Sam Newsome - The Tender Side Of Sammy Straighthorn (2000)

Picking up the soprano saxophone these days as your sole instrument can be a dangerous proposition. For one thing, the straight clarinet-like horn is notorious for going out of tune if your embouchure is not up to par. Secondly, a whole generation of Kenny G clones has left some fans thinking that the instrument is only capable of insipid and saccharine results. Venerable enough to make the soprano the focus of an entire album, Sam Newsome's The Tender Side of Sammy Straighthorn is only the second album to appear under the saxophonist's name since the start of his New York tenure in 1988. With a fondness for the soprano stylings of both Wayne Shorter and Steve Lacy, Newsome's influences can be detected in 'Victoria's Secret,' which features the saxophonist's hard biting attack in a manner that recalls Shorter's '80s work on such albums as Atlantis. Not a one-trick pony however, Newsome's fluid approach to '12 Bars From Hell' (done with just bass and drums) clearly points to Lacy.

The addition of Elisabeth Kontomanou on several cuts provides further variety, her wordless vocals acting like another solo horn. The melancholy feeling to much of the writing that features Kontomanou hints at the influence of Kenny Wheeler, who often utilizes the voice of Norma Winstone in a similar manner. Pianist Bruce Barth is also a valuable member of the crew, his complex and soulful improvisations almost stealing the show at times.

As a vehicle for allowing the soprano to restore its rightful place among the rest of the saxophone family, Newsome should be congratulated on his efforts. Furthermore, his attempt to extend the hard bop tradition beyond the established boundaries has resulted an intriguing album that will reward those looking for something just a bit left of center. ~ by C Andrew Hovan, AAJ.

SteepleChase Records, SCCD 31452, 2000

Recorded April, 1998

Musicians:

Sam Newsome - Soprano Saxophone

Bruce Barth - Piano

Ugonna Okegwo - Bass

Matt Wilson - Drums

Elisabeth Kontomanou - Vocals

Tracks:

1. Victoria's Secret {Sam Newsome} (7:46)

2. The Tender Side Of Sammy Straighthorn {Sam Newsome} (7:37)

3. Autumn Leaves {Joseph Kosma, Jacques Prévert, Johnny Mercer} (6:46)

4. 12 Bars From Hell {Sam Newsome} (6:46)

5. Lullaby Of Takeda {Traditional} (9:34)

6. The Dumpess Of Nyack {Sam Newsome} (8:10)

7. All The Things You Are {Jerome Kern} (15:45)

Credits:

Producer - Nils Winther

Engineer - Devin Emke

Photography - Fernando Natalichi

Liner Notes - Mark Gardner

Total Time: 62:24

Elisabeth Kontomanou - Embrace (1999)

This is Kontomanou’s debut album, released in 1999 but to most quarters, something which was almost entirely missed on the radar screen. The kind of vocal expression Elizabeth is engaged in does not fit the popular vogue of female jazz vocalists. However, the program here shows both elements of musical substance and extramusical content in equal measure. The aesthetic persuasion that motivates her- the epic romanticism that impelled the most powerful, immediate Jazz on the 60s, is currently seen as outmoded. Put simply most listeners have a hard time reconciling the fact a vocalist does not wish to deal with popular song forms and instead wants to wrestle with an idiom that has been largely defined by instrumental giants in the league of Coltrane and Sanders etc., Elizabeth Kontomanou, like Flora Purim, is most committed to using her voice as an acoustic instrument in the ideal sense through the great raw potential which lays in wordless vocals. Here she surrounds herself with master soloists like Sam Newsome and J.D. Allen so as not to make her abilities as an improviser go untested. Indeed, it should be mentioned that time and time again both men, as well as pianist Jean-Michel Pilc, lay out impressive statements that raise the bar for her own expression. It's apparent if nothing else that the model of John Coltrane is at the heart of her expression, and in this should lie much interest for both Trane fans and those who cry for something different in the vocal world. ~ Extract by Gerard Cox.

SteepleChase Records, SCCD 31467, 1999

Recorded November, 1998

Musicians:

Elisabeth Kontomanou - Vocals

Sam Newsome - Soprano Saxophone

J.D. Allen - Tenor Saxophone

Jean-Michel Pilc - Piano

Thomas Bramerie - Bass

Abdou M'Boup - Percussion

Tracks:

1. Aliki {Elisabeth Kontomanou} (7:40)

2. Embrace {Elisabeth Kontomanou} (6:26)

3. Where I Wanna Be {Elisabeth Kontomanou} (3:23)

4. Spring {Elisabeth Kontomanou} (5:55)

5. The Light Of You {Elisabeth Kontomanou} (9:07)

6. All Music Kinds {Elisabeth Kontomanou} (11:35)

7. Lost Letter To A Nomad {J.D. Allen} (10:16)

8. Clear Blue Skies {Elisabeth Kontomanou} (10:14)

9. The Story Teller {Elisabeth Kontomanou} (5:38)

Credits:

Producer - Nils Winther

Recording Engineer - Josiah Gluck

Photo - Fernando Natalici

Liner Notes - Mark Gardner