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Paul Kendall: My Shining Hour

By Jack Bowers
February 15, 2025
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If you were to randomly draw the names of "most charming and best-loved American popular standards" out of a hat, chances are you could not fare much better than Pennsylvania-based baritone saxophonist

Paul Kendall

saxophone, tenor
b.1961

" data-original-title="" title="">Paul Kendall has by design on My Shining Hour, a splendid album whose playlist encompasses no less than eight singular and seductive melodies from the Great American Songbook.

Of course, no melody, regardless of its inherent elegance and charm, is sufficient by itself to garner sweeping praise. Rhythmic choices must be precise, color and nuance creative and pleasing, group interplay smooth and trouble-free. Here again, Kendall and his quartet (

George Grund

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">George Grund, piano;

Roy Cumming

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Roy Cumming, bass;

Rudy Petschauer

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Rudy Petschauer, drums) check all the requisite boxes, bringing these standards and half a dozen other enchanting themes (two by

Antonio Carlos Jobim

piano
1927 - 1994

" data-original-title="" title="">Antonio Carlos Jobim, one each by

Clifford Brown

trumpet
b.1930

" data-original-title="" title="">Clifford Brown,

Randy Weston

piano
1926 - 2018

" data-original-title="" title="">Randy Weston,

Charlie Parker

saxophone, alto
1920 - 1955

" data-original-title="" title="">Charlie Parker) and

Tadd Dameron

piano
1917 - 1965

" data-original-title="" title="">Tadd Dameron) sharply and clearly to life.

Jobim wrote "Once I Loved" and "Desafinado," Brown "Joy Spring," Weston "Hi Fly," Parker "Confirmation," Dameron "If You Could See Me Now." Impressive as they are, they must bow in deference to such renowned masters as Cole Porter, Matt Dennis, Harold Arlen, Bronislau Kaper, Gus Kahn, Johnny Mercer, Victor Scherzinger, Johnny Burke and James Van Heusen whose memorable themes comprise the nucleus of this radiant and well-designed studio date. Kendall and his mates give every one of them their best shot, which is more than enough to spur this handsome stallion across the finish line and earn topmost honors.

While Kendall's gruff yet nimble baritone is most often in the forefront, lending every tune its essential character and tone, everyone plays an important role in the enterprise, and the rhythmic and harmonic talents of Grund, Cumming and Petschauer should neither be minimized nor overlooked, as they are indispensable ingredients in a tantalizing and flavorful recipe—so appetizing that My Shining Hour should please almost any champion of the music commonly known as contemporary jazz.

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Track Listing

You Stepped Out of a Dream;All of You;Everything Happens to Me;My Shining Hour;Joy Spring;Invitation;If You Could See Me Now;Once I Loved; Confirmation;Desifinado;Tangerine;Hi Fly;I Hear A Rhapsody;It Could Happen to You

Personnel

Paul Kendall

saxophone, tenor

George Grund

piano

Roy Cumming

bass

Rudy Petschauer

drums

Album information

Title: My Shining Hour | Year Released: 2024 | Record Label: Zoho Music

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