1. If Dreams Come True
2. The Diner
3. I Can’t Believe That You’re in Love with
Me
4. Comes Love
5. Should I?
6. Sometimes I’m Happy
7. High Society
8. Crazy Rhythm
9. Nobody Else But Me
10. Muskrat Samba
Kenny Davern - Clarinet
Ken Peplowski - Clarinet, tenor sax
Howard Alden - Guitar, banjo
James Chirillo - Guitar, banjo
Nicki Parrott - Bass
Tony DeNicola - Drums
The
clarinet is an instrument which has been through
some strange vicissitudes during its career.
It was very prominent in the 1930s, when clarinettists
Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw fought for supremacy
with their big bands. Somehow the clarinet
waned in popularity when bebop came along,
although the differing styles of such players
as Buddy DeFranco and Jimmy Hamilton showed
that the instrument could be expressive as
well as versatile. We can be grateful that
mainstream musicians like Kenny Davern and
Ken Peplowski kept traditional styles of clarinet
playing alive.
The
sad death of Kenny Davern last December makes
this CD even more poignant. It was the last
studio album that Kenny recorded - in New
York in June 2005. An extra sadness is that,
just before he died, Davern dedicated the
album to drummer Tony DeNicola, who had died
shortly before.
Despite
these sadnesses, it is a happy album, with
the two Kens sparking off one another. The
line-up is unusual: two reedmen and two guitarists
plus bass and drums. The recording avoids
the stodginess that sometimes results from
chugging guitars (remember the Hot Club of
France?). Australian bassist Nicki Parrott
adds to the sturdy bass-line, consistently
keeping the rhythm moving, and contributing
a gorgeous solo to I Can’t Believe That
You’re in Love with Me.
Ken
Peplowski plays tenor sax on several tracks,
blending well with Davern’s clarinet and even
helping to moderate any shrill moments. The
two men duet on clarinets in Should I?,
working with perfect empathy. They play clarinets
again for High Society, seamlessly
negotiating Alphonse Picou’s famous
variations. On this track, the two
guitarists take up banjos, which they play
rather cheekily - ranging in style from country
music to George Formby, with some jocular
swapped eights and fours. Crazy Rhythm
is taken at a nice easy tempo, with contrasting
solos from Kenny and Ken. It ends with a bass
solo from Nicki Parrott which has a slightly
crazy conclusion.
Nobody
Else But Me is a feature for the two guitarists,
who work in tandem with the same sort of unity
as the two clarinettists. The closing Muskrat
Samba is slightly marred by the drummer’s
unsteady rimshots - and the unwanted click
that overruns the ending - but the two clarinets
of Davern and Peplowski compete in invention
and wit. In fact this is overall a delightful
album - full not only of expert musicianship
but also good humour.
Tony
Augarde
CD Reviews
Arbors
Jazz ARCD 19317
