CD, стоящие на полке рядом : Jazz (Saxophone - Bop)      

Veteran saxophonist David "Fathead" Newman shows off his versatility on this pleasing soul-jazz date. He plays tenor on four selections and flute on two others, and switches to soprano and alto for one song apiece. Whether swinging on alto during the cooking blues "Little Sonny's Tune," interpreting "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying" with a great deal of emotion, or sounding soulful on some newer material, Newman is in excellent form throughout the set. Vibraphonist Bryan Carrott (who deserves to be much better known) and pianist John Hicks also have plenty of fine solos. Overall, this CD finds Fathead in prime form, and it is easily recommended to fans of his straight-ahead dates.

— Scott Yanow (www.allmusic.com)

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Conjure up a picture of David Newman and the sketch one gets is of a man of modest, affable demeanor and easy wit, always impeccably dressed, accented by distinctive salt & pepper hair and mustache. He's a man whose comportment and attitude, thoroughly lacking in pretense, belies his immense level of talent and experience. Encountering his recordings, your ears are met by distinctly soulful, brawny saxophone and flute prowess, armed with a keen sense of the blues and a relaxed kind of knowingness stemming from many years as section member, sideman, leader and recording artist. At this point/after 70 years of life, the man long known as "Fathead" has reached that level of instrumental relaxation that comes with mastering his axes, and David Newman's artistry is poised to reap the benefits of longevity in the jazz trenches.

But jazz isn't all Fathead is about, not by a long shot. His brand of jazz is leavened with experiences on bandstands ranging broadly from touring with Lowell Fulson and T-Bone Walker, to youthful encounters with southwest legends King Curtis and Ornette Coleman, kind of a yin and yang of the rich Texas saxophone tradition of which Newman is a charter member. Newman's most extensive road humping came during many years with soul master Ray Charles. We have Brother Ray to thank for introducing us to David Newman, courtesy of the 1959 Atlantic album of the same name. The Atlantic years were musically opulent times in the career of David Newman as he was afforded opportunities to play dates with artists ranging from Aretha Franklin to Nikki Giovanni. Since 1980, with a few respites, he has recorded extensively for the former Muse now HighNote labels.

Newman's latest HighNote expression is a delicious menu of eight tasty morsels prepared by a skillful team of chefs named John Hicks, Bryan Carrott, Winard Harper, and Buster Williams, company in which head chef David takes great delight. "Its an excellent rhythm section and it just happens that all of them, with the exception of Bryan Carrott who plays with me on a regular basis, record for the HighNote and Savant labels," Fathead enthuses. "I thought this was a perfect rhythm section." And indeed they are perfect for the nourishing pallet Newman serves up here, which includes blues, ballads, and straight up & down swingers, delivered on no less than four of his axes: tenor, alto, and soprano saxophones and flute.

Quizzed on the theme of this recording, our unassuming leader says "The main thing is originality. I'm trying to do as many original tunes as possible and also strive for a bit of variety; I'm trying to reach different audiences. Some people like straight ahead jazz, other people like jazz that has a bluesy or rhythm and bluesy feel." Of the eight tracks, Newman splits the writing chores between one track from band regular Bryan Carrott, one lesser known tribute tune, and two from Brother Ray's bag. The opener finds Fathead and company wasting no time getting down to bluesy business right from the jump. David opens on flute, an instrument on which he has developed a richly expressive, borderline haunting tone that is immediately recognizable. John Hicks' relaxed intro sets the tone, and the theme strongly suggests the Basie anthem "Everyday I Have The Blues." "The title comes from the talent that I've been given, a blessing from God, so I thought of it like "The Gift."

The two odes to the Charles years are "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying," which elicits an especially gorgeous tenor sax ballad treatment, and the classic 'Unchain My Heart'. "I played them both with Ray and I was on the original recordings of both. I soloed on 'Unchain My Heart,' which was recorded during Ray's Atlantic years." "Off The Hook" is a play on one of today's hip slang phrases. "It has some feeling going back all the way to the Dexter Gordon days to the present, along with some of my ideas." The quintet really swings as a unit here; dig Buster Williams walkin' that dog, and Winard Harper's supple drumming. "The title is the expression that the youngsters use these days for something that's awesome." Bryan Carrott, a vibist who has distinguished himself in settings ranging from Vanguard bop to Knitting Factory cutting edge, displays a real rapport with the leader. It shows in his shadings and accompaniment of Newman throughout the date. He also contributes "Unspeakable Times." "I asked Bryan to contribute one of his compositions because he has recorded and played with me many times and I wanted to include something original of his. The feeling is perfect for what I wanted because it injects a bit of variety. It's a subtle feeling, but it's a contemporary form within itself." Carrott's tune enlists Newman's lush soprano sax.

For "Little Sonny's Tune" Newman switches to his original voice, the alto sax, for a hard swinging recall of his childhood. You can almost hear David's mom calling down the street for Little Sonny to come home for dinner. "Little Sonny" was my nickname growing up, and Sonny Stitt was one of my influences, along with Bird. I've always wanted to have something for the alto because I don't get much chance to play the alto and its my first instrument." "Lady Day", a medium lament for Billie which David takes on tenor, "was written by Leroy Johnson, who was from the Wilmington, Delaware area. Marcus Belgrave," one of Fathead's Ray Charles bandmates, "introduced me to this tune." The closer, 'Ksue', is a play on David's lovely wife Karen's name. "Her real name is Sue, so its like Karen Sue-or "Ksue." It reflects her because it's a peppy tune, it reminds me of her because she gets around pretty fast and she has an outgoing personality so I thought that was reflective of her."

The aptly titled The Gift's a package loaded with positive reflections, a near biographical summation of where David "Fathead" Newman has been and where he's going. The road ahead appears smooth and full of blue notes as Newman ponders the senior season of his musical odyssey.

- Willard Jenkins