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Gregory Dudzienski Quartet: Beautiful Moments

By Jack Bowers
August 1, 2020
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Gregory Dudzienski Quartet: Beautiful Moments

There are many Beautiful Moments on Chicago-based tenor saxophonist

Gregory Dudzienski

saxophone, tenor
b.1972

" data-original-title="" title="">Gregory Dudzienski's second CD under his name, some of which enfold his warm-blooded tenor, others the spirited give-and-take with his blue-chip quartet whose other members are pianist

Chris White

drums
b.1936

" data-original-title="" title="">Chris White, bassist

Kelly Sill

bass, acoustic

" data-original-title="" title="">Kelly Sill and drummer

Jeff Stitely

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Jeff Stitely. Yes, Dudzienski is heavily influenced by the music of the 1950s and '60s, but some would argue that was a Golden Age for small-group jazz, with many of its renowned standard-bearers now enshrined in various jazz Halls of Fame. Dudzienski, who wrote all seven of the album's numbers, pays tribute to two of those masters—

Dexter Gordon

saxophone, tenor
1923 - 1990

" data-original-title="" title="">Dexter Gordon and

John Coltrane

saxophone
1926 - 1967

" data-original-title="" title="">John Coltrane—on "Dexter's Laboratory" and "The Father," and to a number of others on "Meeting Your Heroes."

"Dexter" and "Father" lead off the session, followed by the Brazilian-infused "Tom-ish," written with

Antonio Carlos Jobim

piano
1927 - 1994

" data-original-title="" title="">Antonio Carlos Jobim in mind but later, at Sills' suggestion, co-dedicated to trumpeter

Tom Harrell

trumpet
b.1946

" data-original-title="" title="">Tom Harrell. "Meeting Your Heroes"—ushered in by Stitely's fiery tom-toms—is next, with the enchanting title song, based on the standard "You're a Weaver of Dreams," sandwiched between the melodious "Yellow Alley" and well-grooved "See, I Told You." The Gordon influence is clear on "Dexter," while Trane is similarly endorsed on "The Father," as are

Joe Henderson

saxophone
1937 - 2001

" data-original-title="" title="">Joe Henderson and one of Dudzienski's mentors,

Jerry Bergonzi

saxophone, tenor
b.1947

" data-original-title="" title="">Jerry Bergonzi. Sill takes the opening solo on "Yellow Alley," followed by White and Dudzienski; Sill and Stitely are given free rein on "See, I Told You," and make the most of it.

Even so, the free and easy "Beautiful Moments" earns top honors in this admirable parade, owing to its charming melody and ardent solos by all hands. And given the album's rationale, that is as it should be. For someone so talented, Dudzienski hasn't recorded often; let us hope that Beautiful Moments helps reverse that arc.

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Track Listing

Dexter's Laboratory; The Father; Tom-ish; Meeting Your Heroes; Yellow Alley; Beautiful Moments; See, I Told You

Personnel

Gregory Dudzienski

saxophone, tenor

Additional Instrumentation

Gregory Dudzienski: Tenor Saxophone: Chris White: Piano; Kelly Sill: Bass; Jeff Stitely: Drums

Album information

Title: Beautiful Moments | Year Released: 2020 | Record Label: OA2 Records

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