Night Talk
With his latest album, NIGHT TALK, the brilliant arranger and bandleader Mark Masters delves deep into the Alec Wilder catalogue, crafting a vibrant, richly hued collection to spotlight one of jazz’s most gifted and singular voices: baritone saxophonist Gary Smulyan. Backed by the virtuosic Mark Masters Ensemble, a stellar line-up featuring four horns and an impeccably swinging rhythm section, Smulyan explores Masters’ imaginative reinterpretations with the emotional eloquence of a great singer paired with the dazzling agility of a master soloist. NIGHT TALK embraces the shadowy grandeur of Wilder’s compositions, from the evocative noir influenced cover photograph to the dark-tinged luxuriance of Masters’ orchestrations. The pieces are given thrilling new life by the remarkable ensemble, which includes saxophonists Don Shelton and Jerry Pinter, trumpeter Bob Summers, trombonist Dave Woodley, pianist Ed Czach, bassist Putter Smith and drummer Kendall Kay. The cream of the West Coast scene, these musicians have forged long-standing musical relationships with one another and with Masters, in some cases dating back as much as three decades.
- Kim Giles, New World ‘n’ Jazz
Alec Wilder is a composer too often overlooked when talk turns to important composers of classic pop. While the Wilder songs included when listing standards of the great American Songbook are limited, he was far more prolific than most would imagine, and his lack of recognition is most probably due to the fact that his tunes tended to be more sophisticated than popular tastes found palatable. On NIGHT TALK: The Alec Wilder Songbook (Capri 74162) The Mark Masters Ensemble featuring Gary Smulyan offers up a nine-song program that includes one selection that will be familiar to almost all listeners, “I’ll Be Around,” one quite popular with jazz players, “Moon and Sand,” and a couple that have been recorded by vocalists who dig deeply for fine tunes that fly under the radar, “I Like It Here,” and “Lovers and Losers,” but the balance of the tunes…are all interesting but obscure. Masters has assembled a superb band…one that matches the New York City based Smulyan with a cast of premier Los Angeles area cats. Smulyan takes to the Wilder material with fervor and an infectious creative spirit that matches the engaging charts penned by Masters.
- Joseph Lang, Jersey Jazz
The Mark Masters Ensemble is a tight knit and imaginative Octet which can stake their claim on mining the gold contained in Alec Wilder’s popular catalogue as evidenced by their dedication to the album NIGHT TALK: The Alec Wilder Songbook…The nine compositions for this session were arranged by Masters and are filled with voicing and coloration that capture the essence of these Wilder Compositions. Starting with “You’re Free,” this ramped up chart takes off from the opening bars with Gary Smulyan’s boisterous baritone sax riding over the band. The chart is filled with distinctly fluent lines and slicing swing arranged in a manner which gives the octet a big band sound. The working relationship between arranger Masters and Smulyan has existed for some 21 years and hence there is a mental telepathy between the two men which gives them a recognition of shared purpose. Accordingly they deliver a session which is flowing with impetuous articulation and shimmering solo showcases…This is an ambitious and harmonically sophisticated retelling of some of Alec Wilder’s compositions.
- Pierre Giroux, All about Jazz
Frank Sinatra admired his music, but Alec Wilder is probably better known today as the author of an erudite study of what’s become known as The Great American Songbook. Masters, an accomplished arranger and bandleader, helps restore the balance in these spry re-workings of Wilder’s own compositions. If they don’t always remain faithful to the restraint of the source material, the zestful baritone saxophone of Gary Smulyan – Masters’ longtime collaborator – more than makes amends. He teaches that ungainly instrument to dance.
- Clive Davis, Times of London’s Sunday edition
Brilliant Arranger and Bandleader Mark Masters has just released his latest CD, NIGHT TALK, performed by The Mark Masters Ensemble. The topic of this CD is the songs of Alec Wilder who is considered to be one of the favorite composers of the 20th century. Masters has always selected the finest jazz musicians to join his ensemble and he invited…Gary Smulyan to lead the charge…The result is the creation of a wonderful new piece of creative music. What makes Masters’ approach to arranging so special is that Mark uses the music he carefully selects for his ensemble as a starting place and then recomposes the material so it becomes original and new again!
- Musicmanblog.com
…masterful…Leader, arranger, producer, chief cook and bottle washer Masters has crafted nine tremendous settings reminiscent of the work of such creative minds as Marty Paich, Bill Russo, Gil Evans and, say, Gerry Mulligan…If you don’t hear a better album this year I’ll not complain…
- Lance Liddle, Bebop Spoken Here
This CD is plush with harmony, swings hard and has tightly executed arrangements that send this ensemble soaring into the big band jazz universe. Alec Wilder is the composer of all the songs and The Mark Masters Ensemble amply interprets them with fire and finesse. All arrangements are written by Masters. Gary Smulyan’s beautiful, rich sound on his baritone saxophone immediately grabs the attention. His tone is smooth as satin, as he creatively improvises or boldly sings out the melody. There is no doubt that this project shines brightly, spotlighting the dynamic Wilder compositions and brilliantly showcasing a crème-de-la-crème of some A-game, Los Angeles musicians. Mr. Masters has long been heralded as one of the great, modern-day jazz arrangers.
- Dee Dee McNeil, Musical Memoirs
Vintage sounds and shadows.
- Jazz Weekly
The nine piece Mark Masters Ensemble features the great baritone saxophonist Gary Smulyan throughout this wonderful excursion through Wilder’s songbook. Wilder once said, “I don’t believe the layman has any notion of the miraculous chain of events which occur when a jazz musician plays.” NIGHT TALK exemplifies those events and they are miraculous!
- IsraBox, Music Is Life
NIGHT TALK esemplifica quegli eventi e sono davvero miracolosi! Smulyan esplora le reinterpretazoni fantasiose de Masters con l’eloquenza emotive di un grande cantante abbinata all’agilita abbagliante di un maestro solista.
- Il Sibilo Del Silenzio