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HARRY
ALLEN is one
of the most prolific and respected tenor sax players and arrangers on
the scene today. He has recorded over 70 albums as a leader and many
more as a sideman. He even produced three CDs from his home studio
during the pandemic lockdown. Part of his popularity is his
unparalleled versatility. He has performed with artists as diverse as
Rosemary Clooney and Tony Bennett to Sheryl Crow and James Taylor. He has recorded tributes to
Antonio Carlos Jobim, Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, Zoot Sims, Cole
Porter, Henry Mancini, and Count Basie. He has also worked with
well-known Brazilian artists like Duduka Da Fonseca and Dori Caymmi,
and he has enjoyed a long collaboration with guitarists Bucky and
John Pizzarelli. He also appeared in a cameo in “The Out of Towners,”
a film starring Steve Martin.
On
his newest release, WITH ROSES, Allen applies his
swinging, melodic sax to a program of ten original songs composed by ROGER
FRANKHAM with co-writers BRUCE BROWN, ROGER SCHORE
and MARK WINKLER.
Allen
has worked with Frankham on other recording projects and recorded
three of his songs on an album with pianist Mike Renzi. As the
arranger, Allen thought the music would be best served by two horn
sections, one featuring jazz horns comprising two trumpets, two tenor
saxes, and one trombone, while the other a classical horn section,
consisting of two flutes, two clarinets, and a bass clarinet. For
this project, Allen enlisted some of his friends, who just happen to
be some of the finest jazz musicians around.
The
jazz horn section includes JOHN ALLRED (trombone), FREDDIE
HENDRIX (trumpet), GRANT
STEWART (tenor
sax), and WARREN VACHE (trumpet). The classical horn section
consists of PETER ANDERSON (clarinet), WILL ANDERSON
(clarinet), DAN BLOCK (bass clarinet), STEVE KENYON
(flute), and KATHLEEN NESTER (flute). The rhythm section is BRYAN
CARTER and AARON KIMMEL (drums), JOHN Di MARTINO (piano), and MIKE KARN (bass).
Allen plays sax on eight of the tracks. Most tracks also feature
vocalist LUCY YEGHIAZARYAN, a New York City-based vocalist who
has been making a name for herself. Downbeat Magazine has
said, “Armenian-born Lucy Yeghiazaryan crafts melodies with an
exquisitely tempered, full-bodied voice tailor-made for illuminating
the great torch songs of a bygone era.” Yeghiazaryan’s vocals were
recorded live with the band with no overdubs.
Allen
believes that when arranging a great song, one should respect the
songwriter’s intention. He says, “When I’m working with a song, I
like to look at the sheet music, because you can see what the
composer was thinking. I may change some small things around, but I
try to stay true to the original.” His father was a big band drummer,
and he grew up listening to his vast record collection.
WITH
ROSES opens
with “It All Catches Up with You in the End,” a sassy, swinging
number composed by Bruce Brown and Frankham with lyrics by Brown, who
is a highly regarded pianist, singer, and songwriter. Brown’s songs
have been described as 'original standards' that reflect his love of
the Great American Songbook. The track features the jazz horn
section.
“Be
the One” is in 5/4 time, with music and lyrics by Frankham. It
features a bass clarinet solo by Block. “The Maestro” is a
straight-ahead swinger with an arrangement à la Neal Hefti and lyrics
by Bruce Brown. “Here in Rome,” with lyrics by Frankham, is a ballad
about lost love with lovely lyrics like “Here in Rome / Drifting
through these ruins as the light grows dim / And trying not to think
of him / As I walk alone / I know travel doesn't solve a thing / A
passport's not an answer / But these piazzas seem to gently whisper /
I could stay / Find another lover, one who won't let go.”
“That
Far Away Fella” has lyrics by Roger Schore, whose songs have been
recorded by many top jazz singers like Carol Sloane, Meredith
d'Ambrosio, Nancy Marano, Marlene VerPlanck, and Roseanna Vitro, to
name just a few. Allen’s arrangement is breezy with a gentle swing.
On “Diamonds,” Frankham tells a tale about a queen who is unhappy
with being a royal and sneaks away to lead a normal life. She is found
by the king who abdicates the throne to be with the woman he loves.
“That’s
When the Fun Starts” is an engaging instrumental bossa. The title
track, “With Roses,” features lyrics by Mark Winkler, the popular
singer-songwriter whose lyrics have been recorded over 250 times. The
song is a bittersweet, sentimental tune written as a waltz. Allen arranged “Takes a Moment,”
with lyrics by Frankham, as a bossa that sounds like it came out of
Rio in the 1960s. “On My Way,” with lyrics by Frankham and music by
Frankham and Winkler, has a jazzy Broadway feel.
Roger
Frankham’s compositions draw listeners in with their engaging
melodies and affable harmonies, while Harry Allen is a master of
imbuing a song with his own aesthetics yet hewing closely to the composer’s
spirit and intention. With enchanting vocals by Yeghiazaryan and the
superb band of A-List players, WITH ROSES is an
appealing showcase for these new songs.
# # #
WITH ROSES will
be released on June 30, 2023 on Triangle 7 and will be available everywhere.
Online:
Harryallenjazz.com
Facebook.com/harry.allen.5055233 |
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