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Contra Diction - Allen Savedoff
This could be a novelty album if it wasn’t for the facts that the music is so well arranged and played. I imagine that it must be difficult to play a contrabassoon like it is a saxophone but Allen Savedoff manages to do this very well. It must also be difficult to put together such a diverse array of instruments and make them sound so inevitable. Kim Scharnberg gets the credit for arranging all tunes except for Summertime and Kim’s contribution on that score is admirable.
Mr. Savedoff also gets some sounds out of his instrument that are so organic sounding you will be looking for a huge snorting beast in your living room.
Allen Savedoff has gathered together a great and a large group of players for this album. Each of the players is very spirited and the recorded music is layered and vibrant.
I believe if you are going to do something that is musically different you want to have great material. Allen has chosen wonderful songs for this 56 minute recording. The CD opens with Brazil which is as catchy and listenable as any jazz standard. You will be amazed by contrabassoon lead on this song. That big deep instrument is played with grace and agility.
Next up is I Feel Pretty Good, a brilliant mix of Leonard Bernstein and James Brown which is pretty hard to describe but very easy to listen to. Then there is Summertime, Caravan, Round Midnight. The list goes on.
This is an album that I believe is a very good investment for your Music Library from a very talented artist. If you are a be bopper or rocker who is thinking about going over to the Free/Avant Garde Side this is a great bridge album.
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