Jazz
Anat Cohen Liner Notes, Clarinet
Benny Green Piano
David Frankel Cover Art
David Schoenwetter Assistant Engineer
James Farber Mixing, Engineer
Jimmy Katz Photography
Justin Gerrish Mixing Assistant
Lewis Nash Drums
Lisa St. Cyr Package Design
Mark Wilder Mastering
Michal Levy Cover Design
Nelson Wong Assistant Engineer
Paul Zinman Engineer
Peter Washington Bass
Russ Musto Liner Notes
Anat Cohen's Clarinetwork Live at the Village Vanguard, inspired by Benny Goodman and celebrating his centennial, is a musical tour-de-force. Winner of three consecutive Jazz Journalists Association "Clarinet Player of the Year" awards and multiple "Rising Star Clarinet" DownBeat critic's polls, Cohen leads an all star rhythm section (Benny Green, Peter Washington, Lewis Nash ) on this exquisite live recording that returns the clarinet to its rightful role at the forefront of jazz.
Anat Cohen's sixth recording as a leader has her leading an all-star quartet in performance on a Sunday evening at the Village Vanguard in New York City during the centennial celebration of Benny Goodman. Appropriately, the clarinetist plays standards associated with the vaunted King of Swing, stretching the sound of her horn in extended versions of classic jazz with her own personal, tart, sweet flair. Pianist Benny Green, bassist Peter Washington, and drummer Lewis Nash are more than up to the task of supporting Cohen without any grandstanding whatsoever. The band is quite capable of fast, loose tempos as demonstrated during "Sweet Georgia Brown," "What a Little Moonlight Can Do," and especially "After You've Gone" which is generally heard much slower and somberly. Cohen's modern inclinations set her aside from Goodman on the sexy "St. James Infirmary," but she's also very respectful of tradition on ballads, blues-oriented tunes, and the unforced, easy swing of "St. Louis Blues." Solid if not unspectacular in the main, expressive for sure, Anat Cohen takes another unexpected turn in her burgeoning career with a traditional, vintage effort that may very well surprise her fans, and certainly please the older set. ~ Michael G. Nastos, All Music Guide |
