Michel Donato Et Ses Amis Européens

Album review

Bassist Michel Donato is well known in his native Canada and to American visitors who have hired him for gigs (including Bill Evans, Benny Carter, Clark Terry, and Art Farmer), though he has had little exposure in the U.S. But even if someone is unfamiliar with the bassist, this CD is an excellent introduction, though hardly his first effort. With a strong band consisting of saxophonist François Théberge, trumpeter Piotr Wojtasik, guitarist Michael Felberbaum, and drummer Karl Jannuska (all Europeans), the band's originals often conjure comparisons to familiar melodies that never come completely into focus. The chemistry in the studio is immediately apparent, as the players flesh out one another's musical conceptions. Felberman's tense "Open Closer" and his subtle "Dog" prove enticing. Wojtasik's "Dolphy's Coming" is a spirited if somewhat odd salute to the late alto saxophonist, lacking the angular attack of its namesake. Donato penned the loopy jazz waltz "Have You Met Mr. Jones," the intricate bop vehicle "Bleu Sur Le Vif" (comparable to Oscar Pettiford's writing style, though with a modern arranger's touch), and the breezy finale "Duet Now," one of thousands of songs built upon the changes to "I Got Rhythm."

© Ken Dryden /TiVo