By Ric Bang
Buy CD: The Real Thing
Remember the days when you’d
go out for an evening of music and recognize every song performed? Well,
that’s what we have with this release by the Beegie Adair Trio.
Adair was born during the
early years of the swing era. She began to play the piano at age 5, earned an
undergraduate degree in music education at Kentucky’s Western State University,
then began a life dedicated to that art form. She taught for awhile, played in
local jazz groups, became a session musician for radio and TV gigs, and wrote
commercial jingles ... while simultaneously freelancing as a
pianist. She fronted a trio as early as 1966, but her first recording under her own name didn't come until 1991's Escape to New York. She's quite prolific; she has released dozens of albums as a leader, and guested on many others.
Adair's favorite group configuration
is a trio. She’s supported here by bassist Roger Spencer and drummer Chris
Brown; both have been with her for years. These folks play authentic mainstream
jazz: the wonderful music your parents (or grandparents!) used to listen and
dance to, when they were younger.
But that doesn’t mean this
stuff is dated: Not by a long shot. It truly swings!
The fact that this album was
recorded before a live audience contributes to its excellence. The arrangements
tend to be longer, with no constraints related to fitting a certain number of
tracks onto a CD); the solos also linger more; and the presence of an audience,
and its reaction, always has a positive impact on the performers.
Because almost all
the songs in this release are familiar
standards — tunes that often carry special memories for those in the audience —
that always results in a friendlier reception. The only sorta-kinda
non-standard is Thelonious Monk’s “Rhythm-A-Ning,” but since that tune is based on the chord structure
of “I Got Rhythm,”
it counts anyway.
I haven’t heard “Besame Mucho,” “The Lamp Is Low,” “My Old Flame,” “Stairway to the
Stars” and “We’ll Be Together Again”
in years. I loved this well-delivered reminder, and you will also.
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