Tenorist

Album review

Jerry Bergonzi isn't the most recognized tenor saxophonist on the planet, as he has spent a long time in jazz education, though his discography as a leader is extensive. But since making his mark as a member of the Dave Brubeck Quartet in the mid-'70s and then going off on his own, he has continued to grow as a player and developed a sound all his own. For these 2006 studio sessions, he utilizes a different rhythm section than on his first Savant CD, with guitarist John Abercrombie taking the place of a pianist, Adam Nussbaum now on drums, and the return of bassist Dave Santoro from the previous date. The music includes a mix of old and new originals. Bergonzi revisits his quirky "Gecko Plex," expressing himself with a solo bordering on avant-garde in spots. The playful off-center Latin rhythm in "Czarology" proves immediately infectious, while he overdubs a second tenor in "With Reference," which invites obvious comparisons to the collaborations of Lee Konitz and Warne Marsh. Bergonzi also has a sense of jazz history. His loping treatment of Thelonious Monk's "Pannonica" is fairly straight-ahead, while his playing takes on a bittersweet tone in Kenny Dorham's neglected ballad "La Mesha." This remarkable CD is well worth investigating.

© Ken Dryden /TiVo