The Gordon Beck Trio: “Not the Last Waltz”

(Art of Life AL1008-2)

Discography | Digital Downloads | About the Music | Selected Quotations

Gordon Beck: piano Bruno Rousselet: acoustic bass Philippe Soirat: drums CD $9.99 To purchase this CD using PayPal, please click the "Add To Cart" button below.

Einbahnstrasse (Listen with Real Audio: lo-fi) Miss Day (Listen with Real Audio: lo-fi) Everything I Love Not The Last Waltz (Listen with Real Audio: lo-fi) Announcements This Heart Of Mine (Listen with Real Audio: lo-fi) Race Against Time Blues In 'G' (Listen with Real Audio: lo-fi) First Trip * (Listen with Real Audio: lo-fi) * Bonus Track Recorded live at the Petit Opportun Club in Paris, France on January 10, 2003.

Digital Downloads {top}

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About the Music {top}

Recorded live at the Appleby Jazz Festival in Cumbria, England on Sunday July 27, 2003. This is the debut recording featuring Gordon's new trio. Featuring Bruno Rousselet on acoustic bass and Philippe Soirat on drums. This 74 minute live recording features 60 minutes of music from the Appleby Jazz Festival and a 14 minute bonus track recorded live at the Petit Opportun Club in Paris, France on January 10, 2003. This recording was digitally recorded and digitally mastered with 24-bit technology.

Selected Quotations {top}

Gordon Beck should be considered one of England's best-kept secrets, since most of his recordings as a leader haven't been issued outside of Europe. This English concert is a happy exception, so the New World should understand what European jazz fans have been raving about for decades. Right away, Beck shows himself to be a mature leader, generously featuring solos by bassist Bruno Rousellet and drummer Philippe Soirat in his bouncing treatment of Ron Carter's "Einbahnstrasse." His post-bop blues "Miss Day" suggests a complex lady with many facets, hinting at her mystery with a dissonant introduction before opening up its theme to a much brighter setting. Beck introduces Cole Porter's "Everything I Love" alone, in a subdued mood, switching to a brisk tempo as his group joins in, with Rousellet adding another fine solo, backed by Soirat's crisp brush work. "Not the Last Waltz" actually has a waltz rhythm, but its furious theme and lively tempo would tire most dancers in a hurry. The elegant lines of Beck's treatment of "This Heart of Mine," with Rousellet's independent bass line, suggests the influence of the Bill Evans Trio, though the late-lamented pianist never recorded this standard. The English portion of the CD concludes with "Blues in G", a sauntering, catchy groove that doubtlessly set its audience in motion shaking and foot tapping along with it. The final selection, Ron Carter's "First Trip," was recorded in Paris six months earlier; Beck's extended workout is infused with complex variations of its bluesy theme. This top-notch CD deserves to be the one to make the jazz community as a whole to take notice of the extremely talented Gordon Beck.
Ken Dryden - All Music Guide