Hooray !!! Uncle Will's New Solo Album !!!



Will Lee's new record, Birdhouse ... a collaboration between Will and his dad, paying tribute to the great Charlie Parker...

About BirdHouse :
This jubilant celebration of Charlie Parker's music is not only a paean to the legendary alto saxophonist and bebop pioneer who died on March 12, 1955 at the age of 34, it is also a family affair that unites father and son in their first-ever recording project together.

Dr. William F. Lee III (or Bill to his friends) is a jazz educator of much renown who co-founded the International Association for Jazz Education and served as one of its past presidents and executive director. An academic innovator, he held positions of professor, dean and vice president at St. Mary's University, the University of Texas at Austin, Sam Houston State University, The University of Miami and the University of Texas at San Antonio. He is also an acclaimed author, having penned stellar biographies on such jazz greats as Stan Kenton, Bill Evans and Maynard Ferguson. What is not so well known about Dr. Lee is that he actually gigged with Charlie Parker back in 1950 when he was a 21-year-old aspiring pianist, fresh from North Texas State University and eager to get his feet wet on the New York jazz scene. And he couldn't have fallen into a more eye-opening situation than to be sharing the bandstand with the fabled Bird.



BirdHouse's Musicians :
Bill Lee - Piano
Will Lee - Bass
Billy Hart - Drums
Michael Brecker - Saxophone
Randy Brecker - Trumpet
Warren Chiasson - Vibes
Bob Dorough - Vocals
Lew Soloff - Trumpet
John Tropea - Guitar

Track List :
1. Confirmation
2. Now's The Time
3. Yardbird Suite
4. Ornithology
5. My Little Suede Shoes
6. Cheryl
7. Au Privave
8. Lover Man
9. Donna Lee
10. Hot House
11. Quasimodo (Tribute)
12. Thriving On A Riff
(Ayo didengerin ini sound sample-nya... pencet2 aja link-nya...)

Track Review :
The opener, "Confirmation", kicks off with a boppish fanfare from Michael Brecker as if to herald the oft-repeated sentiment that "Bird Lives !" Following that initial burst from Brecker's tenor, the band settles into an easy-grooving mid tempo romp with Billy Hart setting a relaxed tone alongside Will's steady walking 4/4. Dr. Lee's agile comping provides a harmonic tether for Michael's heroic tenor work, which soars to some exhilarating double-timed heights during his Bird-like improvisation.

Next up, trumpeters Randy and Lew take center stage on a rousing rendition of Bird's bluesy "Now's The Time". After negotiating the familiar head (a catchy melodic nugget which would later be reprised as the ‘50s pop hit "The Hucklebuck"), Brecker and Soloff each take a turn at extended soloing. Soloff goes first, bristling with energy and bravura chops. Brecker follows with a more deliberate approach, smearing the occasional note while sailing briskly and cleanly over the changes. Dr. Lee answers with a frisky piano solo of his own marked by mercurial right hand runs and adamant left hand stabs.

Vocals marvel Bob Dorough makes his presence felt with typical ebullience, spreading the good word about Bird on the boppish anthem "Charles Yardbird Parker Was His Name (Yardbird Suite)". A former schoolmate of Dr. Lee's back at North Texas State University (Class of ‘49), Dorough makes his allegiances clear as he eulogies Bird in song. Vibist Warren Chiasson enlivens this track with a sparkling solo and some brisk exchanges with drummer Hart. Dorough, the eternal hipster, contributes some wildy uninhibited scatting and some heated exchanges of his own with Hart. Dr. Lee's piano solo here rises to the occasion of this spirited studio romp.

On "Ornithology", a Parker tune based on the chord changes to the jazz standard "How High The Moon," Dr. Lee displays a keen sense of harmony and a solid sense of comping here along with a slightly eccentric left hand that at times recalls Thelonious Monk and a quicksilver right hand that is informed by Bud Powell and Oscar Peterson. Randy Brecker's trumpet work here is pure of tone and swinging from start to finish.

Vibist Chiasson returns to front a mellow, calypso flavored reading of Bird's "My Little Suede Shoes", and then Soloff glides his way through the challenging "Cheryl", nonchalantly showcasing his remarkable facility along the way.

Guitarist John Tropea leads the way on a swinging uptempo blues romp, "Au Privave". Following a burning Charlie Christian flavored solo by Tropea, Dr. Lee jumps into the fray with another frisky two-fisted piano solo in which he slyly tosses off a polka quote. Will responds in kind to the rollicking vibe of the track with his one of only two bass solos on the project. On the other side of the dynamic coin is an intimate duet of "Lover Man". Billie Holiday's melancholy signature piece, pairing Dr. Lee's lush piano voicings with Soloff's haunting muted trumpet. Their stirring, unhurried reading provides for some of the most moving moments on BirdHouse .

After Dr. Lee's solo piano intro alluding to "Back Home In Indiana", the band jumps on Parker's "Donna Lee", the bop anthem based on that same tune. Guitarist Tropea and trumpeter Soloff run stride-for-stride through the tricky unison head with aplomb before yielding to Tropea's nimble, bluesy solo. Lew follows with a typically compelling solo, starting briskly on muted trumpet before removing the mute and kicking into his patented high note mode with a touch of Armstrong swagger to boot.

The trio of Dr. Lee, Will and Billy Hart is augmented by vibist Chiasson for a faithful version of Tadd Dameron's bop staple, "Hot House", which has Bill sneaking in another polka quote in the middle of his solo. And Dorough returns to pay another loving tribute to Bird in delivering Sheila Jordan's lyrics set to Parker's "Quasimodo".

The swinging collection closes on an upbeat note with "Anthropology - Thriving On a Riff", another vehicle for Michael Brecker's astounding tenor work which also features a stunning solo contribution from trumpeter Soloff. Bill's bouncy solo here reflects the fun that this crew was having in the studio on this particular day. And drummer extraordinaire Hart elevates the proceedings with his brisk, buoyant and interactive touch.

words by RiesAp 8:16 PM

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