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Two West Coast Bop veterans convene in a duo conference on (“No Place to Hide”). Eschete’ has the more estimable vitae, with stints in the bands of Ella, Sarah, Dizzy and Warne under his belt, but Weiss shows himself to be an improviser largely on par. The set proves aptly named as these two have only themselves to blame if the interplay stumbles or falters. This without-a net atmosphere is probably the main reason why the program is pregnant with standards. Things get off to a rickety start on a fast slalom through Rollins’ “Pent Up House” as the two players get a little tangled in the unison head, but once they diverge into complementary lines, clarity ensues. Weiss’s clarinet tone steers mainly into the instrument’s liquid upper register, sounding almost like a flute at times. And there are moments where his phrasing sounds a bit methodical, as on his unaccompanied introduction to “If I Had You,” but Eschete’s sure-fingered chording usually compensates. Other tunes, such as “Lover Man,” evidence a remarkable synergy as Weiss flutters expressively through changes, buttressed by Eschete’s detailed harmonic cluster. The call and response antics of “Now Is the Time”, which opens disc two, demonstrate another facet to the duo’s prismatic partnership as Weiss weaves circles around Eschete’s anchoring chords. Tracks segue smoothly one to the next and nothing seems overly rushed. On certain pieces, like “I Love You” where the guitarist switches suddenly to a surprising run along his bass strings, the level of dialogue reaches heights reminiscent of the classic Giuffre/Hall encounters of the late Fifties, and that’s perhaps the finest superlative of all. Each man seems comfortable in the driver’s seat and they regularly switch lead and accompanist roles with Eschete coming out with the slight edge in the former role. The songbook is obviously generous, perhaps a bit too much so, but it’s still impressive hearing the pair consume such an exhaustive set of music and retool familiar melodies to their stripped down specifications. An atmosphere of relaxed amicability pervades and it’s obvious that these two are having a grand time conversing. However, spread over two full discs, the freshness of their interaction does begin to fade by the time the closing numbers of the second session present themselves. Eschete’ and Weiss prove once again what creative music fans have known for years - that involving improvised music can be made with the simplest of instrumental combinations and without the support of a traditional rhythm section.
Derek Taylor
Cadence Magazine
September 2003.
Rating:  [5 of 5 Stars!] |
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