Roger Davidson, piano; David Finck, bass; Paulo Braga, drums
A delightful, lighthearted romp to celebrate the one-hundredth anniversary of Richard Rodgers's birth. Davidson plays from the heart with joyfulness and a big inner smile; drummer Paulo Braga, a veteran of fifteen years with Carlos Jobim, brings the bossa nova feel, and David Finck has some nice solos to add on bass.
Each of the thirteen songs is a gem from the master; a lighter interpretation of tunes like "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" relaxes its pompous element, a determined effort to lift sentimentality and let the light and breeze in. "Edelweiss" also gets the upbeat treatment.
There is a snappy "The Surrey with the Fringe on Top" and "Oh What a Beautiful Mornin'" to finish could well have been the coda, encapsulating in its idea the feeling of this CD.
by Ferdinand Maylin
Jazz Now Interactive September 2005 Vol 15 No. 5 - Table of Contents
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