Toussaint, Allen

Nonesuch, 2009, CD
Instrument: Piano

Issue: 15.3

Jazz Ruler Type: Dixieland
O's Jazz Ruler

Performance: 4
Performance Chart

Sound: 4
Sound Chart

Score:
Score Chart

O’s Notes: If you like that New Orleans groove, Toussaint’s take is among the best we’ve heard in quite some time. It is a blend of jazz, ragtime and blues that is clean crisp and cool. Allen invites some fine musicians to accompany him including Don Bryon (cl) and Nicolas Payton (t). Brad Mehldau (p) makes a guest appearance on “West End Blues” that also includes a fine guitar solo from Marc Ribot. These are songs composed by legendary jazz masters Sidney Bechet, Jelly Roll Morton, Django Reinhardt, Thelonious Monk and Duke Ellington. Allen’s arrangements set them in a fresh light. Among the best are “Blue Drag”, “Day Dream” featuring Joshua Redman (sax), and Toussaint singing the blues on “Long, Long Journey”.

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Publicist: Nonesuch