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Dino Govoni: Hiding in Plain Sight

By Jack Bowers
December 5, 2021
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Tenor saxophonist

Dino Govoni

saxophone, tenor
b.1962

" data-original-title="" title="">Dino Govoni acquits himself well on the curiously-titled Hiding in Plain Sight, his third album for Whaling City Sound, as do his colleagues on this basically bop-leaning, mainly quintet studio date. The qualifier "mainly" is necessary because trumpeter

Alex Sipiagin

trumpet
b.1967

" data-original-title="" title="">Alex Sipiagin performs on only five of the album's nine tracks. On the others, Govoni is cradled by his capable rhythm section, pianist

Henry Hey

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Henry Hey, bassist

Michael Pope

bass, acoustic

" data-original-title="" title="">Michael Pope and drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts.

Each of the numbers is an original composition, four by

Paul Nagel

piano
b.1951

" data-original-title="" title="">Paul Nagel, two by Hey, one each by Govoni, Pope and Hal Crook; and here is where the session stubs its toe, as none of them rises above the level of adequate. Nor, on the other hand, are there any that fall beneath that standard. They are simply good, made better at times by Govoni and his teammates who bestow their undivided attention on each of them. Govoni solos well, sounding much like a number of his contemporaries—

Lew Tabackin

saxophone, tenor
b.1940

" data-original-title="" title="">Lew Tabackin,

Jerry Bergonzi

saxophone, tenor
b.1947

" data-original-title="" title="">Jerry Bergonzi,

Joe Lovano

drums
b.1952

" data-original-title="" title="">Joe Lovano and

Don Braden

saxophone, tenor
b.1963

" data-original-title="" title="">Don Braden spring to mind—sustaining the requisite groove without saying anything that has not been articulated by others. Sipiagin is on basically the same wavelength—astute enough to keep things interesting but somewhere shy of special.

Pope solos on electric bass on Nagel's ballad "Falling Ahead," acoustic on his own "Appels to Apples," lending no cause for complaint in either instance. The quintet arguably shines brightest on Crook's Latin swinger, "Thinkers Anonymous," with sharp solos all around and energetic timekeeping by Watts. The closer, Govoni's "Edge Walker," is another highlight, with a charming melody that morphs into a fast-paced flag-waver. Govoni is splendid here, as are Hey, Sipiagin and Watts. A solid ending to an above-average session.

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Track Listing

Stories Passed; Cobalt; Falling Ahead; Thinkers Anonymous; Ask Again; Sublimate; Point Turn; Appels to Apples; Edge Walker.

Personnel

Dino Govoni

saxophone, tenor

Alex Sipiagin

trumpet

Henry Hey

piano

Michael Pope

bass, acoustic

Jeff Tain Watts

drums

Album information

Title: Hiding in Plain Sight | Year Released: 2021 | Record Label: Whaling City Sound

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