Benny Carter - Further Definitions

Benny Carter and His Orchestra
Further Definitions
1961

I could not decide what to write about this album. Which finally made me realize that it is just an average recording that isn't anything too special. I feel like a contrarian for holding that view since everything I have read about this record is very complimentary. But I just don't hear it.

First, too much saxophone. It pains me to write that. But all of the sax on this album just gives it the feel of a novelty. Not to the extent that the two Winding and Johnson trombone "choir" albums feel like a novelty, but enough that you wish someone would have suggested a little more restraint. Perhaps a brass instrument? Just something with a timbre that would be less saxophony, if you will forgive the expression.

Second, the charts feel constrained and stiff to me. It has that sweet (as opposed to hot) big band structure. I thought that sound had been relegated to dance halls frequented by blue-haired ladies in the Bronx by the late-40s, but apparently not. Here it is.

Third, (and this one is purely personal and not entirely fair) I don't like the sound of Collins' guitar. I am quite picky about jazz guitar, and this is a sound/tone/setup that is boring. Too many jazz guitarists blend into one another, it almost seems that being indistinguishable from others is a career goal for these guys. My problem is that whatever they play, they seem bored by it. This is quite clearly the selling point for some of these guys, and when done really well it can be brilliant. (Grant Green, "Idle Moments" which for my money is a top 10 jazz tune.) But if they  miss just a little bit, you end up with a performance that sound like it has been mailed in. That is what happens here.

Having said all that, this is a good background music sort of album.There is just enough individual instrumental brilliance to keep me lightly engaged, but it doesn't assert itself musically or creatively. You can ignore it when you need to. Which is why it has been hard to write this entry, this record was on all week and it never really grabbed my attention. Really bad music will grab it, really good music will too. This just sort of lay there, waiting for me. Good music should assert itself, and this just didn't seem assertive to me.

I am glad I own it. Nothing that I don't like about it is fatal to the album. To tell the truth there are several solos on it that are really great. But they don't really do anything new. Like a said, good background music, you don't have to worry about it actively distracting you, but if you need a couple of minutes of staring into space with a little musical accompaniment, this would work rather nicely.