Block Party

Reviewed: 2018-03-01
Genre: Jazz
FCCs: none
Review: Block straddles different genres of jazz, mainly bop, with his versatile ensemble. He is one of those rare individuals fitting like a chameleon on different instruments and makes the clarinet a modern instrument. All reinvigorated gems from yesteryear except #8.
If You Like: Lou Donaldson, Ken Peplowski, Tal Farlow, JC Stylles,
Track Review (favorites denoted by *):
1/Dinner For One Please, James (7:32) – sax starts> midtempo jam> sax solo> piano solo> swinging clarinet solo> guitar solo> bass solo> midtempo jam> slow fade
*2/No, No, No (6:57) – piano starts> uptempo jam with Latin beat> guitar solo> sax solo> piano solo> bass solo> trade off of short solos> uptempo jam> quick stoop
*3/Light Blue (6:06) - piano/sax starts> slow jam> clarinet solo> piano solo> guitar solo> slow jam> slow fade
*4/Smoke Signal (5:03) – drums start> uptempo jam> swinging clarinet solo builds to fast tempo> drum solo> fast jam> quick fade
5/Wonderful One (6:41) – sax starts> uptempo jam> sax solo> piano solo> guitar solo> sax/guitar trade-off> uptempo jam> quick stop
*6/Beatiful Changes (6:59) - piano starts> midtempo jam swings up & then slows several times> swinging sax solo> sizzling piano solo> uptempo jam slows to midtempo> slow fade
7/By The Fireside (6:31) – guitar/sax start> slow blues> sax solo> guitar solo> piano solo> slow blues> fade
*8/Option Click (6:27) – sax starts> uptempo jam> piano solo> sax solo> guitar solo> jam> drum solo> uptempo hesitating jam> quick fade
9/Ain’t No Land Like Dixieland (5:51) – drums start> slow jam> bass solo> midtempo jam> sax solo> slow jam> clarinet solo> fade
*10/It Was Written In The Stars (6:02) – guitar starts> slow jam> clarinet solo> guitar solo> slow jam> sax solo> slow jam> fade