Tom Rizzo's long-delayed debut recording as a leader is an impressive outing. Active since the early '70s as a professional guitarist, including stints with
the Tonight Show Orchestra (where he also contributed as a composer/arranger),
Maynard Ferguson, and
Blood, Sweat & Tears,
Rizzo started work on his dream project some six years prior to the record date. He recruited eight superb musicians, including two well-known names -- saxophonist
Bob Sheppard and
Bill Evans' final drummer,
Joe La Barbera, plus trumpeter
Bob Summers, trombonist
Nick Lane (who contributed most of the arrangements), tuba player
Ken Kugler, French horn player
John Dickson, pianist
Rich Eames, and bassist
Tom Warrington.
Rizzo shines as a composer, especially in his engaging duet on acoustic guitar with
Sheppard (heard on soprano sax), with the composer overdubbing his brief solo on electric guitar. His
"Sco-Mi" is a snappy hard bop vehicle with superb interplay. There are also several strong charts of jazz standards. The sizzling interpretation of
Sonny Rollins'
"Oleo" does not follow a predictable path. Opening with a punchy vamp, it lightly touches on the theme with the backing of unusual voicings, then showcases
Sheppard's original tenor and the leader's intricate bop guitar. Trombonist
J.J. Johnson's gorgeous
"Lament," though it takes on an even more bittersweet air with
Lane's sensitive scoring, showcases lush solos by
Sheppard,
Summers,
Eames, and
Rizzo in turn. The slow, luxurious setting of
Benny Golson's
"Along Came Betty" and the hip take of
Nat Adderley's blues
"One for Daddy-O," the latter arranged by
Kugler, also merit praise. This all-around excellent record date led by
Tom Rizzo merits a prompt follow-up session. ~ Ken Dryden
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