The 1995 shipboard concerts featuring tenor saxophonist Flip Phillips and clarinetist Kenny Davern are full of memorable moments, though, as liner note writer Gene Lees points out, the music heard defies being pigeonholed into any specific category. With a terrific rhythm section consisting of pianist Derek Smith, guitarist Howard Alden, bassist Milt Hinton, and drummer Joe Ascione, both musicians are in top form. The songs include a wide range of material, from classic jazz ("Royal Garden Blues") to standards ("Please Don ...
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The 1995 shipboard concerts featuring tenor saxophonist Flip Phillips and clarinetist Kenny Davern are full of memorable moments, though, as liner note writer Gene Lees points out, the music heard defies being pigeonholed into any specific category. With a terrific rhythm section consisting of pianist Derek Smith, guitarist Howard Alden, bassist Milt Hinton, and drummer Joe Ascione, both musicians are in top form. The songs include a wide range of material, from classic jazz ("Royal Garden Blues") to standards ("Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone," with a great ballad treatment by Davern), and exciting originals by Phillips ("Flip's Dido" and "Miki's Dream") and Davern ("Elsa's Dream"). Alto sax great Phil Woods walks on to join the band during an extended workout of "Lover Come Back to Me." Like all recordings made by Chiaroscuro during its annual Floating Jazz Festival, this one's a keeper! ~ Ken Dryden, Rovi
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