HARRY ALLEN
Eu Nao Quero Dancar - I Won't Dance (RCA Victor)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

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This time out, tenor saxophonist Harry Allen turns his appealling airy tone and impeccable sense of swing toward a set of Brazilian styled tracks. I say Brazilian styled because while there are the obligatory compositions from Antonio Carlos Jobim and other Brazilian sources, there's also a samba stab at an air by Johann Sebastian Bach, an Allen original and the title track, a standard from Oscar Hammerstein and Jerome Kern.

It all works, regardless of origins, in part because of that afore mentioned impeccable sense of swing, and in part because of the strength of the ensemble that joins Allen on the album. The instrumental quintet is rounded out by Larry Goldings (piano), Dori Caymmi (acoustic guitar), Joe Cohn (electric guitar), Dennis Irwin (bass) and Duduka Da Fonseca (drums, percussion). Dori Caymmi and Maucha Adnet offer the vocal contributions. The contributions of each instrument and voice are highligted with effective feature roles, and the entire unit follows Allen's direction seamlessly.

There's as much interest in Brazilian sounds today as at any time since Stan Getz used his tenor to help spread the bossa nova wave of the sixties, and Harry Allen is another tenor man well equipped to carry the torch.

Track List:

O Pato * Corcovado * Desafinado * Once I Loved * Time Is Standing Still * Meditation * No More Blues * Air * I Won't Dance * If You Never Come To Me (Inutil Paisagem) * Doralice * Retrato Em Branco E Preto

© 1999 - Shaun Dale