This release is the latest of a series from Storyville that captures jazz legends in concert from the 1990s. This one has alto saxist Lee Konitz featured in a plethora of musical settings as a result of a concert in which he performed as a result of winning int JAZZPAR award in Denmark.
The concerts from March 27-29, 1992 have Konitz in settings that range from Nonets with Jeff Davis/tp, Allan Botchinsky/tp-fh, Erling Kroner/tb, Niels Gerhardt/b-tub, Jens Sondergaard/ss-as-bs, Svend-Erik Norregaard/d, Peggy Stern/p, Birgitte Frieboe/voc to quartets all the way down to a spartan duets. The result is a wonderful panorama of Konitz’s worldview, on both alto and soprano, reflecting the historicity of this jazz icon.
The larger ensembles have a Birth of the Cool texture to them, with Konitz’s alto glowing on the solo intro to the gently bopping “ Partout” , a gorgeous “Stardust,” a textured “Pazzenger” and an artsy “Skygger” with poetic lyrics by Frieboe. All of this is well and good, but the real glory comes on the velvety duets between Konitz and fellow altoist Sondergaard on a sublime “Alone Together” and palpable “JensLee”. Likewise, Lundgaard’s bass frames Konitz’s breezy tone on “JesperLee” while Botschinsky’s flugelhorn supplies gentle support on the fragrant “AllanLee”. A quartet gently swings on “Subconscioslee” and Konitz is passionate and personal with Stern on an aria of “Body and Soul”. Konitz’s tone and solos are modern and up to date, but his approach was still rooted in swing and bop, with every note oozing with tradition and yet experimentation. Hints of his days with Kenton, Bird, Tristano, Marsh and Miles are all available, like colors in a mosaic. A real treat!