Record of the Day: Ben Webster, “The Warm Moods”

Ben Webster
“The Warm Moods” (Cd Reprise 8122-73721-2)

In 1960, Frank Sinatra, then at the height of his popularity, started his own record label, Reprise Records, not only to gain complete control over his own recordings but also to give space to many of the jazz musicians that The Voice admired. Over the course of five years, Reprise released records by Duke Ellington (who recorded “Afro Bossa” for Reprise), Bud Powell, Dollar Brand, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Barney Kessel, Shorty Rogers.
The company’s debut album was “The Warm Moods”, by the celebrated saxophonist Ben Webster (also from the ranks of Ellington’s band) who, by combining the warm and enveloping voice of the sax with the sounds of the ensemble arranged by Johnny Richards (a former collaborator of Stan Kenton), recreated the delicate atmospheres of the records made by Webster in the 50s for Verve together with Ralph Burns.

Richards’ arrangements, although technically flawless, tend a little too much towards sentimental atmospheres but Webster avoids any sentimentality thanks to his unmistakable timbre that has crossed different eras in the history of jazz, from swing to
bebop, always with absolute mastery.
Phrasing with an unrivaled melodic sense, Webster once again makes compositions such as “Stella by Starlight”, “Time After Time”, “But Beautiful” and “I’m Beginning to See the Light” shine, stretching his voice on the soft carpet of the strings (in this case a quartet) and concentrating his attention on the masterly enunciation of the themes rather than on pyrotechnic solos, charging each note with intensity and not taking a step more than necessary; after all, many critics have highlighted the distinctly vocal quality of Webster’s sound.

Throughout the album Ben is supported with great discretion and good taste by the rhythm section formed by Donn Trenner (piano), Dan Bagley (double bass) and Frank Capp (drums).
Since its release, the album has been an authentic manual of jazz performance for many saxophonists (and not only), a demonstration of the saying “less is more”.
Reprise has always stood out for the spectacular technical quality of its records and “The Warm Moods” is no exception,
giving us back the full sound of Webster through a recording with perfect definition and natural sound.

Carlo Boccadoro, composer and conductor, was born in Macerata in 1963. He lives and works in Milan. He collaborates with soloists and orchestras in different parts of the world. He is the author of numerous books on musical subjects.

This text is taken from “Lunario della musica: Un disco per ogni giorno dell’anno” published by Einaudi, courtesy of the author and the publisher.