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On 'Jazz at the Bistro' pianist Benny Green and guitarist Russell Malone prove that less is more - much more. This is just a two vehicle Jazz album only Green and Malone on stage easily proving their artistic worth. The true Jazzers will always argue that Jazz is best live when virtuosity and chemistry hopefully take charge - it's a bit more challenging as a duo. Malone say's "as a guitarist, perhaps one of the most challenging musical contexts is playing duo with a pianist. Without a bassist or drummer to lean on, you find out just how (or how bad) your time is. Your totally exposed." With this album recorded live at Jazz At The Bistro in St. Louis the tone gets set quick from the opening track Thelonious Monk's 'Ask Me Now' a confident and competent cover that does more than merely stir the pot. Jazz is full of great musicians who play the experimental card to excess just to reinvent something. A lot of Jazz is built on this premise but consequently some of this stuff ends up sounding like well meaning noise to most people. That's why I like this album newcomers will find enough juicy morsel and the Jazz cats will appreciate the many brilliant improvised solos. Recorded in June of 2002 well before Maurice Gibb passed on Malone and Green pay tribute to the Gibb brothers via 'How Deep Is Your Love' a deeply moving but unexpected turn for a Jazz album but rest assure there are no weak links on this one. This album is a big gain in maturity for two boys who already play like elders. Green basically grew up at Berkeley beginning classical studies at age seven and Malone started his career playing with Diana Krall, Harry Connick Jr. and recorded the Jazz with strings Treasure 'Heartstrings' in 2001. The bottom line is Jazz for the masses should still be played with bracing intensity but be just pretty enough to have a commercial spark - 'Jazz at the Bistro' does both. - by John Beaudin |
