One Night

The joy of jazz and indie record making lies in the artist's ability to do it all, to explore numerous styles without fear of reprisal from corporate entities more concerned with commercialism than art. Veteran New York saxophonist Marsha Heydt's colorful résumé boasts gigs over the years with Randy Brecker, Grover Washington, Jr., Bob Mintzer, and Bill Watrous, in addition to an appearance on the most prestigious Big Apple gig of all, the David Letterman Show. Her eclectic debut perfectly displays this range of traditional, contemporary, and Latin jazz, but in a more personal way, via a mix of bright originals and cool covers; yes, you've heard "Mercy Mercy Mercy" a million times, but Heydt still makes it a bubbly, old-school, soul-jazz good time. She is all over the map, but the travelogue is a blast, even if she saves her most adventurous groove for last on the South African flavored "Afrikaan." Her danceable, salsified opener lives up to its name "Good Feelin'," boasting some playful duet action with trumpeter Todd Schwartz over the hypnotic piano of Norman Pors. And just when you think it's a Latin jazz date, Heydt picks up her lovely flute and breezes through a tropical version of "Green Dolphin Street," and then digs deep into bluesy territory on a moody run through "You Don't Know What Love Is." The rest of the set is equally unpredictable and engaging, from her pop-influenced originals "One Night" and the dreamy vocal "I Want You to Know" (sung by Carla Cook), to a romp through Henry Mancini's "Days of Wine and Roses" and a classically tinged take on Alex North's haunting "Spartacus Love Theme." Purists who think Heydt is a bit too poppy can enjoy the saxophonist's trad jazz chops galore on a swinging roll through Thelonious Monk's "Well U Needn't."