Musicians: Dan Jacobs (trumpet), Chuck Jacobs (bass), Randy Dorman (guitar), Rod Jacobs (drums), Jonathan Jacobs (drums), Lynn Hammann (drums), Tom Roady (percussion), Brian Kilgore (percussion), Daniell Hebert (background vocals).
Review:
The world is full of good musicians who work hard in studios and on tours with various bands, playing a variety of music styles flawlessly, yet whose names never become household musical calling cards. Trumpeter/flugelhornist Dan Jacobs is this type of musician. Included in the list of artists he’s worked with are Woody Herman, Bob James, Bobby Shew, Roger Ingram, Bill Watrous, Rob Smith, Bill Chase, Clark Terry and Greg Gisbert. He has also recorded, toured or worked with Mel Tormé, Linda Ronstadt, The Four Tops, Aaron Neville, The Lettermen, Kenny Rogers, Billy Dean and in the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar (rock opera). In addition to his two CDs as a leader he has produced over 30 other albums for others. After a long stretch of working in California Jacobs today calls Lower Michigan his home.
Blue After Hours is a collection of eight covers and one original done in a sweetly singing manner. The music is all performed in a quartet setting (guitar, bass, drums) with the occasional augmentation of light percussion or background vocals. The disc is softly seductive without the need for splash, overproduction or flaunting of technical chops. Tasteful is the watchword here with the reason being the incredibly clean and erudite playing of the rhythm section. Randy Dorman’s guitar is right out of the Ed Bickert school of playing only what is necessary and no more – perhaps the hardest style of jazz guitar to master. When combined with understated drumming (each of the three rotating drummers does Jacobs well in support) and Chuck Jacobs’ cool bass lines the result is music which serves the style and not the ego. It’s too bad there’s not more music recorded with this as the aim.
At times Dan Jacobs’ beautiful lines and arrangements beg for a loft of string accompaniment. “Like Someone In Love,” for example, would have fared well in the new Sinatra-treatment style ala Chris Botti environment, with the exception being Jacobs’ work brings more extended improvisation to the mix and a much fuller, darker, smoother and more luxurious tone than any mink coat, and twice as shiny. You won’t want to take the disc out of your player for just this reason.
The trumpet/flugelhorn overdubbing on Sting’s “Fields of Gold” is elegant and stylish at the same time. The interplay between Dorman and Jacobs on Dorman’s “Blues d’Jour” is what jazz is all about. The light electronic treatment on “Dream Sketches” is handled just as tastefully as everything else on the recording. Nothing happens fast and there’s certainly nothing flashy on this recording, “Look for the Silver Lining” does swing a bit, but if you love music for the sake of the music you won’t go wrong with this CD.
Tracks: Blue, Angel Eyes, Like Someone In Love, Don't Know Why, Fields of Gold, Amor En Paz, Blues d'Jour, Nadalin, Dream Sketches, Look For The Silver Lining
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