go cutting all 11 tracks that first night finishing about 4:00 am that morning.  The result is the "After Hours" CD and it's a beauty! My favorites on this CD are "There Will Never Be Another You", "All The Things You Are", "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" and "Laura".

6. Paul Desmond & Gerry Mulligan: "Two Of A Mind"1962. This album was released in 1962 but is still as fresh today as it was back then.  The sound of Desmond's Alto Sax playing with Mulligan's Baritone sax is still fresh and alive to this day.  My favorites on this CD are "All The Things You Are", "Stardust" and "The Way You Look Tonight". 

7. Arturo Sandoval: "Americana"1999.  A classic CD containing wonderful trumpet playing and two of my all-time favorite songs, "Isn't She Lovely" the Stevie Wonder great song and "She's Out of My Life" the fabulous Michael Jackson gem. 

8. "Cannonball Adderley And Strings, Jump For Joy" 1995. While known mostly for terrific Be-Bop jazz classics, Adderley exhibits his deep understanding of ballads on this CD backed by a full string orchestra. It's just great, and my personal favorites are "I Cover The Waterfront", Polka Dots and Moonbeams", "A Foggy Day" and "Two Sleepy People". 

9. "Oscar Peterson Plays The Cole Porter Songbook" Re-released 2011. It's nearly impossible to pick just one Oscar Peterson album out of the hundreds he recorded but Oscar playing the great songs of Cole Porter is hard to beat.  This album spotlights Oscar Peterson at his very best playing "Night and Day",  It's All Right With Me", "Love For Sale"  and 9 other Cole Porter gems.  

10. Dave Koz: "At The Movies" 2007.  This is a lush and elegant CD where Dave Koz gets to express his feelings for some of the greatest movie themes ever written.  Every song on this CD is outstanding.  Dave also brings along some high-power guests for support including trumpeter Chris Botti, vocalists Johnny Mathis, Barry Manilow and Donna Summers.  My favorite cuts are "Over The Rainbow",  "As Time Goes By" and The Shadow Of Your Smile".

This is my personal top 10 list and I would love to hear from you about your personal list or maybe a CD or two that can't live without. 

Brian Nova At The Wonderful Cafe des Beaux-Arts

Last Wednesday March 16, went to Cafe des Beaux-Arts to have dinner and enjoy the music of Brian Nova. If you like live music, and you talk to any of the great jazz musicians in the Desert, you are sure to hear Brian's name mentioned.  I certainly have but I had only heard Brian playing in groups with his stand up bass.  I knew from the few solos that Brian played that he was a talent I needed to know more about. 

Before I get to Brian, I have to mention a few comments about Cafe des Beaux-Arts. For anyone who has not dined at Beaux-Arts, you are really missing one of the best restaurants in the desert. It is one of my favorites and just not for dinner. It is one of the best restaurants in Palm Desert. It is right in the heart of the best shopping street in the Desert, El Paseo.  In addition to lunch and dinner, Beaux-Arts also serves an excellent breakfast. A great way to enjoy your morning coffee and read the morning newspaper. Didler Bloch is the proprietor of Beaux-Arts and he has been at the restaurant each time we visited.  This no doubt explains why Beaux-Arts is one of the best-run restaurants in the country. Be sure to say hello to Didler next time you visit.  Didler is a true renaissance man with a love for music, art, theatre and of course great French cuisine. 

Almost as soon as I heard Brian play Guitar, there was no doubt that he mastered this instrument. Brian played a few great classic jazz numbers, and I was very impressed with his finger dexterity and ability to compose some very original improvisations. Brian must have the fastest fingers in the West. But the quality that impressed me the most was Brian's ability to not only play notes fast but with great clarity, separation and composition.  In talking with Brian at one of his breaks, I learned that he has studied with two music icons that top everyone's list of great jazz guitarists, Herb Ellis and Joe Pass. Understand that no one gets to study with this caliber of musicians unless they see very unusual talent in the student.

Brian told me he spends the winters in the Desert and then tours the world the rest of the year. So there you have it, another example of why the Desert is the best place on earth during the winter for live music played by superb musicians.  But Brian's talent does end with guitar and stand up bass, he is an excellent singer with a soft, warm voice that is perfect for great songs from the "Great American Songbook".  I had a wonderful couple of hours dining and listening to Brian playing guitar and sing and my only regret is that the night had to end.   I will be back to hear more from Brian and I strongly urge anyone of my readers here in the Desert, to get to Beaux-Arts on Wednesday nights to enjoy Brian's great sounds from along with the outstanding food and service. 

Of course, in the tradition of the desert, a few guests dinning at Beaux-Arts came up to perform with Brian and as usual they were all very good. I think I have their names correct, Missoni Lanza, Erich Stratmann and Jim Salestrom. If I didn't and they read this blog, please send me any corrections and I will post them. 

Lastly, the great Vancouver flautist, Tom Keenlyside made an appearance and performed several songs with Brian. As always, Tom was just brilliant. Tom has been sitting in with most of the best jazz players in the Desert this season, and I would love to see Tom performing with his own group.  He is such a great talent who has performed with Dizzy Gillespie, Natalie Cole, Harry Connick, Mel Torme, Peggy Lee, Diana Krall and David Foster just to name a few.  Tom moved here last winter and is a great gift to all of us who love great live music.

Brian & Tom Keenlyside

Brian & Missoni Lanza

Brian & Jim Salestrom