Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Walt Weiskopf: The Way You Say It
Walt Weiskopf: The Way You Say It
ByIn part, the boisterous, give-and-take between four outgoing personalities makes the difference between a decent record and an exceptional one. The acoustic and electrically enabled instruments fit together comfortably, and the presence of the organ and vibes makes for some alluring textures. Throughout The Way You Say It the leader's tenor saxophone is as formidable as ever, yet he doesn't tower over the others or dominate the proceedings. "Coffee and Scones" contains five riveting blues choruses, and "Invisible Sun" exemplifies his penchant for shifts in velocity and changes in direction without any loss of cohesion. The bandmates aren't quite as expansive or far ranging as Weiskopf, yet they're not any less interesting, particularly on "Blues Combination" (Charette) and "Envisioned" (Gillece). With nary a misdirected stroke, Fidyk knows when to kick (check out the whiplash snare accents during portions of "Blues Combination" and "Envisioned") and when to lay back.
Weiskopf's compositions combine familiar and new perspectives. Some of the templates are recognizable from a substantial body of work; nonetheless the lines sound fresh and vital. (Two of his nine works on the record, "Separation" and "Invisible Sun," were written in the late twentieth century.) An excellent example of Weiskopf's up-tempo efforts, the slippery, effusive "Blues Combination" seems to move in a couple of directions at once, all the while maintaining a semblance of order. Just try and savor one phrase before it races by and leads to anotherand another. "Manny Boy" evinces a jaunty, celebratory air that is enhanced by a handful of brisk, twisting phrases. Taken at a relaxed pace, the title track is pensive, relatively spare, and heartfelt. A diverse trio of covers, "Candy" (inspired by Ray Charles' version), "Scarlet Woman" (originally recorded by Weather Report) and Charlie Parker's iconic "Segment," don't sound out of place amidst Weiskopf's originals.
Weiskopf is the rare artist whose mid-career efforts eclipse the considerable triumphs of his earlier years. The Way You Say It is a confident, brilliantly executed account of his current perspectives as a player, leader and musical thinker. I'm looking forward to the next chapter of Weiskopf's evolution.
Track Listing
Coffee and Scones; Separation; Inntoene; Dreamlining; Blues Combination; Candy; Envisioned; Invisible Sun; Manny Boy; Scarlet Woman; Segment; The Way You Say It.
Personnel
Walt Weiskopf
saxophoneWalt Weiskopf: tenor saxophone; Brian Charette: organ; Behn Gillece: vibraphone; Steve Fidyk: drums.
Album information
Title: The Way You Say It | Year Released: 2016 | Record Label: Posi-Tone Records
Comments
About Walt Weiskopf
Instrument: Saxophone
Related Articles | Concerts | Albums | Photos | Similar To