Tuesday, February 21, 2006

Goold goodness

I touted tenor saxophonist Ned Goold in writing about Harry Connick's excellent no-singing disk "Other Hours." "Gooold," Amosaya Records, puts Goold in sax-bass-drums trio and lets you hear plenty of him and probably is one reason why the CD makes me think of Sonny Rollins, because there's just about nothing I like better than Mr. Rollins in a trio.

Goold has some Sonny Rollins in his sound, too, although it's a sound all his own. And he has the same propensity to go places in his solos you didn't expect, with abstract but logical flights, and the same kind of ability to get back home and leave you wondering how he did it.

The lineup is mostly Goold's stuff with a few not overly played standards the guys really have fun with, including "Sonny Boy" and Monk's "Epistrophy," the only one you're likely to recognize right off. The improvising on "Hazmat" and "Michael vs. Mikan" (which I assume refers to a couple hoopsters named Jordan and George) is especially tasty, but it's all good. I really like this disk.

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