The tenor saxophone and piano duo of Noah Preminger & Frank Carlberg performs ten well-traveled standards and jazz compositions (plus one Civil War-era traditional song) on the luminous Whispers and Cries. From the beginning, with their version of the ever-beautiful Gershwin melody of Someone to Watch Over Me, the pair digs deeply into their material and emerges with over a hour of gorgeous music that will touch even the hardest of hearts. Recorded in Boston’s Jordan Hall, an acoustically resonant concert space at the New England Conservatory, Carlberg and Preminger seem to revel in their astute interactions and far-ranging improvisations. While I hate to pick favorites when every piece is imbued with such delicate charm, I’ll mention the duo’s tender dissection of Monk’s Reflections and their playful stroll through These Foolish Things as just two of the album’s many successes. In a brief liner note, Preminger asks “What is better than creating music with a like-minded friend in such a context?” with the implication that nothing could be better. After thoroughly enjoying every minute of Whispers and Cries, I’m inclined to agree with him. Strongly recommended.
Red Piano RPR 14599-4431; Noah Preminger (ts) Frank Carlberg (p); Boston, MA, July 5-6, 2017; Someone to Watch Over Me/ Take the A Train/ Embraceable You/ Reflections/ The Meaning of the Blues/ These Foolish Things/ Try a Little Tenderness/ Aura Lee/ Tea For Two/ I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face; 67:35. redpianorecords.com
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