Ya know, I’m really a guy of few and simple desires. I’ve got peace with God, a good wife and family, a roof over my head, food on the table and a handful of faithful friends. Musically as well, I don’t need anything fancy at this stage in life. No need for pyrotechnic displays of chops, intricate intervals, rhapsodic climaxes or double time changes. I play tenor, soprano and clarinet, and I all ever wanted was to be a reed player in a band that casually played standards with feeling and joy, with tone and “telling your story” being the major reason you’re up on the stand.
This double disc set that anthologizes the career of Danish trombonist Ole Fessor Lindgreen is as close to that dream as you’ll ever find. The first disc has “Fessor” in a wide variety of settings from the 70s through the 90s with locals as well as guests including Wild Bill Davison/co, Ralph Sutton/p, Sammy Price/p, Doc Cheatham/tp, Al Casey/g, Claude Williams/vio and Jay McShann/’p-vo. The groups range from 6-11, and the feel is as cozy as slipping your feet into 15 year old Bass Weejuns. Sammy Prices’ “Chicken Out” has some of the earthiest swing you’ll ever find, while Jay McShann brings 12th St and Vine to Copenhagen with a delicious “T’Aint Nobody’s Business.” Jesper Thilo’s tenor caresses Ralhp Sutton’s ivories on a sublime “Sweet Lorraine” and Williams whirls like a discus thrower on “Big Green.” I haven’t been to heaven yet, so I haven’t seen perfection, but this sure gives at least a hint of it.
The second disc consists of a pair of small groups that “Fessor” lead in2010 and 2012. The earlier one is from a Riverboat Festival with a sextet, while the last latter is an unorthodox quartet with ‘bone, clarinet, guitar and bass. The smaller groups emphasizes intriguing harmonies on thie likes of “Mood Indigo” and “Moonglow” as well as an interesting read of Ornette Coleman’s “Turn Around.” The concert session is more of a standard NO-ish fare of traditional music, which is done well and shows that Lindgreen still had impressive chops at this stage in his career. The first disc is worthy of framing on your wall, and will remind you why you fell in love with jazz in the first place.
Storyville Records