Album Review: Saxology from Wayne Alpern

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Album:  Saxology
Artist:  Wayne Alpern
Label:  Henri Elkan Music
Website:  www.waynealpern.com

Saxology, the latest release from leader and arranger Wayne Alpern, showcases a quartet of saxophones performed by Steve Kenyon, Todd Groves, Dave Noland, and John Winder.  The recording features an array of jazz standards and classic pop novelties reworked with Alpern's acute sensibilities and finesse.

The sassy twizzles accenting the saxophones phrasing and their fiery punctuations dotting "Fascinating Rhythm," written by George and Ira Gershwin, shows Alpern's confidence to take control of the reins and make moves along the track that are bold and daring.  Alpern's treatment of the Beatles pop hit "Hide Your Love Away" is envisioned with a torchlight ambience as the softly twirling saxophones evoke a reflective mood.

Another pop hit for the Beatles, "When I'm Sixty-Four," is delivered with vaudeville-style pomp and joviality.  Contrastly, Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart's showtune "It Never Entered My Mind" and Clifford Brown's straight-ahead jazz frolick "Joy Spring" are tweaked with a modern perspective, giving the tracks a sleek and seamless finish.  Alpern's interpretation of "Lady Is A Tramp" has a cheerful bop flare, and his redesign of "Do Re Mi" has a swinging jazz sashay that opens the mind to accepting the frilly trimmings stitched into the famous 1959 tune by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein.

Wayne Alpern, a New York City-based composer, arranger, and scholar, integrates a modern perspective on jazz and classic pop melodies.  The synthesis creates a cross-genre that bridges several generations of listeners, holding them engrossed.  His reworking of established material opens audiences minds to seeing jazz and pop standards in a new light and liking it.

Musicians:
Wayne Alpern - arranger
Steve Kenyon - soprano saxophone
Todd Groves - alto saxophone
Dave Noland - tenor saxophone
John Winder - baritone saxophone

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