He doesn’t release a lot of material, but when he does, clarinetist Mort Weiss makes it count. Each of his albums has a uniquely personal touch and feel to it. This latest one opens with Weiss discussing his recent personal losses as well as recuperative gains, all backed by a reflective delivery of “Yesterdays.” The rest of the album has him teamed with Don Freidman/p, Phil Palombi/b and Shinnosuke Takkahashi/dr delivering richly swinging and bopping takes of pieces such as “Like Someone in Love’” and “I Remember You.” His tone is warmer than Buddy DeFranco’s with a bit of the breathy glide between notes like Tony Scott as opposed to DeFranco’s staccato sound. His expressiveness is sort of a bop version of Pee Wee Russell, full of feeling on every quarter note. He sings like the guy sitting at the bar stool right next to you on “Blues For Sandy,” while the lovely toned vocalist Carmela Rappazzo keeps it in the pocket on “Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea.” A clarinet duet with Michael Marcus creates a wonderful licorice twist on “Just Friends.” His tone is so riveting on the intro to “ Body and Soul” that you’re almost regretful that the band has to join in, and his opening duet with Palombi’s bowed bass on the longer take of “Yesterdays” is heart on sleeve.
In this day of artists learning their chops from expensive colleges yet never getting the idea of “telling a story” on your instrument, Weiss teaches here from the school of hard knocks. Always take advice from a guy who walks with a limp.