Franco Ambrosetti - Movies + Movies, Too

barabara sounds sez:

Another double header, this time on enja. Swiss trumpeter Franco Ambrosetti's two fine albums, featuring takes on a range of movie theme tunes (or just tunes featured in movies), aided and abetted by some top sidemen. Two separate sessions, from 1987 and 88 (though Ambrosetti's own site says a year earlier than that).

I was dubious at first (after all Yawno recommends them) but there is, as he says, some great jazz on these albums.

And yes these are all my own rips and scans (from the JP remasters) thank you very much.

enja sez:

Born in 1941 in Lugano (Switzerland), Franco Ambrosetti started his recording career in 1964 as a sideman with his father Flavio, then a famous alto sax player. In years to follow he received several trumpet awards, was voted "Best European Jazz Musician" in Italy and was called "the most elegant hard bop trumpeter Europe has ever known." Dedicated to famous film melodies (by Gershwin, Lennon/McCartney, Hancock a.o.) and featuring American star players John Scofield and Geri Allen, "Movies" was Ambrosetti's most successful album in the eighties. Its re-definings of some well-known songs received top ratings, among them the prestigious German Critics Award. British Jazz Journal reads: "Comparisons could be drawn between Ambrosetti and Lester Bowie, in that both have blended gentle satire and serious blowing, but the Italo-Swiss has pulled off the idea with flair and taste."

amg (yanow) sez:

Movies: When one considers the repertoire — eight songs from movies. including the theme from The Magnificent Seven and the Beatles' "Yellow Submarine" — this recording may not seem to have much potential. But actually, the set list includes four well-known standards (including "That Old Black Magic" and "Falling In Love Again"), and all of the music is transformed into creative and consistently exciting jazz. Trumpeter/flugelhornist Franco Ambrosetti is the lead voice, but gives plenty of solo space to his illustrious sidemen... and the performances are generally quite memorable. Recommended.

Movies, Too: This second CD of movie themes once again finds flugelhornist Franco Ambrosetti transforming some unpromising themes into jazz (including "Theme from Superman," "Theme from Peter Gunn" and "What's New, Pussycat"), in addition to better-known standards such as "My Man," "Angel Eyes" and "God Bless the Child"... Well worth checking out.

personnel:

Movies: Franco Ambrosetti trumpet, flugelhorn; John Scofield guitar; Geri Allen keyboards; Michael Foremanek bass; Daniel Humair drums; Jerry Gonzalez percussion

Movies, Too: Franco Ambrosetti trumpet, flugelhorn; John Scofield guitar; Greg Osby alto sax; Geri Allenkeyboards; Michael Foremanek bass; Daniel Humair drums

Arkadin posted a much earlier Ambrosetti album, A Jazz Portrait of... over at his place — here...

David Friedman - Of The Wind's Eye

barabara sounds sez:

Another little-known gem from the enja catalog. David Friedman lays down some wonderful marimba and vibes, complemented beautifully by the understated sax work of Jane Ira Bloom and backed up by Harvie Swartz on bass and Daniel Humair on drums. This is finely crafted lyrical music (can you tell I like it?!)

David Friedman is still making plenty of music; here's his home page...

amg (Ron Wynn) sez:

Friedman played with The New York Philharmonic and Metropolitan Operas in the '60s, then worked with Wayne Shorter, Horace Silver, Joe Chambers, Hubert Laws and Horacee Arnold in the '70s. After touring and participating in Ludwig Drum Co. workshops with Dave Samuels, Friedman and Samuels formed The Mallet Duo in 1975 and co-led the quartet Double Image from 1977 to 1980. Friedman recorded with Daniel Humair in 1979 and Chet Baker in 1982. He was an instructor at New York's Manhattan School of Music and Montreux's Institute for Advanced Musical Studies in the mid-'70s.