He’s still alive and kicking at 91, but Eddie Duran is one of the guitarists that somehow has been overlooked. This recent reissue by Fresh Sound Records uncovers some wonderful sounds in small group settings by the Bay Area guitarist, who rarely left his hometown except for some brief stints with Benny Goodman and Red Norvo.
All recorded in San Francisco, Eddie’s own quartet of Howard Dudune/cl-ts, Dean Reilly/b and J ohn Markham/dr include some intimate swing, with Dudune’s clarinet rich on “My Shining Hour” and “It Could Happen to You” while the tenor breaths warmly on ”Rise and Shine.” Duran himself delivers rich and clean lines, full of melodic ideas. Vocalist Ree Brunell teams with Duran and Reilly for cozy reads of “I’m Glad There Is You” and ”When I Fall In Love,” while a session with bassist Ron Grotty includes Vince Guaraldi on piano an celeste for a cool toned “The Masquerade is Over” and impressionistic “The Night We Called It A Day. This one is a subtle charmer.
Fresh Sound Records