Anton Schwartz
The Slow Lane

By Steven R. Rochlin
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Compact Disc Stock Number: AJ1002
http://www.antonjazz.com

  One of my friends insisted i get this CD because he felt it was some of the best new tenor sax jazz available today. This came from an especially close friend whose musical tastes i trust. When the CD arrived here i immediately played it and...

Anton Schwartz's The Slow Lane is filled with eleven songs and over seventy minutes of some of the most classic smooth sounding jazz that harks back to the greats of yesteryear. The smooth tone, technical prowess and ease in phasing show how truly gifted Anton is at playing the tenor sax. Of course a single musician does not a quartet make. Added to the mix is Paul Nagel on piano, John Shifflett on acoustic bass and Jason Lewis on the drums round out this truly mesmerizing musical feast.

The first song is titled "Miyako" and is a distinctive interpretation of the Wayne Shorter classic. While the information i have here says this performance was a "very spontaneous performance", it seems like an amazing performance which has been fine-tuned through the usual creative process. It just goes to show how well-seasoned these musicians are in playing of one another. All the truly great musicians can feel where the music's vibe is leading to and simply allow the ebb and flow to build accordingly. "Miyako is followed by a samba-like jazzy tune called "The Curve of the Earth" which is fun and playful. With nine other great songs rounding out this CD, i can not help but listen to it not just once, but twice today to fully drink up and savor this especially wonderful musical flavor.

Anton Schwartz's The Slow Lane has an abundance of wonderful solos to keep the music loving audiophile satisfied not just upon first listen, but after the hundredth too. Recorded on November 2-4, 1999 in Berkeley, California and produced by Bud Spangler and Anton Schwartz, this HDCD encoded disc is a must-have for every lover of classic tenor sax jazz music. It is good to hear a modern recording rival some of the greats from the golden age of jazz. More like this please!

Enjoyment: 95