EDDIE BERT SEXTET:THE HUMAN FACTOR
(FRESH SOUND RECORDS FSR 5005 CD)
John Kirby* · Tropical Scandal* · Wilmington Wiggle* · Good Queen Bess· Something Else· At Playland* · Atlas Peak* · Chloe · Le Corbeau De Chavignol* · Sweetie* · Ellington/ Strayhorn Medley (*compositions by Ed Bonoff Jr.) Eddie Bert (trombone), Jerry Dodgion (alto sax), Carmen Leggio
‘This is acoustic music, no electronics or overdubs, and everyone is telling his story. . .’ so writes Eddie Bert, with justifiable pride, I reckon, in his sleeve notes to this reissue. which had been recorded in New York on 17 November 1987. And yes, it is just pure music unsullied by any outside 'enhancements' such as artificial echo, double tracking and the like. What you hear is just what happened in the studio, the direct transfer of thought and deed to tape, and what a genuine musical experience it is, too: the group is so relaxed, so patently unhurried, spaces abounding in both arrangements and solos. Then the trombone/two-saxophone front line possesses a balance which is absolutely perfect-phrasing, weight, tone, gentle swing all well in place, and the insistent pulsing of the fine rhythm trio is hypnotic in its insistence, and its thoughtful economy. Eddie Bert's trombone treads the perfect path along the routes of sweet logic and melodic roundness, effortless in delivery, splendidly inspired in content. The same may be said for the saxmen--Jerry Dodgion and Carmen Leggio--reflecting the benign influence of a real leader.
I have to remark on the performance of the Johnny Hodges piece, Good Queen Bess-an inch-perfect polish in both the written and improvised passages during this favourite sequence is brilliant, reflective, positive and effortlessly swinging. I reckon that this particular version nudges very close-in veracity and direction-to the original Hodges version: a different sound, for sure, but the self-same neatness and authority. Seven of the tracks (marked *) are compositions by New York arranger and composer Ed Bonoff Jr., all wee gems of compositional flair and controlled dramatics, in style perfectly in tune with the thoughtful policies operating for this ultra-neat, finely tasteful group... this band of widely experienced perfonners has delivered close on one hour of delightful, totally ageless music. Yes,with accent on the 'ageless' aspect indeed-this variety of effortless, spacious music will be around forever and a day. It's great that this reissue has happened along.