Joe Lovano, I'M ALL FOR YOU: BALLAD SONGBOOK

[Joe]

First things first -- I am NOT a huge Joe Lovano fan, never really have been. I think he's a fine player and all, but his BN projects in particualr have not excited me terribly. With the exception of the Sinatra Songbook album, and maybe the Gunther Schuller collaboration...

Anyway, Blue Note slipped this one out with very little fanfare, as far as I can see. Is this contract filler. I sincerely hope not, becuase I'M ALL FOR YOU is easily one of Lovano's strongest records. Its nice to hear him relax a bit and really luxuriate in his tenor sax tone, which sounds wonderfully grainy, frothy and languid here. Coltrane is still the major presence in Lovano's playing, but that playing here in particular is steeped in the work of an earlier generation of instrumentalists, from Prez to Lockjaw Davis', whose tough-but-tender approach to this kind of material peeks around many of these preformance's corners ("I Waited For You", "Early Autumn", e.g.)

The rhythm section on a date like this is critical, and the one assembled here is about as blue-chip as it gets: Paul Motian, Geroge Mraz (mixed way low for those of you who don't care so much for his work), and Hank Jones. Fascinating generational cross-section of players when you think about it, but they work very, very well together. Just sample "Monk's Mood" for a glimpse of the unobtrusive delights to be heard throughout.

Certainly not dull, or snoozy as a La-Z-Boy and a class of cognac, but not whiz-bang pow either, this is a record that eases you into its complexities and, well, moments of romantic unease. Pretty soon and we'll be complaining about how they don't make 'em like this anymore.

(Special bonus: no FBI warning on the disc inlay card.)

Edited August 4, 2004 by Joe

[catesta]

I've only got a couple of Lovano cds, sounds as if I should add another.

[jazzbo]

Joe, I'm in 100% agreement with your entire post. Just finished listening to this one this morning. Great cd!

[ghost of miles]

I heard Lovano talking about this record on WGBH a few months before it came out, and he sounded genuinely enthusiastic, so maybe he sensed that he'd just come up with a good one. I like the Schuller collaboration and the QUARTETS double-CD, as well as the first trio CD w/Elvin, but had avoided the Sinatra songbook--and I like Sinatra. I think I was just burned out on "songbook" projects when that one happened to come out. Will give it a listen if I come across it. I've heard only a handful of selections from I'M ALL FOR YOU, but they certainly live up to Joe's praise for the CD.

[Joe]

Hank Jones is a source of perpetual amazement on this record. Pure and simple.

[ADR]

This disc just gets better and better the more I listen to it.

IMO this ranks up there with "From the Soul" and "Trio Fascination" among Lovano's best albums as a leader.

If you haven't heard it yet - get it.

ADR

[HWright]

Don't forget the earlier thread on this which I started:

http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php...wtopic=9735&hl=

[James]

Re. g.o.m.'s comment concerning Joe's enthusiastic tone during his radio interview:

During a local jazzfest many years ago I approached Joe as he was listening to Sonny Simmons, smiling and leaning against a building. I initially gave no clue that I knew who he was --- he initiated conversation with positive comments about Sonny's playing. Only after identifying myself as a fan of *his*, and asking him what he was up to did he start talking with excitement about a new project he was involved in with Gunther. I told him that I'd be eagerly awaiting the disc's arrival at the jazz station I was involved with at the time. After hearing it, I told my fellow dj's that the recording would win record-of-the-year -- which it did.

I'm enjoying his new release as well ---- the remark re. "luxuriating in the sound" of the tenor is on the mark, IMO.

[Alfred]

This disc just gets better and better the more I listen to it.

IMO this ranks up there with "From the Soul" and "Trio Fascination" among Lovano's best albums as a leader. 

If you haven't heard it yet - get it.

ADR

Yupp, ... with an addition. I also like both Vanguard Live dates: "On This Day...At The Vanguard" & "Live at the Village Vanguard" (2CD).

[JohnS]

I was going to give this one a miss as the last two or three Lovano's didn't do a lot for me. But after hearing a broadcast of them live (Dennis Mackrel for Motian) I'm going to have to get if only for Hank Jones' elegant contributions.

[jazzbo]

Good move. This time through last night, urged on by Joe's comment about Hank Jones, I concentrated on Jones' playing.

The man has such a distilled style now, that is sort of the concentrated essence of support and lyricism. Amazing!

[jazzbo]

By the way. . . I've been sort of ignoring Motian on this one. . . he seems to be just the tiniest bit out of synch with everyone else, as if he's just a bit rushed while the others are laying back. . . . I sort of wish another drummer had been given the call, but he's not hurting it much and he's easy enough to just not concentrate on.

[DrJ]

Lovano is hot and cold for me - there are times where he should have had a slam dunk (the 52nd STREET THEMES album for example) where things end up sounding somehow uninspired and cold. Having heard that same group (essentially) live in NYC, I can tell you that it sounded better then, but even at that there was some magic missing.

But he has also made a couple of really fantastic records, especially the regal FROM THE SOUL - which just keeps sounding better and better as the years pass - and the masterly RUSH HOUR. Always have enjoyed the Vanguard live 2CD set also, nothing quite as fine as the other two but excellent, gritty playing.

Sounds like this is another Lovano date I'll have to check out!

Edited August 9, 2004 by DrJ

[jazzbo]

I think you'll dig it Tony, I feel pretty much the same way about Lovano, though I have to say that I WANT to like his music a lot (especially after meeting him briefly here in Austin, he's one very nice and warm person to meet!), I don't often really get excited about his recordings.

This one is just special, AND I think that you will revel in the sound on your new system (it's the type of recording that really serves the music; sound is excellent).

Edited August 9, 2004 by jazzbo

[JohnS]

By the way. . . I've been sort of ignoring Motian on this one. . . he seems to be just the tiniest bit out of synch with everyone else, as if he's just a bit rushed while the others are laying back. . . . I sort of wish another drummer had been given the call, but he's not hurting it much and he's easy enough to just not concentrate on.

I've not heard this one yet but Motian is as much a decorator as driver. He seems to have his own sense of time.

Edited August 10, 2004 by JohnS

[jazzbo]

Yes, I know he fits better elsewhere. I'm wondering why Joe had him here to be honest; a dozen other drummers would have seemed a better fit to me, but . . .

[DrJ]

Having said that, I find Motian and Lovano made a fantastic team on Tom Harrell's PASSAGES (Chesky) album. It may be personal taste though, I really dig Motian in almost any setting.

This brings up another aspect of what is for me the enigma of Lovano - he so often sounds better on other people's recordings (another great case in point is his work on Don Grolnick's Blue Notes, whoa nelly!).

I agree with you about him seeming to be a hell of a nice guy - that really came through loud and clear in seeing him at Birdland (and overhearing some conversations between him and some friends outside the club). I'm pulling for him every time out...again, looking forward to checking this one out for sure, sounds like one of his winners.

[John Tapscott]

This brings up another aspect of what is for me the enigma of Lovano - he so often sounds better on other people's recordings (another great case in point is his work on Don Grolnick's Blue Notes, whoa nelly!).

Lovano sounds great live, as well. Several years ago, I heard him in concert with a trio - Dennis Irwin and Willie Jones 111. Joe played nothing but tenor for two hours and he was incredibly HOT! Without question, it was one of the greatest live jazz performances I've ever attended. And the jazz-loving freind I attended with felt the same way. I had listened to all of Joe's Blue Notes in the weeks leading up to the concert, but they didn't prepare me for the impact of seeing him live.

Sometimes (and this may happen to Lovano), musicians get so caught up in "concept" recordings that it distracts somewhat from what they do best, which is Lovano's case is stand in there and improvise brilliantly and powerfully at length.

I also agree that Joe is a very warm, enthusiastic, and friendly personality. This came through after the concert. I asked him to sign my Rush Hour Cd insert, and when my marker wouldn't work on the shiny paper, HE began searching for another pen. I finally got the autograph, thanks to his efforts. He also mentioned how he remembered playing the same venue nearly 25 years earlier with Woody Herman. No doubt, Joe Lovano is a real credit to jazz and to the music scene in general.

[Joe G]

I saw him in a quartet a few years ago. Irwin, Yuron Israel, and Kenny Werner. I'm with you John; it was one of the best performances I've seen. Seeing Joe with Scofield's quartet in '92 was fun, too.

[Alon Marcus]

First things first -- I am NOT a huge Joe Lovano fan, never really have been. I think he's a fine player and all, but his BN projects in particualr have not excited me terribly. With the exception of the Sinatra Songbook album, and maybe the Gunther Schuller collaboration...

Anyway, Blue Note slipped this one out with very little fanfare, as far as I can see. Is this contract filler. I sincerely hope not, becuase I'M ALL FOR YOU is easily one of Lovano's strongest records. Its nice to hear him relax a bit and really luxuriate in his tenor sax tone, which sounds wonderfully grainy, frothy and languid here. Coltrane is still the major presence in Lovano's playing, but that playing here in particular is steeped in the work of an earlier generation of instrumentalists, from Prez to Lockjaw Davis', whose tough-but-tender approach to this kind of material peeks around many of these preformance's corners ("I Waited For You", "Early Autumn", e.g.)

The rhythm section on a date like this is critical, and the one assembled here is about as blue-chip as it gets: Paul Motian, Geroge Mraz (mixed way low for those of you who don't care so much for his work), and Hank Jones. Fascinating generational cross-section of players when you think about it, but they work very, very well together. Just sample "Monk's Mood" for a glimpse of the unobtrusive delights to be heard throughout.

Certainly not dull, or snoozy as a La-Z-Boy and a class of cognac, but not whiz-bang pow either, this is a record that eases you into its complexities and, well, moments of romantic unease. Pretty soon and we'll be complaining about how they don't make 'em like this anymore.

(Special bonus: no FBI warning on the disc inlay card.)

Coltrane is still the major presence in Lovano's playing

I must disagree with that statement - the only thing common to both of them is their thorough knowledge of the instrument and technical versatility. There is a great diffrence in approach:Lovano's God is Logic and Trane's - Intuition.

About the album

I have Joe's Sinatra and Scolohofo albums and like his playing there very much, but ballads ?...

I have bad memories from Stanley Turrentine, Archie Shepp and Mark Whitfield ballad disks. They all serve nicely as collections of songs but can't make a listen of more than 2 songs in a row.

Lovano is much more succesfull (or maybe I should relisten to the previous discs) and not boring at all.

[danasgoodstuff]

Could be Lovano used Motion on this project as payback for Motion using him on all those trio Standards albums Motion did a decade back (which are lovely)?

[ghost of miles]

According to the new Downbeat, the I'M ALL FOR YOU lineup is going to record a sequel.

[skeith]

I just picked this one up and I have to say: How could I have been so stupid not to get this one earlier? (Don't answer that Chris A.)

This is a killer cd.

(I guess I had just got burned out on all of those Celebrating - you fill in the blank cds.)

Highly recommended!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[47 West 63rd N.Y.C.]

Thanks for the recommendation. I'm off to get a copy.

About a month ago, I saw Joe on a TV show called "Jazz Pads" on the BET jazz network.

The show visits musicians on their home turf and takes a personal look at their lives.

Joe came across as a friendly, warm, unpretentious guy.

[John Tapscott]

I just picked this one up and I have to say:  How could I have been so stupid not to get this one earlier?  (Don't answer that Chris A.)

This is a killer cd.

(I guess I had just got burned out on all of those Celebrating - you fill in the blank cds.)

Highly recommended!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for bringing this up again. I meant to order it last fall but it slipped off my radar screen in the flood of new RVG's, Mosaics, etc. So I just ordered it and I'm really looking forward to hearing it . Not only do I dig Joe, but Hank Jones is THE MAN when it comes to this kind of date. There is nobody and I mean NOBODY better.