Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Randy Klein's Two Duos: What's Next?

Randy Klein's Two Duos: What's Next?

By Dan Bilawsky
October 30, 2012
View read count

Randy Klein launched his Two Duos series with Sunday Morning (Jazzheads, 2010), pairing the pianist up with trombonist

Chris Washburne

trombone
b.1963

" data-original-title="" title="">Chris Washburne and tenor saxophonist

Oleg Kireyev

saxophone, tenor
b.1963

" data-original-title="" title="">Oleg Kireyev, but he leaves the horns behind for this follow-up. This time around, Klein turns to two different, but equally skilled string men. Guitarist

Alex Skolnick

guitar
b.1968

" data-original-title="" title="">Alex Skolnick, reborn as a jazz guitarist but best-known as a heavy metal icon thanks to his work with Testament, and bassist

Boris Kozlov

bass, acoustic
b.1967

" data-original-title="" title="">Boris Kozlov, who anchors the

" data-original-title="" title="">Mingus Big Band with his acoustic axe but wields his electric here, carry the torch passed along by the horns.

The concept hasn't changed at all from the first record, as both albums are all-original affairs that contain a dozen tracks programmed in back-and-forth fashion, but the end result differs a bit. The horns usually stood apart from Klein's piano, and each other, in terms of sound and intent; Skolnick's guitar and Kozlov's bass do not. Both men blend well with Klein and occupy a similar space in the music. This is a plus, in that Klein is able to create a more consistent state of mood and tone throughout, but it has a slight downside in that a sense of sameness becomes a bit too prevalent in the middle of the program.

Things start off in stellar fashion, with Klein and Skolnick working through "Exalted Kingdom," which could be mistaken for a

McCoy Tyner

piano
1938 - 2020

" data-original-title="" title="">McCoy Tyner tune if the tempo were ratcheted up and percussive force was added to the mixture; of course, it sounds great without those musical additives and alterations. Hints of

Chick Corea

piano
1941 - 2021

" data-original-title="" title="">Chick Corea surface on the Latin-tinged title track, which introduces the Klein-Kozlov combination, and things move along without a hitch from then on. Klein delivers some lighthearted piano work during "Dear Charles Mingus," turns reflective on the waltzing "Tea For Three," and brings out the tenderness with some help from Kozlov on "Inner Voice" and Skolnick on "In The Twilight Hours.." Clarity is ever-present throughout, as Skolnick's clean-toned lines ride comfortably over or within Klein's piano work and Kozlov's warm and occasionally guitar- like bass work adds a bit of weight to the proceedings.

Klein's Two Duos dates are, thus far, about one-plus-one rapport and intimacy, and both albums deserve high marks in these areas. It will be interesting to see what Klein does to change things up again for the third volume of the series. Perhaps vibraphone and piano partners will fit the bill for the next one.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Exalted Kingdom; What's Next; Casa China; Dear Charles Mingus; No; Lark; Where's My Glasses; Tea For Three; Pere La Chaise; Inner Voices; In The Twilight Hours; Return To Splendor.

Personnel

Randy Klein

Randy Klein: piano; Alex Skolnick: guitar (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11); Boris Kozlov: bass (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12).

Album information

Title: What's Next? | Year Released: 2012 | Record Label: Jazzheads

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Born to Sing - No Plan B
< Previous

FAT
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.