Barney Wilen, Philippe Petit - Flash Back (2003) flac

Tracklist

01. Blues starch
02. Nuages
03. Round midnight
04. Impressions of Paris
05. Mr Martin
06. Flashback
07. Mode a la mode
08. Besame mucho

The name Barney Wilen evokes a strangely sentimental feeling. In his youth, he actively collaborated with top American jazz musicians who had come to Europe, resulting in several "classic albums." This was in the late 1950s. His hard-bop style shows traces of Rollins. From the 1960s onward, he leaned considerably more towards freeform, demonstrating a sensitivity to the times.

However, I believe he became most familiar to Japanese listeners around the end of the 1980s. His smoky tone, reminiscent of Getz, and smooth phrasing were very pleasing to the ear, and his ballad performances, though mature, possessed a certain allure—yes, a Parisian man. Having navigated various challenges and experienced his share of life's hardships, this might have been his best period. This is a live recording of a duo concert with guitarist Philippe Petit from that time.

The performance unfolds like two like-minded individuals having a pleasant conversation in ample space, making you involuntarily relax. From the opening with a leisurely blues to the ending with the bossa nova-tinged Track 8, it's a deeply satisfying experience, much like a long tea time. Throughout his life, he never had the grand image of a giant or a master, but he was a good saxophonist, the kind of person whose downcast profile you'd want to see somewhere. This is a masterpiece, like a forgotten treasure he left behind in this world.

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