Ed Polcer, right, deserted his cornet to join John Cocuzzi on vibes.

Continued: Atlanta Jazz

Allan Vaché and Jim Galloway reminded us how good the Goodman Sextet format still sounded. With Cocuzzi's vibes, Varro's piano, Tate's bass and Ascione's drumming, this was one smooth outfit, easing into Gershwin, Cole Porter, Walter Donaldson and Sigmund Romberg. Ed Polcer, always the consummate organizer/leader fielded a seven-piece unit that boasted Barrett, Fischer, Shane, Pizzarelli, Giordano and Metz. Served up were such musical delights as "Breezin' Along With The Breeze" and "I Double Dare You" with Polcer's dynamic horn in the forefront. "Ida" showcased Giordano's booming bass sax along with his winsome vocal. Nice! Pizzarelli was out front with "Nuages," a Django Reinhardt favorite. Polcer's set ended with a bang and a crash as drummer Ed Metz Jr. stood out on the closer, the aptly named "Swing That Music." Banu Gibson felt right at home with Heitger, Havens and Levinson, all of whom have played in her New Orleans Hot Jazz unit at one time or another. Ditto for Pizzarelli, who has appeared and recorded with Gibson. Her Friday session was decked out with some superb versions of familiar tunes such as "Dinah," "Memphis In June" and "Embraceable You" with Haven's slick tromboning contributing to the Gershwin evergreen.

Saturday's brunch found pianist Mark Shane hosting a frontline of Schulz, Barrett and Fischer and a backline of himself with Munisteri, Giordano and Metz. In deference to the morning hour, the septet played a ballad medley that featured each horn man with rhythm in a series of comfortably familiar tunes. Barrett's mellow "I Surrender, Dear" and Fischer's lilting "I'm Confessin'" made breakfast taste all the better. John Cocuzzi's brunch set followed, with Vaché and Levinson backing the the leader's exciting vibes, Varro's tasty piano, Tate's solid bass and Ascione's virtuoso drumming. The settings varied from quartet to sextet and were very appealing.

Saturday afternoon's swinging sounds started with Nicki Parrott's nonet, getting things underway with a loping "Moten Swing," followed by Parrott's inspired vocal on the seldom heard "I Love The Way You're Breaking My Heart" and creamy trombone by slidemeister Dan Barrett. Allan Vaché rendered a blistering "It's All Right With Me," and a vocal duet on "Making Whoopee" by Parrott and Bob Schulz was a hoot, as was Parrott's take on "Evil Gal Blues" with instrumental comments from Fischer's tenor saxophone, Heitger's blazing trumpet and Vach&eacute's stratospheric clarinet. It was a tough act to follow, but Banu Gibson managed nicely with obscurities such as "Find Me a Primitive Man," "Shine On Harvest Moon" "Zing Went the Strings Of My Heart" and more familiar tunes with instrumental interludes galore.

Tom Fischer's set presented Heitger, Barrett, Galloway and the leader in front of Shane, Munisteri, Giordano and Siers. Harold Arlen's "As Long As I Live" was elivened by the octet along with the hoary "Nobody's Sweetheart" with Heitger and Barrett sharing solo honors. Fischer and Galloway tore into a seething "China Boy" and the entire crew revived "Shine." Johnny Varro's quintet with Vaché, Cocuzzi, Tate and Metz suggested more memories of Benny Goodman with "Seven Come Eleven" and a barn-burning "Avalon." By way of contrast was Varro's lovely approach to Johnny Mandel's "Emily" and a graceful "Linger Awhile." Dan Levinson's late afternoon set found John Cocuzzi at the piano charging into "California, Here I Come" (a not-so-veiled reference to the leader's West Coast nuptials?). A highlight of the set was Bucky Pizzarelli joining forces with Parrott, Siers and Cocuzzi for his penultimate version of "Honeysuckle Rose."

June 2008 issue | © 2008 The Mississippi Rag

P.O. Box 19068, Minneapolis, MN 55419.