“LIVE AT STUDIO 6”

Rich Crandall Trio

(Music Formats)

Jazz clubs were hard to find in Honolulu in the mid-1990s, but rather than complain from the sidelines, pianist Rich Crandall created Studio 6, a weekly jazz showcase at the Musicians’ Union building.

Crandall was the promoter and host; over the next 10 years he welcomed every jazz artist of note in Honolulu — Gabe Baltazar, Jimmy Borges, Lyle Ritz, Noel Okimoto and Azure McCall, to name five. A little more than 10 years ago, a friend got Crandall the clearances required to do some recording in the building. “Live at Studio 6” was captured on Aug. 22, 2006, with Dean Taba on acoustic bass and Abe Lagrimas Jr. on drums.

The trio was strong together, and the live setting gave all three room for improvisation. Some impressive solos have been recorded: Lagrimas gets the spotlight with a lengthy solo on “Don’t Worry ’Bout a Thing” while Crandall plays softly behind him. Taba solos with Crandall adding melodic accents on “Sweet and Lovely,” and Lagrimas and Taba step forward on “Joy Spring.”

Crandall gets his chance to stretch out for a mesmerizing solo on “The Peacocks.” Wish I’d been there!

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“RENDEZVOUS AT EIGHT”

Jimmy C

(Jimmy C)

“Rendezvous” is an international project. Maui resident Jimmy “Jimmy C” Coulter recorded his vocals and some of the percussion tracks on Maui.

Arranger Shiro Mori, the rhythm section and a guest vocalist did their thing in Tokyo. Most of the songs are old-time pre-rock era standards — think “The Way You Look Tonight,” “At Long Last Love” and “You Make Me Feel So Young.”

Fans of the Great American Songbook like standards to be played in traditional pop style, and arranger/pianist Mori follows the tradition. However, he also shows what he and his Japanese studio musicians can do as a self-contained entity with their instrumental coda to “One for My Baby (And One More for the Road).” The biggest break with tradition comes when Michael Franks’ 1976 album track hit, “Popsicle Toes,” is reworked as brassy pop. It’s a striking departure from Franks’ version but commendable nonetheless.

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