Great Duets

Performer: Jay Leonhart
Artist: Joe Williams; Bill Charlap; Junior Mance; Mike LeDonne; Bucky Pizzarelli; Richard Wyands
Engineer: Jon Bates
Distributor: Bayside Record Dist.

Notes: Personnel: Jay Leonhart (acoustic bass); Joe Williams (vocals); John Bunch, Bill Carlap, Eddie Higgins, Mike LeDonne, Junior Mance, Norman Simmons, Richard Wyands (piano); Gene Bertoncini, Bucky Pizarelli (guitar). Recorded live aboard the S/S Norway between October 26 and November 9, 1996. Includes liner notes by Carolyn Leonhart and Michael Leonhart. Audio Mixer: Jon Bates. Liner Note Authors: Michael Leonhart; Carolyn Leonhart. Recording information: s (10/26/1996-11/09/1996); S Norway, Caribbean Sea (10/26/1996-11/09/1996). Photographer: Rollo Phlecks. In October and November 1996, Jay Leonhart spent two weeks aboard the SS Norway, where he sailed around different parts of the Caribbean and was a prominent performer for the ship's "jazz cruise." During those two weeks, the acoustic bassist kept busy playing duets with Dave Frishberg and being part of the group New York Swing. Great Duets, however, doesn't focus on either of those activities, but rather, documents a series of intimate duets Leonhart performed with various pianists and guitarists. Embracing mostly bop, Leonhart is in good form on duets with guitarists Bucky Pizzarelli and Gene Bertoncini as well as pianists ranging from Mike LeDonne and Bill Charlap to John Bunch, Norman Simmons and Richard Wyands. The only vocal comes when Leonhart teams up with Joe Williams on the blues "5 O'Clock in the Morning," which was recorded when the singer was 77. Sadly, Williams' voice had declined considerably, and it's painfully obvious that he was way past his prime. But apart from Williams' weak performance, this is an enjoyable CD that Leonhart can be proud of. ~ Alex Henderson

JazzTimes (1-2/00, pp.125-6) - "...He swings, he sings, he walks, he leads, he follows, he accompanies, he plays jazz comfortably in most if its incarnations. And he does it all on [this record]....getting cozy with some old and new pals like Bill Charlap and Gene Bertoncini..."

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