Kenny Shanker - Beautiful Things

Kenny Shanker
Beautiful Things
Wise Cat Records

Kenny Shanker is a saxophonist, pianist, vocalist, and award-winning composer from Pleasanton, California. He started playing piano when two and has developed into an impressive talent. Shanker has performed with the New World Symphony, Richard Bona, David Benoit, Shelly Berg, Lage Lund, Taylor Eigsti, Bill Mobley, the Nelson Riddle Orchestra, and many others. Now residing in New York, he has performed at Carnegie Hall, Birdland, Dizzy's Club, Smoke, Smalls, Fat Cat, Jazz at Kitano, and other locations.

"Beautiful Things" is his fourth album, second for Wise Cat Records. On this session, he played alto saxophone and backed by a rhythm section of Daisuke Abe - Guitar, Mike Eckroth - Piano, Yoshi Waki - Bass, and Brian Fishler - Drums. Bill Mobley plays trumpet on three of the twelve selections. Shanker wrote 5 of the twelve tunes, with the other seven being standards.

The opening "Cool Mint" has the feel of a sixties Brill Building hit with a memorable melody before Shanker's fruity solo followed by thoughtful solos by Eckroth and Abe. It is followed by the hard bop "Prestissimo" with a breakneck tempo that evokes "Giant Steps." Taken at an almost frantic tempo, Shaker, trumpeter Mobley, and pianist Eckroth navigate the changes impressively. On Rogers & Hart's "It Never Entered My Mind," it sounds like synthesized strings added to a ballad performance where he exhibits a beguiling tone. Abe takes an alluring acoustic solo here. It is followed by the bouncy "Mirth," with a solo that suggests Sonny Fortune and other Coltrane-influenced alto saxophonists. Mobley adds some mid-range heat on his trumpet on this selection.

Eckroth opens the swinging interpretation of Oscar Peterson's "L'impossible," with Shanker exhibiting fluidity along with his melodic tone over the entire range of the alto sax. Abe's guitar chords help set out the walking tempo for Shanker's lyrical playing on "Without a Song." A charming rendition of "I'm Old Fashioned," where Abe takes solos crisply and cleanly. "Like Someone In Love," an alluring duet with Waki on bass, is another choice track.

Thelonious Monk's "In Walked Bud" opens as a duet between Shanker and drummer Fischler. Eckroth and Waki join the performance halfway through. Eckroth also solos before Fischler does, with Shanker riding the performance out over Fischler. Shanker's title composition closes the recording in a beautiful manner (pun intended). Kenny Shanker plays thoughtfully, displays a beautiful tone and fluid technique, and is backed by a splendid band on an outstanding recording.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is a promotional video for this recording.