Saturday, December 6, 2008

CD of the Day - "John Klemmer: Arabesque"

CD of the Day
John Klemmer: "Arabesque" (ABC/Verve) 2008

Originally recorded for the ABC label in 1978, this album now re-appears on Verve's Originals series, in a digipak cover. Reissue supervised by Harry Weinger.
Produced by Stephan Goldman & John Klemmer, it features the LA-based tenor saxophone player surrounded by string arrangements (courtesy of Ian Freebairn-Smith) and an all-star cast. Oscar Castro-Neves plays both acoustic guitar & cavaquinho on three songs ("Paradise," "Desire" and "Nothing Will Ever Be The Same Again Forever") and percussionist Airto Moreira adds more Brazilian spice on four tracks.
Also featuring: Pat Rebillot (acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes), Victor Feldman (piano solo on "Desire"), Roger Kellaway (piano solos on "Paradise" and "Mardi Gras"), Abe Laboriel (electric bass), former Return To Forever member Lenny White (drums) and Weather Report Peru-born Back in 1978, "Arabesque" (heavily influenced by Gato Barbieri's albums at that time) peaked at # 4 in the Billboard Jazz Albums chart and reached # 83 in the Pop list.

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