S'posin': The Emeryville Sessions, Vol. 2

Joe Cohn/The Emeryville Sessions, Volume 2 S’POSIN’ With Noel Jewkes and John Wiitala I don’t know if you’ve noticed it but in the last five years there has been an increase in the number of trios in jazz. Of course the piano-bass-drum configuration has been with us for a long while and new ones are continually cropping up, but I’m talking about the trios that leave out piano, or bass or drums. That is the make up of the Emeryville three: Joe Cohn, guitar; Noel Jewkes, tenor sax; and John Wiitala, bass. All that matters is, “Does it work?” With everyone taking serious care of their solo roles and ensembles, creating moving backgrounds for one another, trading “fours”, etc. and in general on the same page with passion and poise, these attributes are more than adequately provided in these offerings. A key factor in their inspiration is the roster of composers and the list of songs chosen to play. Producer Akira Tana, a noted, longtime professional drummer, explained that the sessions were free-wheeling and the choices for the material were made on the spot. Joe, Noel and John called the tunes, roughly made a sketch of a format, and played. “I liken these sessions to a marathon because so much was recorded,” said Akira. “ There were no rehearsals and the sessions were really in the tradition of recordings from another era. No overdubs or fixes—all live performances captured here.” Joe Cohn employs many creative techniques to express his style. Notice his articulation on “All Too Soon”; the counterpoint that he and Noel bring to a section of “How Am I to Know,” a hauntingly beautiful song from way back, written by one Jack King with words (unheard) by Dorothy Parker. the rapier wit of the storied Algonquin Round Table. “People Will Say We’re In Love” contains Joe’s long, connective lines. It is no longer necessary to refer that Joe is the son of the great saxophonist Al Cohn but the apple falls close to the tree. “Skylark” has one of the most affecting bridges Hoagy Carmichael ever constructed and the trio floats across it on gossamer wings. People in New York and the East, and probably the middle of the country have been asleep on one of the best tenor saxophonists in the country, Noel Jewkes, has been sending his message to his San Francisco and other West Coast denizens for decades. After listening to his rendition of “Sposin’ ” you’ll know what I’m talking about. Can he play a ballad? Go to Ellington’s “All Too Soon.”—and dig the subtle salutes he sends to Ben Webster and Johnny Hodges to close. Then the group creates a mood with “Autumn in New York,” followed by Johnny Mandel’s “Emily” with am appropriate solo contribution from John Wiitala, who lives and performs in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has graced the stage with many jazz legends from James Moody to Enrico Pieranunzi and has toured Europe, Asia with a variety of artists. “I Hadn’t Anyone But You” sports an easy swinging rhythm background. On “Skylark” they create a plangent bridge to walk upon. It’s Noel’s show on “When Lights Are Low” and you can still “read” by them. “You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To” is improvisation from the jump and has Wiitala’s best solo. The trio has provided a varied roster of winning songs that can serve as an anodyne, if necessary. I’ve enjoyed it’s properties more than several times already and keep it close by hand. IRA GITLER (September 23, 2013)