Andy Martin with Dave Pell

Live at Capozzoli's

 

Recorded live at Capozzoli's in Las Vegas,
the scene of several such recordings by
well-known musicians (including an earlier
one with Martin and fellow trombonist Carl
Fontana), this release offers a program of
attractive tunes performed with style by a
group of stellar bop-oriented musicians.
Andy Martin gets around the trombone with    
agility and grace, often playing so subtly    
and close to the microphone that you can   Line for Lewis (Windows Media)
hear him breathe. Guitarist Larry Koonse   Alone Together (Windows Media)
displays a similar virtuosity, sailing through    
the changes with a high degree of melodi-    
cism and a sure-footed command of the bop   Line for Lewis (MP3)
idiom (his clever rhythmic displacement and   Alone Together (MP3)
fleet chordal strumming in the very up 'Line    
for Lewis', a Martin original based on 'Lime-    
house Blues', are especially riveting). Bass-    
ist Trey Henry and drummer Roy Brinker not    
only provide propulsive momentum, but the    
former proves to be an especially melodic    
improvisor in his own right. A glance at the repertory shows the quality of the tunes,    
most of which are taken at medium fast to    
fast tempos, including even 'Alone Together'    
and 'But Beautiful'. Only the gorgeous 'Angel    
Eyes' and 'My Foolish Things' are treated as    
ballads. On the latter, special guest Dave    
Pell, who first gained prominence in the    
fifties as the featured tenor soloist with Les    
Brown, evokes the later Lester Young in a    
moving rendition accompanied only by gui-    
tar. Pell also makes a subtle and coolly    
swinging contribution to 'S'Wonderful'.    
-- David Franklin, Cadence, August 2002