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Schapiro 17: New Shoes: Kind of Blue at 60
ByOf course, the five movements in the original album aren't overlooked, simply reshaped by Schapiro to accommodate his superb seventeen-member ensemble, not in pursuit of the unlikely goal of improving upon the memorable performance of Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans and their colleagues but instead saluting their historic endeavor while refreshing and amplifying it for a new generation of listeners. To that end, the five longest tracks on New Shoes are those on the seminal Kind of Blue: "So What," "Blue in Green," "All Blues," "Flamenco Sketches" and "Freddie Freeloader." The end result is an anthology that not only lends added color to the original but in some cases (dare it be said?) swings even harder.
Disc 1 opens (naturally) with Schapiro's prefatory "Boiled Funk," whose shifting tempos accommodate agile solos by tenor saxophonist Paul Carlon and trombonist Deborah Weisz. "Foiled Bunk," which follows, is a showcase for Piket's inquisitive solo piano and leads to a burnished, angled version of "So What," with Alex Jeun shining on trombone and Rob Wilkerson faring likewise on soprano sax. Piket's tasteful piano introduces the meditative "Dark of Night," on which Wilkerson, again on soprano, spreads his intuitive wings, before CD 1 closes with "Blue in Green," a horn-driven anthem whose genial midsection features tenor Rob Middleton. Disc 2 opens on a fiery note as trumpeter Andy Gravish's blistering solo enlivens "Worth Your While." The swinging continues apace on "All Blues," an up-tempo spree enclosing ardent solos by tenor Carlon, trombonist Alex Jeun and trumpeter Eddie Allen and zealous work by the ensemble. Alto Candace DeBartolo is exceptionally keen and resourceful on the fast-moving "Old Feet, New Shoes," while guitarist Sebastian Noelle is loose and eloquent on the easygoing "Flamenco Sketches."
Piket makes a charming reappearance on "A Smile," soloing with her usual insight and assurance. Schapiro's lustrous arrangement of "Freddie Freeloader," the last of the five songs reprised from Kind of Blue, calls to mind the great Henry Mancini whose jazz works were invariably hip and engaging. Its shifting tempos are subdued by a number of able soloists including Piket, Gravish, Harris, Carlon, bassist Evan Gregor and baritone Matt Hong. Speaking of swing, the square-shouldered finale, "Boiled Funk: Theme" has that in abundance, pressing implacably onward (alongside brief echoes of Jimmy Forrest's "Night Train") behind crisp solos by Piket, Middleton, Carlon, Gravish and trombonist Nick Grinder. Before closing, praise must be accorded to Jon Wikan for his sharp and tasteful drumming and to Gregor for his exemplary timekeeping, each an indispensable component of the album's success, as are Schapiro's bright and impressive charts. And even though Schapiro's warmhearted homage to Kind of Blue was completed some sixty years after the fact, it would surely have warranted an appreciative bow and earnest tip of the hat from the maestros who did it first.
Track Listing
CD 1 Boiled Funk; Foiled Bunk; So What; Boiled Funk 2: Dark of Night; Blue in Green. CD 2 Boiled Funk 3: Worth Your While; All Blues; Boiled Funk 4: Old Feet, New Shoes; Flamenco Sketches; Boiled Funk 5: A Smile; Freddie Freeloader; Boiled Funk / Theme.
Personnel
Jon Schapiro
composer / conductorBryan Davis
pianoAndy Gravish
trumpetEddie Allen
trumpetNoyes Bartholomew
trumpetRob Wilkerson
saxophone, altoBen Kono
saxophoneCandace DeBartolo
saxophone, altoPaul Carlon
saxophone, tenorRob Middleton
saxophone, tenorMatt Hong
saxophone, baritoneDeborah Weisz
tromboneAlex Jeun
tromboneNick Grinder
tromboneWalter Harris
tromboneRoberta Piket
pianoSebastian Noelle
guitarEvan Gregor
bass, acousticJon Wikan
drumsAlbum information
Title: New Shoes: Kind of Blue at 60 | Year Released: 2020 | Record Label: Summit Records
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About Jon Schapiro
Instrument: Composer / conductor
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