Massimo Urbani/Beaver Harris/Cameron Brown/Ron Burton
Release Date: 19 January 2024
Label: Red Records
Packaging Type: Jewel Case
No of Units: 1
Barcode: 8054154650422
Genres: Jazz
Description
This early effort demonstrated the great promise of Italian alto saxophonist Massimo Urbani, who burst forth on the jazz scene with an incredible technique and an endless flow of ideas. Urbani was later to record mostly with his compatriots, but here he's backed by the all-star American trio of pianist Ron Barton, bassist Cameron Brown, and drummer Beaver Harris.
Urbani mesmerizes on "Cherokee," which is taken at a blazing pace. The pace then slackens, and the saxophonist tries his hand at a couple of ballads ("Tender Song" and "Ballad for a Child"), that lack some of the warmth that he was to later develop. Even here, though, Urbani displays the qualities that mark his distinct style: a towering command of the bop vocabulary; a seemingly ease of delivery; the use of split tones; a tendency toward excess; and a frightening technique.
Tracklisting
Art Pepper
Johnny Dyani
Joe Henderson
Nexus
Woody Shaw Quintet
Victor Lewis Quintet
Ronnie Mathews
Fred Hersch, Steve La Spina, Jeff Hirshfield & Jerry Bergonzi
Tuohi Klang
Skerik, Brian Haas, James Singleton, Simon Lott
Heikki Sarmanto
Max Roach
Gil Evans
Henry Mancini
Ray Barretto
Miles Davis Quintet
