Artist: Benjamin Herman feat. Daniel von Piekartz
Album: Trouble
Genre: Post-Bop, Contemporary Jazz
Label: Dox Records
Released: 2014
Quality: FLAC (tracks+.cue)
Tracklist:
- A Slow Hot Wind (Gimbel-Mancini) - 4:26
- Smoke Dreams of You (Waller) - 3:11
- Blue Velvet (Wayne-Morris) - 4:11
- You Got Me On So Bad (Cale) - 3:57
- Curacao (Tjader) - 6:05
- Wishful Thinkin' (Stone) - 3:27
- Trouble (McLean-Connick) - 4:09
- Love Theme from Spartacus (North) - 3:44
- Lilac Wine (Shelton) - 6:33
- You Must Believe in Spring (Legrand) - 7:26
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- Personnel:
- Benjamin Herman - alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone
- Daniel von Piekartz - vocals, piano, Mellotron, Vox Super Continental, Hohner Clavinet, Juno 60
- Miguel Rodriguez - piano (#5,10)
- Ernst Glerum - double bass
- Joost Patocka - drums
The Herman group plays in a relaxed, laid back manner, rarely venturing beyond a cosy medium tempo. The version of the old pop song Blue Velvet heard here is full of evocative sounds and gently applied rhythms. Von Piekartz sings it in a high, almost falsetto style, adding to the sense of mystery. The band dig into the blues on You Got Me On So Bad with leader Herman preaching on alto and getting down and dirty as his solo progresses. Von Piekartz adds a smoky vocal and this proves to be one of the most effective tracks on the disc.
Cal Tjader’s Curacao is quite intense with the leader breaking out into the more contemporary realms of alto sax soloing. His expressive solo inspires pianist Rodriguez to produce a flashing, driving segment with bass and drums fully engaged now and pushing hard behind him. From a purely jazz point of view Curacao is about the best selection here.
The overall theme seems to have been quiet, dreamy or mysterious music with tracks like Slow Hot Wind, Blue Velvet and Lilac Wine all mixed up in a strange but sometimes highly effective package. Some good jazz solos emerge from time to time from what is essentially a mood music album, suitable for relaxed, late night listening. Von Piekartz has an unusual, very high voice which fits in well with the offbeat style of this CD.
Review by Derek Ansell