jazz2love

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, Rich...

Album:  Scarab Artist:  Wayne Alpern Label:  Henri Elkan Music Website:  https://www.waynealpern.com                 https://www.billytest.com Arranger/composer Wayne Alpern reimagines a selection of Beatles tunes with pianist Billy Test on his latest release Scarab from Henri Elkan Music.  The emotion Test puts into melodies like "Eleanor Rigby" and "Hide Your Love Away" allows audiences to hear something new, something more intriguing about the compositions.  His inherent sense of melodic versing is magical, choreographing seamless dances with the piano keys.  His improvised twists and imaginative tweaks enhance the natural lyricism in the melodies, emphasizing poignant moments along the chord progressions that make the listener stop and take notice. Alpern's interpretation of "Yesterday" projects passion laden with a fiery urgency that's comparable to one of Beethoven's momen...