- Artist: The Tiptons
- Rating:
- Release Date: October 01, 2005
- Genre: Jazz
Review
The Billy Tipton Memorial Saxophone Quartet can be a cumbersome name to haul around, so shortening it to the Tiptons was the logical, almost inevitable step. Luckily, name length is all the group cut down; the music remains as generous as ever. Tsunami features sax players Amy Denio, Jessica Lurie, Sue Orfield, and Tobi Stone jumping, jiving, and wailing in time and in tune. This is not a contemporary classical sax quartet, nor is it an avant-garde jazz outfit à la Rova or World Saxophone Quartet. The Tiptons' music is equal parts Italian avant jazz (they even cover a tune by Carlo Actis Dato), klezmer, and ragtime. Two Raymond Scott tunes serve as anchor points for the newcomer -- everyone knows "Powerhouse," if only for its many uses in movies and TV commercials, and the ladies give it a nice spin. But the main attractions are the originals, each member contributing at least one composition. Denio's "Darling, Please Don't Wake Me" opens the set with a strong proposition, highlighting the quartet's tightness and sharp, springy ensemble sound. Lurie's "Gypsy Wedding" provides another fine moment, with the help of drummer Will Dowd (elsewhere on the album, Elizabeth Pupo-Walker adds lighter percussion). But, the prize for most moving number goes to Orfield's "Sleepytown," a piece serving as a reminder that Denio is also a fabulous singer (something she seems to want listeners to forget lately). The album concludes with "Crni Vlak," an all-out Eastern European romp, and a fitting finale to a fun-filled, easy listen. ~ François Couture, Rovi| Tsunami (2004 Album by Cell Division) | |
| Tsunami (2010 Album by Engel B.) |
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