Go Jazz All Stars is a gathering of jazz musicians led by label owner and musician Ben Sidran, in order to form a touring band. This particular line-up features drums, tenor sax, and a revolving door of musicians and vocalists playing the Hammond B-3 , acoustic, and even electric piano.
The band serves up what can at best be described as a tepid mixture of light jazz and blues numbers. Mr Sidran sits in for the first 2 numbers before ceding his bench to blues singer Georgie Fame. Mr Fame's voice leaves a little to be desired ( my main beef about Mr Sidran too) but he does offer up an interesting version of Parchman Farm , where he plays some tasty Hammond. The next guest in the rotation is Charlie Wood . Though slightly stronger in the vocals dept, I find his delivery of the tracks somewhat lacklustre. His version of Ray Charles' Hit The Road Jack does allow for sax player Bob Rockwell to lay down some fine tenor sax lines. His smooth playing is really the glue that holds this project together. Mr Wood then launches into a bass pedal solo which is quite novel.Our final "All Star" to hit the stage is vocalist Gege Telesforo . This guy could give the 'sounds effects guy' from Police Academy a run for his money. On Man And Machine he recreates drums and other percussive sounds using only his mouth. Sidran returns to the stage on piano as Telesforo scats his way through Mumbles. The DVD closes with Blues Medley . Fame returns to the stage on electric piano.All vocalists take turns on lead voice as the song and disc come to an abrupt end.
A somewhat entertaining DVD but calling these guys "all stars"is pure hyperbole. Although I could be entertained seeing these musicians perfom in a lounge bar with no cover charge, I wouldn't actually buy tickets to one of their gigs. For fans of jazzy blues only.
Track Listing
- Mr P's Shuffle
- It Ain't Necessarily So
- Cool Cat Blues
- Parchman Farm
- One Kind Word
- That Note Costs A Dollar
- Hit The Road Jack
- Man And Machine
- Mumbles
- Blues Medley
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