Larry Schneider - Summertime In Sanremo (2015)

What is so appealing about Larry Schneider is his ability to absorb so many different styles of jazz and to do it well. Previously, he has shown an affinity for Ornette Coleman and Sonny Rollins, and here you can hear Bird and Trane with a touch of Rollins, but no Ornette. Schneider's version of "My One and Only Love" features the sort of thin-toned melody line that Coltrane expressed so well. Schneider follows up with a stunning solo. The backup, consisting of guitar, vibes, bass, and drums, is adequate, but it is Schneider who lights the fireworks when they occur. His appealing, big tone is most effective on the ballads, such as "The Days of Wine and Roses" or "You Don't Know What Love Is." Even on the faster tunes, such as "The Night Has a Thousand Eyes," his throaty tone steals the show. Bird's "Mohawk" is taken at a relaxed pace, but the leader double times it, not giving in an inch. All the compositions are not up to snuff, but on the ones that are, Schneider sets the pace. ~Steve Loewy