If anyone is going to put the bassoon on the jazz map, it’s going to be Daniel Smith. This time around he mixes the sound of the reedy woodwind with a variety of environments, making his strongest release yet.
There is a five piece collection of “Baroque Adaptations for Bassoon and Jazz Trio” that does some nice swinging on Vivaldies’ “Allegro from Concerto in Bb” and bops to Purcell’s “Air On a Ground Bass” while he glows on Byrd’s “The earl of Salisbury” with Bruce Boardman/p, Terry Davis/b and Martin Drew/dr. An MJQ-ish team of Smith with Steve Gray/p, Mithc Dalton/g, Jim Lawless/vib, Roy Babbington/b and Mike Smith/dr make for a glassy “Allegro” and an intricately bopper of the”Finale.” Most successful is the interpretations of three Scott Joplin Rags with Smith with pianist Jonathan still and The Cavaggio Ensemble breathing warm life into the fun “ The Chrysanthemem” and the well strutted “Original Rags.” Gentlemanly and sprightly swinging with aplomb. Don’t forget that bebop took it’s roots from baroque,so this collectionmakes a lot of sense
Summitt Records