Joel Penner Sextet: “The Church of the Little Black Dog”

Filed under: Music Reviews   

The star-studded list of session and live experiences of the individual members of this left-coast jazz crew could have served to ruin their joint output, but the oldies they chose were given full-spa treatments that leave no room for improvement. Leadoff track “You’d Be So Nice to Come Home To” does up the Cole Porter standard with Glenn Miller panache and Weather Report levels of craftsmanship, former Boston Pops drummer Steve Pemberton tossing out impossible paradiddles as if he were feeding pigeons in the park. Although bandleader Penner’s trumpet abilities are Jedi-level, he’s generous with the spotlight, allowing Joe-Farrell-trained sax player Michael Rose plenty of room to stretch out; later on, Penner, Rose and ex-Buddy Rich guitarist Doug MacDonald share equal billing in Bronislau Kaper’s “Invitation.” One of the nicest bits here is, surprisingly enough, a “My Funny Valentine” that’s neither hopelessly mawkish nor Sominex minimalist; Pemberton executes a surgical waltz beat underneath what eventually morphs into a brand new James Bond-ish melody. The one original, MacDonald’s “T & G,” is an upbeat jam that rounds out the rest of the choices in genial fashion. Not one hack to be heard - this is the disc of modernized ballroom your bottle of Dom has been waiting for. Order from Amazon.com

Posted on May 1st, 2006.

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