Stan Getz VOYAGE


A long time Getz fan, this one slipped under my radar until a couple of days ago when I found a vinyl copy at a street sale. One of the greatest jazz records I have heard in quite some time, I can't recommend it highly enough. Getz is in top form, and exceptionally poetic in his playing. He proves once again that saxophone playing can be hip and contemporary, while still sounding velvety, and not as if the horn is about to split at the seams. The rhythm section is superb in every respect. Victor Lewis on drums, George Mraz on bass, are outstanding. But it is pianist Kenny Barron who steals the show on this session. Check out his incredible solo on the opening cut "Wanted to Say"; it is a model of logic and thematic development while swinging his a** off.

This 1986, Blackhawk release is sonically terrific. Producer Herb Wong was obviously inspired by the feeling of the music in the choices he made. The sound is detailed enough, but velvety with a rich bottom end, and no hint of shrillness. Not "audiophile grade" hyper-detailing here, but extremely listenable. After a recent disappointing rash of very noisy used record purchases, my copy of this pressing is very quiet, and consistent. There are three copies of this lp on ebay as I write, including one with an "Excellent" grading. Check this one out, you won't be disappointed.

Enjoy.
frogman
Thanks for the kind words. Nope don't have that one and now it is on my list to acquire. Just going through a 4CD set that just came in Shelly Manne and his Men - Live At The Blackhawk 1959. Killer jazz in a live club setting. Use to have all of this in vinyl 5 albums, that hurricanes of a few years ago got to, along with a few others. But the CD transfer is quite good. Apologise to be a wee bit off topic to Stan Getz, but this is great jazz as well.
Indeed, one of my all time favorite from Getz. Picked up a sealed vinyl copy from a local record store. Voyage, truly appropriate the music transports you!
Great music! I like Getz, and I play Cafe Montmartre all the time.........MELLO. I do not have this one.....thanks, and I'll check it out soon.

Dave
There are so many beautiful moments on this record. One of the moments that just kills me, and which is a testament to the excellence of this rhythm section, happens in the first six measures of Barron's solo in "I Thought About You". If you are ever asked by someone: "what is jazz?", play this cut for them, and point out what happens in those first six measures. It is a perfect example of intuitive, improvisatory interplay by two great musicians. It is the essence of jazz.

On that cut, Getz solos with his usual brilliance. He is followed by Barron. Listen to how Mraz does much more than just outline the chord changes; he is having a conversation with Barron. Barron plays a motif going into the fifth measure, and Mraz answers. Then, in the sixth measure, the magic happens. The two are so keyed into each other's playing that the interplay leads to a statement in perfect unison. This is not scripted nor preplanned, it is spontaneous. Great stuff.
I am at work, and I just received my copy of Voyage from Amazon. I want to leave work so I can go home and listen to it, but I'll just have to wait until tonight...