Jim Beard - Lost At The Carnival

Jim Beard - Lost At The Carnival
Label: Lipstick RECORDS LIP 89027-2
Format: CD, Album
Country: Germany
Released: Mar 10, 1998
Genre: Jazz
Style: Post-Bop
Tracklist
1 Step Inside Beard 6:18
2 Chunks and Chairknobs Beard 5:36
3 Pumpkin Fat Beard 5:14
4 Holiday Beard 4:54
5 Lost at the Carnival Beard 7:41
6 Jigamarie Beard 6:58
7 Grace in the Bubble Beard 6:32
8 Michigan Roll Beard 5:33
9 Poke Beard 5:32
Credits
Jim Beard: Keyboards, Percussion, Piano, Producer, Synthesizer
David Beck: Artwork, Cover Art
Joachim Becker: Executive Producer
Greg Calbi: Mastering
Dave Cozzie: Assistant Engineer
Bill Evans: Sax (Soprano), Sax (Tenor)
Stan Harrison: Clarinet, Clarinet (Bass), Flute, Flute (Alto)
Jon Herington: Guitar, Harmonica, Percussion, Producer
Phil Magnotti: Engineer, Mixing
John Montagnese: Assistant Engineer
Steve Rodby: Bass (Acoustic)
Arlene Sandler: Photography
Bill Ward: Cymbals, Drums
Scooter Warner: Drums
Notes
Pianist/composer Jim Beard applies his masterful hand as an arranger to this collection of delightful oddities. "Step Inside," with its "Big Bad Wolf" piano melody over a drum machine leads us down a couple of blind alleys, then opens onto a sparkling piano solo, while "Pumpkin Fat" features Bill Evans's spiraling soprano saxophone over a bed of piquant woodwind chords. Beard seems more interested in suggestion and nuance than in overt display of piano pyrotechnics. Best of all, it's funny without being slapstick--instruments appear then drop out, key changes come and go, songs drift off without announcing the end.LOST AT THE CARNIVAL suggest a meeting of Groucho Marx and Miles Davis, or perhaps Errol Garner and Stravinsky. Beard has a deft partner in crime in guitarist Jon Herington, who would go on to record memorably with Steely Dan, among others. Herington contributes stinging, economical leads and rhythm work that owes as much to Freddie Green as Steve Cropper. Favorite moment: the intro to "Holiday," a barrelhouse piano lick that leads to an abrupt key change. Like the rest of LOST AT THE CARNIVAL, it's refreshing.

Price: 18.- €