Joe Lovano - Paris Concert

Lovano formed his nonet to explore gems from the bop era while giving them a modern sound. His group blends structured orchestration with the spirit of a jam session, as he remarks during the documentary segment following the concert. The leader's bigtoned tenor sax is generously featured in "On a Misty Night" and "Good Bait," but Lovano is hardly one to hog the solo spotlight, as nearly everyone is showcased at length at one time or another. Smulyan shines in a brisk arrangement of Dameron's infrequently heard "Charlie Chan," while Slagle's commanding solo work in "Hot House" and "52nd Street Theme" make him a veteran musician worthy of greater recognition. The ensembles and the rhythm section are also flawless throughout the evening. The excellent sound engineering is integrated with wellpositioned camera shots that are edited with jazz fans in mind.