The Washington Post
Friday, February 20, 1998
Jim Snidero
"Standards + Plus"
Double-Time
Oddly enough, this album marks the first American label release for Jim Snidero, a Washington-bred saxophonist who's already won considerable acclaim for his recordings on foreign imprints. However, if Snidero sounds more at home than usual, it's probably because he's accompanied by friends who clearly share his affection and affinity for the timeless material at hand - the tunes of Thelonious Monk, Jerome Kern, Benny Golson, Vincent Youmans and other pop and jazz composers.
The alto saxophonist and his bandmates - pianist Mike LeDonne, bassist Dennis Irwin and drummer Kenny Washington - aren't out to reinvent the wheel here. Their respect for melodic and harmonic contours that give shape to such tunes as Monk's "Round Midnight," "Along Came Betty," and Kern's "Long Ago and Far Away" is always evident. Yet these interpretations have a decidedly fresh ring to them - a sometimes bluesy, sometimes boppish but more often brightly alluring tone that helps distinguish the quartet's performances.
Without taking long-winded liberties, Snidero explorers the music in both subtle and sunny ways, incorporating mood-setting cadenzas, vibrant harmonic twists and gliding improvisations into the band's theme-flattering design. LeDonne's vibrant touch and fluid phrasing consistently complements Snidero's approach, while Irwin and Washington negotiate the shifting tempos, textures and meters with their customary finesse.
- Mike Joyce
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