Kenny Wheeler & John Taylor - Where Do We Go From Here? (2004)

On 14th January 2005, Kenny Wheeler turns 75, and the title of this duo album on Italy's CamJazz label very likely sums up his attitude to the landmark day. The Toronto-born trumpeter, flugelhorn player and composer has been quietly but progressively inventive all his life (the British jazz scene has been the main beneficiary, since his move here in 1952), and that hasn't changed since he entered his 70s. As with Chet Baker later in life, slight hesitancies of pitching and intonation now seem only to add deeper timbres of humanity to Wheeler's voice, which can be remote at times. The music here, however, is anything but distant, with Wheeler's improvising on 10 songs (mostly originals) full of glancing ambiguities and softly startling turns. Pianist John Taylor is dazzling all the way through, without disrupting the fragile romanticism of his composing partner's muse. 

Wheeler balances idiosyncratic melodic journeys with shrewdly placed accents and his trademark falsetto squeal on the only imported piece (Summer Night), with Taylor first patrolling supportively around him, then launching into a solo flood of time-changes, percussive sounds, classical rhapsodies and ambiguous chords. Taylor's plangent Au Contraire and the dignified dance of Canter exemplify this session's mix of improvisational inventiveness and harmonic audacity. The title track is a lost-and-found exercise, the irresolute steps of its opening becoming firmer as the theme unfolds, and Taylor's steadily pulsing Dance deploys colourful trumpet overdubs. Ostensibly low-key and twilit music, but a quiet turmoil of invention beneath. ~ by John Forsham, TheGuardian.com. 

C.A.M. Jazz, CAMJ 7764-2, 2004
Recorded 17th-19th February, 2004 at Artesuono Studio, Cavalicco, Udine, Italy 

Musicians:
Kenny Wheeler - Trumpet, Flügelhorn
John Taylor - Piano 

Tracks:
01. Summer Night {Al Dubin, Harry Warren} (6:21)
02. For Tracy {Kenny Wheeler} (5:04)
03. Mabel {Kenny Wheeler} (5:01)
04. Au Contraire {Kenny Wheeler} (4:31)
05. Canter N. 1 {Kenny Wheeler} (5:25)
06. Squiggles {Kenny Wheeler} (5:57)
07. One Two Three {Kenny Wheeler} (6:45)
08. Where Do We Go From Here? {Kenny Wheeler} (5:12)
09. Dance {Kenny Wheeler} (3:38)
10. Fordor {Kenny Wheeler} (6:20) 

Total Time: 54:14

Credits:
Producer - Ermanno Basso
Recording, Mixing & Mastering Engineer - Stefano Amerio
Management Contractor - Andrea Marini
Photos - Luca D'Agostino
Graphics - Studio Grafite
Sleeve Notes - Ian Carr 

Trumpeter Kenny Wheeler and pianist John Taylor have worked together in many settings through the years. Their duet set features lyrical explorations of nine originals and Harry Warren's "Summer Night." Wheeler and Taylor often echo each other's thoughts and, although much of the music is melancholy and ballad-oriented, it never gets sleepy or overly predictable. The two musicians operate as equals and consistently uncover quiet beauty in these pieces. This outing is well worth exploring by those who are patient and listen closely. ~ by Scott Yanow, AMG.