Stan Getz Reflections CD

Though in 1963 some purists considered Reflections to be certain evidence that Stan Getz had sold out and abandoned "real jazz" completely, the album is actually, while perhaps not a masterpiece, an artful and intriguing sidebar to the tenor saxophonist's now celebrated bossa nova period. Getz was always a sublimely smooth and lyrical player who had already recorded in an orchestral setting on the groundbreaking Focus, and had a number one pop hit with Jazz Samba. It was only natural, then, that he would want to combine the two concepts. Although Reflections does at times bear the slight stench of easy listening (sweeping strings, a Lawrence Welk-like vocal chorus), it's definitely not elevator music. Getz is in as fine form as ever, and the restrictive pop-based song structures challenge him to use his creative faculties in interesting ways. It's a true master musician who can make Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind" swing without descending into schmaltzy Trini Lopez territory or losing any of the tune's original melancholic urgency. There are a few tracks, of course, where Getz jumps back into a more straight-ahead and cool jazz bag. The Lalo Schifrin tune "Nitetime Street" features an appropriately bluesy and brooding guitar solo from Kenny Burrell, and Getz's take on "Love" is a wild Latin romp that matches the vitality of anything on his Gilberto/Jobim collaborations. A highly underrated and oft-ignored album, Reflections should be re-evaluated and viewed not as an acceptance of crass commercialism, but as a daring and brilliant artist's attempt to find pure music by blurring the boundaries between jazz and pop. ~ Pemberton Roach

Recorded at A&R Recording, New York, New York in October 1963.

Personnel: Stan Getz (tenor saxophone); Allen Hanlon, Willard Suyker, Kenny Burrell (guitar); Harry Glickman, Lewis Eley, Julius Held, Ralph Hollander, Leo Kruzuczek, Sidney Edwards, Morris Stonzek, Louis Haber, Raoul Poliakin, Paul Gershman, Harry Lookofsky (violin); Charles McCracken, Harvey Shapiro (cello); Ernie Royal, Irwin "Marky" Markowitz (trumpet); James Buffington (French horn); Urbie Green (trombone); Don Butterfield (tuba); Hank Jones (piano); George Devens (vibraphone, percussion); Jack Jennings, Mel Lewis, Candido Camero (drums, percussion); Osie Johnson (percussion).

Liner Note Author: Jack Maher.

Recording information: New York, NY (10/21/1963-10/28/1963).

Photographer: Jack Birnett.

Arrangers: Claus Ogerman; Lalo Schifrin.

Personnel includes: Stan Getz (tenor saxophone); Claus Ogerman, Lalo Schifrin (arranger, conductor); George Devens (vibraphone, percussion); Hank Jones (piano); Kenny Burrell (guitar); George Duvivier, Bob Bushnell (bass); Candido Camero, Jack Jennings, Osie Johnson, Mel Lewis (drums, percussion)

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