November 2000

L.A. JAZZ SCENE
CD REVIEWS

LARRY VUCKOVICH
Young At Heart
(Robbins-Tetrachord Music)

One of the surprises of the Monterey Jazz Festival was getting to hear pianist Larry Vuckovich’s “Young At Heart” band. Although I think of Vuckovich as a bop-oriented pianist, his current group is a swing combo featuring the twin tenors of Jules Broussard (who also plays alto) and Noel Jewkes (who takes some spots on clarinet and flute). Their debut CD features the sextet in spirited form.

With guitarist Josh Workman, either Nat Johnson or Buca Necak on bass and drummer Harold Jones offering steady support, the ensemble swings through such numbers as Neal Hefti “Why Not,” “Jumpin’ With Symphony Sid,” “Jumpin’ At The Woodside” and “Ornithology.” The only originals are Vuckovich’s “Besame Macho” (a new melody played over the changes of “Besame Mucho) and Jewkes’ “Lester People.”

Broussard and Jewkes both mix together the influenes of Lester Young and Illinois Jacquet, Vuckovich emulates Count Basie in spots and the music is always joyful, creative within the framework of mid-1940s jazz and swinging. The rise of the Retro-Swing movement has helped make groups such as these more plentiful, a very happy development in the contemporary jazz scene. Get this CD! (available from Robbins-Tetrachord Music at lvuckovich@usa.net)
-Scott Yanow

Please see below a review of the “Young At Heart” ensemble from jazz critic Scott Yanow’s overview of the September 2000 Monterey Jazz Festival

This review closes with two of the surprises of the festival. Pianist Larry Vuckovich’s “Young At Heart” band featured exuberant swing as performed by a two-sax septet. After all of the modern music heard throughout the weekend, it was a joy to hear such songs as “Jumpin’ With Symphony Sid,” the “Groovin’ High Mambo,” “The Lady’s In Love With You” and other standards. With Jules Broussard and Noel Jewkes taking many fine saxophone solos and Vuckovich’s spots recalling Nat King Cole, Red Garland and Oscar Peterson, this was one of the happier surprises of the weekend.