It's impossible to discuss Jazz music in the past fifty years without discussing the work of Gil Goldstein, Paul Motian, and Steve Swallow. ObliqSound has brought these three legendary names, led by saxophonist Pietro Tonolo, together for the first time on Your Songs - The Music of Elton John.
With careers dating back 6 decades, members of the quartet have performed and recorded with the likes of Stan Getz, Bill Evans, and Bill Frisell. Your Songs - The Music of Elton John is the latest chapter in both the distinguished history of these musicians, and the eclectic world of ObliqSound.
"Jazz musicians are always seeking relatively unexplored territory, as many standards and established jazz compositions have been recorded far too often. Saxophonist Pietro Tonolo is not the first jazz musician to release a CD of rocker Elton John's compositions, whose music initially seems rather unpromising for improvising. But Tonolo recruited pianist Gil Goldstein, bassist Steve Swallow and Paul Motian for this session and together they have some success. Tonolo sticks to tenor sax for most of the session, with Goldstein doubling on accordion to add some spice to "Tiny Dancer." Swallow's intricate solo sets up a surprising take of "Your Song" (one of John's earliest hits), with Tonolo making a delayed entrance on soprano sax following Goldstein's piano solo. The band is at their most adventurous with a rollicking take of "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" leaves John's famous recording behind in the dust."