Jim Snidero

Strings

Milestone MCD-9326-2

Jim Snidero, alto saxophone, flute; Renee Rosnes, piano; Billy Drummond, drums; Laura Seaton, concertmaster; Mark Feldman, Joyce Hammam, Cenovia Cummings, Paul Woodiel, Sue Lorentsen, violins; Ralph Ferris, Kenji Bunch, violas; Thomas Ulrich, Mary Wooten, cellos

Musica Jazz, an Italian Jazz magazine offering a CD with every issue, first brought Jim Snidero to our attention on a sampler titled "Piano Today"! The sampler featured Snidero with Benny Green from their 1991 CD, "While You Are Here". Our reaction then, as now, was Wow! why isn't this guy a superstar? With a steam up Snidero reveals something of Cannonball Adderley, but we suspect that the occasional similarity in tone is more a matter of chance than intention. Anyone hiring Renee Rosnes nowadays is going to get good music by anyone's standards. The album comprises, of course, a great deal of writing for strings, with the leader and rhythm section performing between and above it all. Mark Feldman's violin is featured well, and the rest of the strings are voiced beautifully, and are lifted far beyond the dangers of producing mere "mood" music. Snidero is relentlessly inventive in his solos. Rosnes again and again proves what a tremendous asset she is to any date. There is some beautiful music here. Highly recommended.

by LawrenceBrazier

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