Mark Turner: Ballad Session (Warner Bros. 9 47631-2).

Mark Turner: Ballad Session (Warner Bros. 9 47631-2)

Tenor saxophonist Mark Turner, who at least in the photographs included in this CD bears a striking resemblance to the Indiana Pacers' Reggie Miller, shows in this CD that he has the potential for being as big a star on the jazz circuit as Mr. Miller is in the NBA. Ballad Session features a crack lineup of Turner on tenor, Kurt Rosenwinkel on guitar, Kevin Hays on piano, Larry Grenadier on bass, and Brian Blade on drums. The ballad selection is also sterling, starting off with Gershwin's "I Loves You Porgy" and ranging over cuts such as Wayne Shorter's "Nefertiti," Hoagy Carmichael's "Skylark," Paul Desmond's "Late Lament," and several others. The musicians really seem to enjoy playing these classic tunes; Rosenwinkel deserves special mention, as he is able to blend perfectly into the texture of the music, never calling overt attention to himself, but adding immeasurably to the beauty of the sound. Brian Blade has a wonderful touch on the drums, so soft and sure and deft, and of course Turner himself sets the tone, playing with a tone at once caressing and confident, and always serving the music, never once seeming to be showing off. The engineers (James Farber with assistance from Tom Schick) also handle their instruments with skill and grace, making Ballad Sessions a delight sonically as well as musically. The end result is a superb production that I would recommend highly not just to jazz fans, but also to music lovers of all persuasions. - KWN