Mark Winkler & David Benoit Old Friends

Mark Winkler & David Benoit
Old Friends
Cafe Pacific Records

"Old Friends" brings together vocalist (and lyricist) Winkler with keyboardist David Benoit for a set of straight-forward jazz vocals. Benoit is likely the best known of the two as a producer as well as performer. Winkler has had a productive recording career as well. On six of the thirteen tunes on this album, the two are joined by bassist Gabe Davis, drummer Clayton Cameron, and guitarist Pat Kelley. Cellist Stefanie Fife appears on three tunes, and percussionist Kevin Winard is on one.

There is an eloquence to the program here with Benoit's accompaniment and Winkler's nuanced phrasing, clear diction, and delightful conversational approach. The selections with the rhythm trio add additional variety to this mix of standards and originals. Bob Dorough's effervescent "I've Got Just About Everything" is the first selection with a lively backing, including Cameron's adept use of brushes and Kelley's nimble guitar. Then there is a duet rendition of Dave Frishberg's "Sweet Kentucky Ham" with Benoit's exquisite accompaniment of Winkler's delivery about a lazy city where the sidewalks close up early. Pat Kelley's guitar opens an endearing interpretation of "The Shadow of Your Smile." Another duet is a thoughtful rendition of Mancini-Bricusse penned "Two For the Road."

The cello of Stefanie Fife joins Benoit in a thoughtful performance of Paul Simon's "Old Friends/Bookends." She also adds instrumental color to Randy Newman's "I Think It's Going To Rain Today." Winkler gives an appropriate moody treatment to "When This Love Affair is Over." Benoit is heard on the organ as well as piano, while Kelley adds some incisive guitar commentary. There is clarity in the manner Winkler sings, which brings the words of the songs to the listener. This is also evident in the original that he and Benoit collaborated on, such as "In a Quiet Place (Kei's Song)" and "Dragonfly," a beautiful song of hope for love. Then there is a Benoit melody to which lyrics were added, "Thirty Years (Only Sunshine Days)," which is dedicated to the memory of jazz journalist Christopher Louden.

The closing track is "Some Other Time," one of the songs from the Leonard Bernstein's "On the Town." It is a nostalgic song about the parting of someone close, and Winkler's heartfelt singing gives the lyrics their proper weight, with Benoit graceful playing. Benoit and Winkler have been friends for some 37 years, and the marvelous vocal performances on "Old Friends" display a musical closeness to match their personal friendship.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is "I Think It's Going To Rain Today."

Kenny Burrell Plays Special Requests

Recorded live at Catalina's in Hollywood, Special Requests (And Other Favorites) on HighNote Records is the latest album by NEA JazzMaster Kenny Burrell. Its an auspicious career that started in 1951 with Dizzy Gillespie and has resulted in 108 records and CDs as stated by Bubba Jackson in the liner notes. On this release, he certainly shows no signs of slowing down in the least. It combines favorites and some audience requests (hence the title) and on this, Burrell is supported by a group that includes Justo Almario on tenor saxophone and flute; Tom Rainier on piano, Tony Dumas on bass and Clayton Cameron on drums. It is a wonderful group that swings effortlessly. Almario specifically will certainly grab one's attention with his very robust saxophone and lyrical flute, and Rainier has a clean and fluid style.

Burrell throughout is terrific. His clean, deft and precise playing is laced with melodic invention and wonderful tone that matches well with his band from his opening notes on Benny Golson's Killer Joe (and Almario's tenor makes its first impression here" to his fresh reworking of his classic Chitlins Con Carne. There are his interpretations of Duke Ellington from the familiar In a Sentimental Mood, to the lesser known Sunset and the Mockingbird (from The Queen's Suite) along with an amiable vocal from Burrell on The Feeling of Jazz. There is the lovely rendition of Freddie Hubbard's Little Sunflower, with lovely flute from Almario, and Burrell plays his acoustic guitar on The Summer Knows. 

Other songs are standards like Make Someone Happy and Bye Bye Blackbird, as well as J.J. Johnson's Lament. Listening to Burrell's spoken comments at the end of this CD, where he talks about the late show, one might hope more from this night at Catalina’s by may be forthcoming.

I received my review copy from HighNote. Here is a video of Kenny in performance with Stevie Wonder as a surprise guest at Catalina's in 2011, a year before Special Requests was recorded.