Moonlight & Sax by Bruce Abbott with The North Star Jazz Ensemble

27 Feb

Written by Lee Prosser
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MOONLIGHT AND SAX is an outstanding collection of smooth jazz interpretations of jazz standards featuring the saxophone performances of Bruce Abbott and the piano performan…

MOONLIGHT AND SAX is an outstanding collection of smooth jazz interpretations of jazz standards featuring the saxophone performances of Bruce Abbott and the piano performances of Ron Fournier, accompanied by the mellow sounds of The North Star Jazz Ensemble and The Woodvale String Quartet. For those who enjoy great mellow smooth jazz, this collection of 11 songs is a perfect winner.

Songs include: Cole Porter's "Night and Day," Hoagy Carmichael's "Stardust," "The Shadow of Your Smile," "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes," Mancini's "Moon River," "Fly Me To The Moon," "Cry Me A River," "Mona Lisa," "Autumn Leaves," Gershwin's "Our Love Is Here To Stay," and the classic Sammy Fain's "I'll Be Seeing You." Every song in the collection is unique with its straight-forward approach and careful attention to harmony and melody. The performances are flawless.

Bruce Abbott is a master of smooth jazz saxophone, Ron Fournier is a master of smooth & inventive piano stylings, and a special nod to Roger Kimball on cello and all of the performers who set out to create a remarkable and memorable recording session. Marty Ballow is topnotch on bass, and the violin and viola section is firstrate.

This is a classic smooth jazz collection, and it should appeal to every jazz listener who enjoys the standards. MOONLIGHT & SAX is one of the finest collections of smooth jazz to appear a long time, and Bruce Abbott is the tops with his excellent saxophone performances. Highly recommended.

Additional Info

Artist / Group Name: Bruce Abbott with The North Star Jazz Ensemble
CD Title: Moonlight & Sax
Genre: Smooth Jazz
Year Released: 2002
Record Label: North Star Music
Musicians: Bruce Abbott, tenor, alto and soprano saxophones. The North Star Jazz Ensemble: Ron Fournier on piano; Paul Mason on drums; Marty Ballou, bass. The Woodvale String Quartet: Robert Curtis on violin; Lynne Canavan on violin; Lisa Kempskie on viola; Roger Kimball on cello.
Label Website: http://www.northstarmusic.com
Rating: Five Stars