Savannah Samurai

Savannah Samurai

Alto saxophonist Charlie Mariano has been gigging and recording and wowing listeners since the late 1940s, when he earned his stripes playing in bands led by Stan Kenton and others. But like his fellow altoist Bud Shank, Mariano ditched stylistic allegiances long ago (right around the 1970s) and here presents a solid, punchy session. It's quickly lean, geared in clipped grooves laid down by drummer Jeff Hirshfield, bassist Dieter Ilg, and guitarist Vic Juris. Mariano sounds as though he's moving ever on-the-one as he slowly reels off phrases on "Children Steps" and then moments later waxes lyrical on "Luna Doone," only to turn variously into a quick-witted speed freak here, a swamp pop star there, and another, longer-winded type of lyrical player on the four-part "Climate Suite." The quartet's laconically taken tunes bear witness to Mariano's decades on the road, grafting styles atop each other so that you could envision the band tearing through a free-jazz frenzy or playing smooth pop-jazz or robust bop heads. Mariano has never gotten his just deserts, and <I>Savannah Samurai</I> once again shows how much he deserves them. <i>--Andrew Bartlett</i>