Album Notes

Review from Jazzscene monthly magazine: March 2005 issue.

West Coast Jazz Ensemble Earns * * * * 1/2 (out of 5)

Sail Away, West Coast Jazz Ensemble. If you like the classic LA work of the small groups that featured giants with names like Chet, Holman, Mulligan, Shank, Paich and a boatful of others, your going to be very happy with this CD.
The West Coast Jazz Ensemble is made up of a group of Portland cats who cherish that LA 50's ensemble sound. Like some of those groups, this one does NOT include a piano, and guess what, you won't miss it. Why? Because there's a lot happenin' in the arrangements and guitarist Christopher Woitach adds the comping that would otherwise be in the piano's job. The rest of the group includes leader and alto/clarinet man, Larry Nobori, as well as Rick Homer trumpet/mellophone, Michael Papillo, bass, and Chris Conrad, drums. The tunes, craftily arranged by Nobori and Homer, are etched-in-marble jazz classics with up beat melody lines and plenty of room to create. To name a few, how about Whisper Not, On A Misty Night, Joy Spring, Line For Lyons, If You could See Me Now, and Tom Harrell's beautiful title tune, Sail Away. You can visit them at www.wcjazz.com George Fendel; jazz critic, KMHD disc jockey, musician, writer.

Comments:

"......the CD's you left at the station were absolutely popular and the phones lit up after we played selections from the recording. It's an absolutely beautiful and lush piece of work". In regards to radio station KMHD 89.1 FM fund raiser on 3/25/'05.

Calvin Walker Development Director KMHD