Jane Ira Bloom: Early Americans

Outline Records
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: Early Americans

One doesn’t have an opportunity to review an individual who honestly can be described as “the best” at anything. Well, Jane Ira Bloom is the world’s best soprano saxophonist. 

That instrument, a high-register member of the saxophone family, isn’t as common in jazz as the alto, tenor and baritone instruments, but a few musicians have used it. (Remember Woody Herman?) Even so, it’s a tough horn from which to get a smooth, warm, beautiful tone. That’s not a problem for Bloom.

She began playing the drums and piano as a child, then the alto sax, and settled on the soprano at age 9. She earned liberal arts and master’s degrees in music from Yale University. After graduation, she moved to New York City and founded Outline Records, while simultaneously beginning a career of performing with masters of the music world. 

She’s an eight-time winner of the Jazz Journalists Association Award; and has won the Downbeat Critics Poll, the Charlie Parker Award for Jazz Innovation, the Guggenheim Fellowship in Jazz Composition, the Mary Lou Williams Women In Jazz Award, and many others.

In short, Bloom is a phenomenon.

This album, her 16th, includes a baker’s dozen of tunes: twelve of her own compositions plus the Bernstein/Sondheim hit “Somewhere.” All are performed at balladic tempos, and all are simply gorgeous.

She’s backed by bassist Mark Helias and drummer Bobby Previte. With that limited — but definitely tasteful — support, there’s no place to hide ... not that she needs to worry about such things. We’re treated, throughout, to her consummate skill, tone and originality.

What a performance!

Jane Ira Bloom: Sixteen Sunsets

Outline Records
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: Sixteen Sunsets

One doesn’t often win an audience with royalty in any field of the arts, but we consider ourselves blessed when it happens. Such is the case with this album by soprano saxophonist and composer Jane Ira Bloom. She’s the queen of that instrument; no one else come close to her mastery.

Merely listing her career’s many awards and accolades would fill several pages. She’s currently a professor at New York City’s New School of Jazz and Contemporary Music, and is a constant performer on the world’s stages as a soloist, and with both small and large musical ensembles. This release features her quartet, in which she’s supported by pianist Dominic Fallacaro, bassist Cameron Brown and drummer Matt Wilson.

The album title, Sixteen Sunsets, is based on a quote from U.S. astronaut Joseph Allen: “...and you see 16 sunrises and 16 sunsets every day, when you’re in space. No sunrise or sunset is ever the same.” 

As for this album, you’ll never hear another musical performance like it.

This is Bloom’s 15th album as a leader, and her first all-ballad collection. The track list features American Songbook standards (among them “For All We Know,” “The Way You Look Tonight” and “My Ship”) and five original compositions.

Bloom gets a marvelously pure tone from her horn, which, along with her beautiful phrasing, makes every tune a mesmerizing event that you’ll not soon forget. Her compatriots are an equally important element in the performance, which you’ll want to hear again and again. At 77 minutes, the album also is generous. Finally, the superior audio quality — 5.1 high-resolution surround sound — is the icing on the cake. 

All in all, this is an album that you must have!

Jane Ira Bloom: Wingwalker

Outline Records
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: Wingwalker

The soprano saxophone is an honored member of the reed family, although it’s heard more often in classical orchestras than in jazz groups. One of the few exceptions to that rule is named Jane Ira Bloom, a composer and true master of the instrument.

Bloom began her musical education playing the piano, then drums and tenor sax, but finally found her "sweet spot" with the soprano sax. She plays what only can be identified as "classical" jazz; her tone and technique are pure — what one would expect to hear in a symphony orchestra — but her "feel" is true, beautiful jazz.

Her expression of that genre begins with creation: She composes the vast majority of what she plays. She's world famous and has won more awards than any musician I'm aware of.

In Wingwalker, her 14th album as a leader, she features a quartet: bassist Mark Helias, drummer Bobby Previte and pianist Dawn Clement. All are excelent artists.

Only one of these 12 tracks is a standard — "I Could Have Danced All Night" — which Bloom performs totally unaccompanied: not a sound to hide behind, or mask any fluffs. Her tone is simply gorgeous.

Her own compositions (and their titles) reflect her mindset, interests and thoughts. She's an obvious fan of space and sports, and is an avid reader. Most of the tunes are balladic in nature, and it’s evident that every note is written for each member of her group; very little is extemporaneous. The result swings, and it's definitely jazz.

The rhythm section is exceptional, and I’m particularly impressed by Clement’s keyboard work.