Bud Shank

In the '50s, Bud Shank, Bill Perkins, and Conte Candoli were all closely identified with jazz's Cool School. Essentially, cool jazz was bebop, but bebop played with subtlety and restraint instead of aggression. As the years passed, however, all of them moved away from cool jazz and opted for a tougher, harder approach. No one can accuse Shank of mellowing with age; in fact, the alto saxman played a lot more forcefully in his sixties and seventies than he did in his twenties and thirties. Shank turned 74 on May 27, 2000, and on this 2000 release, he isn't exactly taking it easy. Leading a sextet that boasts Perkins on tenor sax, Candoli on trumpet, Bill Mays on piano, Bob Magnusson on bass, and Joe LaBarbera on drums, Shank brings a lot of passion to Silver Storm. Most of the CD is straight hard bop, and Shank is as focused and inspired on Frank Rosolino's "Blue Daniel" and Gerry Mulligan's "Idol Gossip" as he is on his own compositions, which include the Art Blakey-ish "Big Mo" and the Brazilian-influenced "Cotton Blossom" (a tune that was originally called "Sambinha"). The biggest surprise comes when the sextet makes a totally unexpected detour on Shank's "Perkolator," a number that finds Perkins on soprano sax instead of tenor. Even moderately improvised free or chamber jazz would not be expected from a group that includes some ex-members of the Lighthouse All-Stars; nonetheless, all of the players rise to the occasion. But for the most part, hot-blooded bop is the thing that prevails on this fine addition to Shank's sizable catalog. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide