Philharmonic Standard Time

Thomas Stevens normally purveys the classics from his longtime perch as principal trumpeter of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, but he has always been a jazzer at heart (the story goes that Zubin Mehta hired him for the Philharmonic because Mehta thought Stevens had a Viennese sound when in fact, he was just doing Miles Davis!). In any case, Stevens takes a busman's holiday here by performing some standard tunes written by composers (Johnny Green, David Raksin, Bronislaw Kaper, Henry Mancini, Victor Scherzinger, Ferde Grofé) who had some affiliation with the Philharmonic — usually through pops concerts at the Hollywood Bowl. Although it is definitely a jazz album, with a fine mainstream rhythm section (pianist Terry Trotter, bassist Tom Warrington, drummer Ralph Penland) backing several tracks and plenty of improvisation, Stevens affects a sustained classical tone quality — and while he can phrase like a jazzman, he chooses not to swing much. But he certainly can turn on the swing when he wants to; check out "Tangerine" and "On the Trail." So what we have is a hybrid, a conversation about jazz with the formal feeling of a classical recital. Yet despite the low-key atmosphere, the tunes emerge with genuine conviction and emotion, particularly when Stevens dons a mute for "Invitation," and "While My Lady Sleeps." No doubt Stevens prefers the steady paycheck of the Phil to an uncertain existence as a jazzman, leaving this disc as a tantalizing example of what he could do if he changed his mind. ~ Richard S. Ginell, Rovi