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ONE WAY Recommends [Issue
#22] David Sills By
Scott Yanow
Down The Line
(CD
Origin)
Dwight Sills is an excellent 35-year old modern mainstream tenor-saxophonist with
an appealing tone, gathered together some of Los Angeles’ top jazz players
for this effort. Sills utilizes altoist Gary Foster on some selections, usually
alternates pianist Alan Broadbent and guitarist Larry Koonse, and has fine support
from bassist Putter Smith and drummer Tim Pleasant. The music is mostly modern
hard bop. There are five originals by Sills including a spirited romp on the “I
Got Rhythm” chord changes (“Down The Line”), a song apiece from
Antonio Carlos Jobim (the bossa “If You Never Come To Me”), Broadbent,
Koonse and Sam Rivers (“Beatrice”), and a pair of standards. Of the
latter, Sills debuts his flute on the medium-tempo blues “Bag’s Groove”
and caresses the melody warmly on “Never Let Me Go.” Many of the more
exciting selections are when Foster interacts with Koonse. But even on the Foster-less
tracks, the playing is first-rate, swinging and inventive within the hard bop
tradition. Fixtures in Los Angeles-area clubs, all of these musicians deserve
greater recognition. Down The Line showcases them well and is easily recommended
to fans of straight-ahead jazz.
