A Chet Baker title called Love For Sale, from Justin Time’s historical “Just a Memory” catalog, sat on my shelf for far too long. I finally gave it a spin and was astonished. Captured live in Montreal on March 7, 1978 (a day after my 10th birthday), Chet sounds old but in terrific form, backed by a young Phil Markowitz on piano, Roger Rosenberg on reeds (among them a scorching baritone), Jon Burr (of Mark O’Connor’s current trio) on bass and Jeff Brillinger on drums. Chet plays and sings; his scatting on “There Will Never Be Another You” is razor-sharp. Three of the cuts surpass 15 minutes; “Oh, You Crazy Moon” and “Love for Sale” are shorter. There’s nothing remotely nostalgic in the band’s sound — in its modern thrust, it practically echoes Woody Shaw’s groups of the time.
I’m also gratified to have Metamorphosis, the U.S. debut recording by alto saxophonist Yosvany Terry Cabrera of Cuba. This is a long overdue statement from a great player and his New York contingent, including Avishai Cohen on trumpet, Mike Moreno on guitar, Luis Perdomo on piano and a few different bass/drum matchups. May this be the first of many.
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