It always brightens my day when a new CD from trombonist/composer Michael Vlatkovich arrives. His latest communiqué is With You Jazz Cat, nine new tunes arranged for an octet plus a short trombone and piano duet. The bittersweet opener is Mister 60, with a fine Vlatkovich solo, buoyed by the rhythm section of keyboardist (and recording engineer) Wayne Peet, bassist Dominic Genova, and percussionist Ken Park. Vlatkovich’s music draws on jazz of all eras, movie and cartoon music, and a whole lot more, all filtered though his idiosyncratic temperament and unique sense of humor. The mission seems to create an always fresh and always changing setting that frames and enhances the solo work by Vlatkovich and his confrères. Especially bright moments are provided by Peet’s soulful organ introduction to Friends 9113, a wild soprano sax solo by Andrew Park on Bob, the fish that discovered water, bassist Genova’s well-mannered solo on the Ellington-ish 011 ...... 923, the ensemble’s lush sonorities on Association of the Well Meaning, and of course, Vlatkovich himself. I was particularly knocked out by his endearingly melancholy solo on the ironically titled Nursing Home fashion show and his lyrical spot on Friends 9113, not to mention his gut-bucket style outing on Bob, the fish that discovered water. Check out With You Jazz Cat and you’ll be sure to find your own favorites. Happily recommended.
pfMENTUM PFMCD142; Greg Zilboorg, Louis Lopez (tpt) Michael Vlatkovich (tbn) Bill Plake (ts) Andrew Pask (ss, bari s) Wayne Peet (kybds) Dominic Genova (b) Ken Park (perc); Los Angeles, CA, 2018-2020; Mister 60/ Don’t know what you’ve lost until it’s gone/ Friends 9113/ Bob, the fish that discovered water/ Nursing Home fashion show/ 011 ...... 923/ I’ll show him who he thinks we are/ Association of the Well Meaning/ How is anyone going to recognize you without your disguise?/ Jazz Cat; 61:24. www.pfmentum.com
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