I always think of Chet Baker more than Frank Sinatra or Miles Davis when someone interprets I Fall In Love Too Easily.
Time to revise that opinion and put Jeremy Pelt in the frame instead. That’s more than a strong perhaps on this showing.
Pelt ain’t singing. For what it’s worth and it is worth it there are other great versions. Avishai Cohen Triveni’s a decade ago on Dark Nights is also formidable – there’s a beautiful piano line from Gerald Clayton on it and a vocal from Keren Ann Zeidel that sits nicely with what Gabrielle Cavassa does on the new Joshua Redman.
But here if it’s a points decision ding, ding the verdict lands in Pelt’s favour. There’s tasty soloing from vibist Joel Ross and pianist Emmet Cohen too.
It’s on an album led by the Wyntonian drummer, someone even as good as Tain or Herlin Riley – Joe Farnsworth.
Pelt has had a great year – reader: you gotta hear Woven. Let’s hope he is over playing Ronnie’s or other top clubs on the UK scene soon again.
The bassist you hear on this version of the Jule Styne classic is Yasushi Nakamura who spreads his dream under your feet. Who could ask for more.
Full marks yet again to producers Paul Stache and Damon Smith. Smoke Sessions is for me the top US straightahead label at the moment following on from other gems recently such as Eric Reed’s joyous Out Late that the sharp suited Farnsworth is also on. What they do isn’t trendy – labels and acts that try to be never are. Musicianship is all. Fake that at your peril.
Joe Farnsworth, photo: via Smoke Sessions on Bandcamp
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