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Doug Webb: Doug Webb: Swing Shift
Doug WebbSwing Shift
Posi-Tone Records
2012
An essential part of jazz fandom is participating in the endless debate about the pros and cons of recordings versus live performances. Despite the obstacles in the pursuit of the holy grail of recorded perfection, such as budget limitations, artistic differences between producers and performers, and the stifling effect of herding musicians into separate cubicles, records give us the opportunity to savor the essence of a performance; after repeated listening, we often make these sounds a part of ourselves. While live shows are frequently subject to encumbrances like noisy patrons and claustrophobic seating arrangements, who among us would forsake the memories of great gigs, the bragging rights that come with catching musicians on a fire-breathing night, or the chance to be a part of the excitement by applauding or offering spontaneous verbal support?
Saxophonist Doug Webb's Swing Shift is a studio session that sounds and feels like a late night club set. Though some of the six-track, 55-minute record bears a resemblance to
John Coltrane
saxophone1926 - 1967
Mal Waldron
piano1925 - 2002
Frank Foster
saxophone1928 - 2011
At the record's core is a rhythmic thrust that is at once nimble, bold and almost unremittingly aggressive. Bassist
Stanley Clarke
bassb.1951
Gerry Gibbs
drumsb.1964
During "Soul Eyes," the disc's opening track, it's impossible to tell who's responsible for the music's steadily rising temperature—Clarke and Gibbs, in cahoots with pianist
Larry Goldings
organ, Hammond B3b.1968
Mahesh Balasooriya
pianoWebb is a smart, effusive and resourceful soloist who finds his own ways of dealing with the melodies and changes of familiar tunes, like "Soul Eyes," "Simone" and "Where Or When." His improvisations exhibit the gritty, uninhibited feel of a jazzman playing for the sake of the music alone, with no other agenda in mind. Webb juggles a variety of phrases of varying lengths, makes brief, interesting digressions, takes into account whatever Clarke and Gibbs throw at him, and never ties things together too neatly. The mastery that comes with ardently playing the horn for decades and taking the standard repertoire seriously runs through these tracks and results in music that is deep, challenging and emotionally satisfying.
As Webb and his bandmates throw their whole selves into every note, playing like there's no tomorrow and caring not one whit about the consequences, you might almost hear an audience's applause and shouts of delight. Swing Shift is a terrific record.
Tracks: Soul Eyes; Patagonia Suite; Simone; Where Or When; Rizone; Apodemia.
Personnel: Doug Webb: saxophones; Stanley Clarke: bass; Gerry Gibbs: drums; Larry Goldings: piano (1); Joe Bagg: piano (4, 6); Mahesh Balasooriya: piano (2, 3). ">
Track Listing
Soul Eyes; Patagonia Suite; Simone; Where Or When; Rizone; Apodemia.
Personnel
Doug Webb
saxophoneDoug Webb: saxophones; Stanley Clarke: bass; Gerry Gibbs: drums; Larry Goldings: piano (1); Joe Bagg: piano (4, 6); Mahesh Balasooriya: piano (2, 3).
Album information
Title: Doug Webb: Swing Shift | Year Released: 2012 | Record Label: Posi-Tone Records
Tags
Doug Webb
Extended Analysis
David A. Orthmann
Posi-Tone Records
United States
John Coltrane
Mal Waldron
Frank Foster
Stanley Clarke
Gerry Gibbs
Larry Goldings
Mahesh Balasooriya
Doug Webb: Swing Shift
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