Album Review of
Smokin' Hot Bassoon Blues

Written by Duane Verh
February 7, 2014 - 12:00am EST
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The celebrated bassoonist proves just as at home fronting a jazz lineup as a chamber orchestra, and provides a delightfully quirky, decidedly avantist voice to a lively set of jazz & r&b classics. His group and guest partners contribute straighter but definitely spirited work themselves, particularly pianist Robert Bosscher, guitarist Ron Jackson and violinist/violist Efrat Shapira. Tasty tracks include Jimmy Smith’s “Back At The Chicken Shack”, the Horace Silver gem, “Senor Blues”, and a distinctly Caribbean take on Ray Charles’ “What’d I Say”.