Jolley,David:Horn/Oui:Piano

Wilder CD discography. Walt Weiskopf's discography for the Criss Cross label has displayed a substantive and well-rounded discipline on the tenor saxophone with many larger ensembles. While peers Donny McCaslin, Chris Potter, Eric Alexander, and Harry Allen have gone into the respective routes of improvised neo-bop, progressive fusion, soul-jazz, and swing, Weiskopf mines the deep well of post-Sonny Rollins/John Coltrane mainstream modern jazz. He's also more composer than interpreter, as evidenced by the original material on this recording, and he also revisits the smaller format of sax with rhythm section, something he hadn't done in nearly 20 years. Weiskopf loves to scale hard bop mountain heights on his horn without any abrasion or slippage, as on the modal title track. Also notable is that he does not overuse technique, preferring to evoke the essential spirit of Coltrane on a hip modal "Hook Me Up" or the bossa nova-flavored "Equality," which echoes Trane's "Equinox." There's no real emphasis on rock 'em, sock 'em bebop, but instead an unforced swing and lighter tone. He does venture a bit into pop-jazz with a cover of the Chris Montez Top 40 hit "Call Me" and a bubbling version of "Make Someone Happy." With a piano-bass-drums trio led by Peter Zak on the 88s, Weiskopf has just enough energy to drive these tunes comfortably in mid-gear ratios. It's another sterling example of why he's always one of the more enjoyable tenor players on the current scene -- solid, unspectacular, logical, and very substantive. ~ Michael G. Nastos See The Pyramid marks only the third occasion in Walt Weiskopf's eleven-album relationship with Criss Cross (it began with the 1992 date Simplicity (CRC 1075) on which the tenor saxophonist-composer presents his musical vision in the quartet format. As h Liner Note Author: Ted Panken. Recording information: Systems Two Recording Studios, Brooklyn, NY (02/01/2010). Photographer: Gildas Boclé. Personnel: Walt Weiskopf (tenor saxophone); Peter Zak (piano); Quincy Davis (drums). Audio Mixer: Max Bolleman.

Track Listing of songs: Whispering Sands; Wheel Of Fortune; Gravy Waltz; All My Trials; Kaulana O Hilo Hanakahi; La Montana; Lillie's Waltz; Wagon Wheels; More; Quando Calienta El Sol; Blue Velvet; Petticoat Junction;

Recorded in New York, New York in 1960. Personnel: Gloria Lynne (vocals); Herman Foster (piano); Earl May (bass); Grassella Oliphant (drums).

Recording information: ACA Digital Recording, Atlanta (06/13/2010-06/14/2010).

Track Listing of songs: DISC 1; Pieta, Signore; Ave Maria, D.839; Serse; Ave Maria; ; Requiem; Adeste Fideles; Ave Maria; Ave Verum Corpus, KV 618; Petite Masse Solennelle; Agnus Dei; Panis Angelicus; Granada; Vaghissima Sembianza; Ti Voglio Tante Bene; Mon Ciel, c'est Toi; Il Canto Della Rinuncia; I Love Thee; Because; Carretiere; Tu Lo Sai; Pourquoi Fermer Ton Coeur?; DISC 2; Mammina Mia; Te Quiero; Core 'ngrato; Senza Nisciuno; Adda Turna; 'O Paese d' 'o Sole; Pecche?; Fenesta Che Lucive; Piscatore 'e Pusilleco; Tu, Ca nun chiagne!!; I' te Vurria Vasa; Tora a Surriento; Dicitencello Vuje; Gaupparia; Silenzio Cantatore; ...

Track Listing of songs: Kindergarten Flower Pageant; She'll Be Seven In May; It's Silk-Feel It; Air For Saxophone; Jack, This Is My Husband; Dance Man Buys A Farm; Seldom The Sun; Andante For String Quartet; Scherzo For String Quartet; Untitled Octet No.27; ...

Track Listing of songs: Never Will I Marry; I'm Getting Sentimental Over You; Take the "a" Train; Catherine; Trouble Is a Man; You Are My Sunshine; Salute To Glenn Miller; That Old Black Magic; King Porter Stomp; You Are the Sunshine of ...