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| Saxophonist Paul Carr Releases 2nd Solo Album, Just Noodlin' on Jazz Karma Records Saxophonist Paul Carr announced the release of his second album as a leader, Just Noodlin', on Jazz Karma Records. The outing features a who's who of DC-based musicians as well as featured guest soloist Terell Stafford, a longtime friend. "Terell used to appear with me when I had a weekly gig at Takoma Station in Adams Morgan, " says Carr. Since those days, Stafford has gone on to become Director of Jazz Studies at Temple University and has recorded as a leader for MaxJazz. He has appeared on over 100 recordings as a sideman. Here Stafford's refined tone and technique are showcased alongside Carr's burly Mobley-inspired tenor. His first release in over 10 years, Carr returned to the studio after many years comfortably playing society gigs and teaching literally hundreds of students in his basement office. Carr's wife Karmen had a lot to do with getting him back in the studio: "Paul had become a little bit too comfortable with his normal routine. It was about time for another recording." "I had wanted to get back in the studio for a long time, " offers the leader, "but I was very happy doing what I was doing with my teaching and playing." Just Noodlin' tries for the soulfulness and intensity that Carr's bands get on stage. Composed of all complete takes without overdubs, Carr says "I wanted a live feel to try to approximate the sound that we get live on a club date." In addition to Stafford, pianist Andrew Adair (formerly of Donald Harrison's band), bassist Gavin Fallow, and drummer Steve Williams (25-year-long accompanist to Shirley Horn) make up the core of the group. Other tracks feature pianists Bob Butta and Vince Evans, bassist Michael Bowie(who has served as musical director for Abbey Lincoln), percussionist Sam Turner and drummer Harold Summey (1st prize winner of the first Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition for drumset). Carr weaves through a program of five originals and four standards including John Coltrane's reharmonization of George Gershwin's "But Not For Me, " a samba take on Burt Bacharach's "Alfie, " a stunning old-school rendition of "You've Changed, " and Hank Mobley's "Pat 'n' Chat." The title track, "Just Noodlin', " was written by happenstance as Carr was practicing his horn and playing around on the piano. "In the South, where I come from, they call this noodlin', " he says. The melody brings the 1960s Blue Note sound to mind, while the solos remind the listener that the musicians are very firmly rooted in the present. Pianist Andrew Adair's comping recalls McCoy Tyner while the aggressive playing of drummer Steve Williams highlights the rhythm section's hard-grooving style which lets the soloists stretch out as they would on a jam session. "I was inspired to record Bill Carey's 'You've Changed, ' while listening to the Dexter Gordon album, Ballads. I just love the way Dexter plays this tune." One can easily hear the influence of Hawkins, Webster Gordon, and Coltrane in Carr's tone and stylistic approach. Another residual influence in Carr's sound is the signature post-bop vocabulary of Hank Mobley. Widely regarded as a great saxophonist, Mobley is rarely given his due as a composer. The catchy "Pat 'n' Chat, " first appeared on the saxophonist's 1963 Blue Note date, The Turnaround, but has rarely been recorded since. It is included here as a tribute to Mobley. Carr's uptempo rendering of Gershwin's "But Not for Me" was originally recorded as a departure from the original by John Coltrane with slightly altered chord changes and a different statement of the theme than the more familiar version made popular by singers such as Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, and Ella Fitzgerald. Carr does the majority of the noodlin' on this one, with a shorter solo by Adair. The last tune on the record features a quietly beautiful interpretation by Stafford with soulful obliggato lines by the tenor. "I originally played 'If I Can Help Somebody' with an exceptionally talented Washington-based vocalist, Ronnie Wells, " explains Carr. Ms. Wells owns and runs Jazz Karma Records and frequently calls on Carr as her saxophonist of choice. The piece lends a unique gospel quality to an album that is otherwise heavily blowing-oriented. write your comments about the article :: © 2006 Jazz News :: home page |