18
THAD JONES
& MEL LEWIS
Suite For Pops
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The greatest big band in the
world in a musical tribute to
Louis Armstrong.
SONNY FORTUNE
Awakening
One of the important reed side-
men makes his debut as a great
leader.
LP's Now Only 1
lTapes NowOnly]
SOnny Fortune
DAVID LIEBMAN
Sweet Hands
DAVE BRUBECK &
PAUL DESMOND
1975: The Duets
)ESMOND]
A rising star of instrumental
music. His reeds accompanied
by his group, Lookout Farm.
Their first duet album in over
20 years of performing together.
JIM HALL
Live l
"LIVE" for the first time: the
best of his recent performances.
JIM
A J~A&~MERIES
4?2 -0235
By Fred
"Cumulo Nimbus, T mes Its
Weight: Paul Ostermayer, soprunoana
tenor saxes, bass clarinet; Joh
Treanor, drums and percussion;
Skiles, piano; Spencer Starnes, basS(
Mel Winters, trumpet, synthesizerand
electric piano. Plus Quincy JarmO
congas. Weedhopper, March of
Goober Woobers, Tears, Jig,
Halyards, Cumulo-Nimbus.
For people unfamiliar with 47X and
Austin jazz generally, "Cumul0
Nimbus" should have its appeal. It
certainly stands on its own merits.
I like this record, all the way through
and for many reasons.
For us who've agonized through the
growing pains and overlong adoleS"
cence of the local jazz scene, this record
-- and this group -- means a lot more
than 30 minutes of pleasant music. It
represents the culmination of ten years
of development of Austin jazz, the first
recorded statement worthy of the faith
we ve had all along. Most importantly
for me, it s a chance to hear and now let
other people hear the music of some
guys I've admired for years.
I knew Mel Winters in 1965 when he
was a convincing ballad player who
admired Al Hirt. We hung around the
Texas Union's baby grand with Pete
Williams and Shawn Seigel (of Shiva'S
Head Band) and told each other we
weren't nothin'.
Of course, we knew Mel would
someday amount to something. He has
since then developed into a soloist
who s very easy to listen to. He toyed
for a while with some tired Hubbard
licks, and I was afraid he might choose a
less thoughtful style than I knew
capable of; but he's come around and is
playing very well. His technique is sure
without compromising his phrasing,
and he's always interesting.
Plus, he doesn't splat. On this
record he does some nice writing as
well. Halyards IS a lovely thing I can t
get out of my ear.
John Treanor is a mass of controlled
energy. He's athletic without sue"
cumbing to the tempting two-beat
monotony of the junk (jazz-funk)
drummers, nor does he busy uP
somebody else's time like so many
so-called"energy" drummers like to do.
He's smart, attentive, melodic, eveO
courteous to the soloist.
If this new record has a failing, it's
that the drumming is so outstanding
that it gets in the way of an appreciatio
of what the other guys are doing.
From his first solo feature (an altO
lead on a Gershwin tune, I think) with
the UT Jazz Ensemble, paul
Ostermayer has matured steadily into
a personable soloist with strength on all
three of his horns.
I admit to a preference for Paul's alt0
and soprano sounds, but that's just me.
Listen to his gorgeous tenor on Bill
Ginn's "47 Tears." But I feel Paul'S
instrument is the soprano. When most
