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ALLAN VACHÉ Look To The Sky Arbors ARCD 19396

1. For Once in My Life
2. Didn't We
3. Samba de Orfeu
4. Long Ago and Far Away
5. My Shining Hour
6. Moanin' Low
7. So Many Stars
8. Bye, Bye, Blues
9. Blues For Kenny
10. Someone to Light Up My Life
11. Our Love is Here To Stay
12. Alfie
13. Comes Love
14. Look to the Sky

Allan Vaché - Clarinet
Jeff Phillips - Piano
Bob Leary - Guitar
Charlie Silva - Bass
Vanessa Vaché - Bass clarinet (track 9)
Ed Metz - Drums
Tammy Georgine - Vocals (tracks 6, 11)
The Central Florida Chamber Orchestra conducted by Charlie Bertini (tracks 2, 4, 7, 10, 12, 14)

 

Allan Vaché comes from a noted jazz family, as his father Warren was a well-known jazz writer and bassist, and his brother Warren Jr. a brilliant cornetist. In addition, his wife Vanessa Vaché‚ plays clarinet and bass clarinet in the Central Florida Chamber Orchestra, which is prominently featured as part of this recent release Look to the Sky.

The fourteen tunes on the disc cover the panoply of music from jazz standards to pop tunes to bossa nova, and all are delivered with Vaché‚'s usual muscular and full-bodied tone. Leading off with For Once in My Life, Vaché‚ takes the group through its paces with a lilting arrangement. The Central Florida Chamber Orchestra, which is a combination of woodwinds and strings, is added to six compositions which assist in perfecting the work of the soloists. This combination is particularly effective on the Jimmy Webb tune Didn't We, as well as Someone to Light Up My Life. and the splendidly structured Hal David/Burt Bacharach standard Alfie.

At some point in his career, Allan Vaché spent time studying with highly regarded clarinetist Kenny Davern. As a commemoration to him, Vaché wrote the reminiscent Blues For Kenny on which his wife Vanessa Vaché takes a wonderful bass clarinet solo. There are two vocals on the disc by Tammy Georgine, a singer from the central Florida area. The first is Moanin' Low and later Our Love is Here To Stay. Although pleasant, they do not add any substance to the proceedings. Throughout the disc the piano of Jeff Phillips and guitar of Bob Leary add thought and texture in support of Vaché.

While not entirely blemish free, this is a very strong outing from Allan Vaché and worth the record buyer's consideration.

Pierre Giroux

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