Rip Van Winkle

Track Listings

1. On Green Dolphin Street

2. Shari's Bolero

3. Tragic Magic

4. Embraceable you

5. Rip Van Winkle

6. Stella By Starlight

7. If You Could See Me Now

8. Red Top

9. The Theme

Editorial Reviews
From Jazziz
The title refers to the pianist's return to the jazz scene after a 20 year absence. While he veered off into pop songwriting and non-jazz activities, Mayer's abiding passion remains the hard bop of his New York City youth, spent in the company of Jackie McLean, Kenny Dorham, Pete LaRoca, and others. Since his recommitment to jazz in 1991, Mayer has released three albums that display rhythmic verve and harmonic subtlety.

This offering, recorded live at the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles, might be subtitled "Mayer in a Mellow Mood." With few exceptions, he's chosen material that rarely rises above a simmer. This sameness of musical outline diminishes Mayer's vitality. His aces in the hole are drummer Harold Mason, whose potent pulse strains at the contours of each cut, and the strong underpinnings of bassist Bob Maize.

Of the tracks found here, Kenny Barron's surging "Tragic Magic" walks off with the honors. It bubbles with Mayer's rhythmic drive,undoubtedly his strong point. "Stella by Starlight" moves along briskly, with Mayer's right-hand filigree dancing over the rhythm.

But the swing that Mayer has demonstrated elsewhere often takes a backseat to introspection on Rip Van Winkle. An unaccompanied, rubato reading of "Embraceable You" features some lovely harmonic turns, but deflates the set's energy. The title track's sluggish refrain adds to the patina of inertia. At nearly ten minutes in length, "On Green Dolphin Street," one of the more threadbare items of jazz repertory, wears out its welcome in a hurry. Miles Davis's "The Theme," once a cutting-edge closer, now seems like a period piece, and even the loping "Red Top" adds to the feeling that we've heard most of this before.

--- Kirk Silsbee, JAZZIZ Magazine Copyright © 2000, Milor Entertainment, Inc.

Product Description
Straight ahead jazz-live trio recording

Rip Van Winkle

Rip Van Winkle,Jon Mayer Trio

Jazz Music: