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Record Label Profiles
Anzic Records
Elliott Simon
Elliott enjoys music with energy, chops and tension; whether it be from the mainstream or the outermost fringe.With We Used to Dance (2007), Frahm, a rich tenor player in his own right, has put together the perfect quartet to pay tribute to everyone's tenor tonal deity, Stan Getz. He discussed his feelings on Getz and on playing with Getz' rhythm section: pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Victor Lewis. "Playing with the aforementioned trio was a special treat...I knew from those records what kind of feel I could expect. The two things I did in order to make sure I didn't turn the record into a slavish Stan Getz tribute were writing my own tunes for a majority of the record and then just taking a deep breath at the session and truly playing the way I play." The result is a wonderfully contemporary tribute to a true giant.
Rounding out the Anzic catalogue are two beautiful double CD releases that feature labelmates in big band formats. Live at the Jazz Standard (2007) showcases Jason Linder's Big Band. Many Anzic artists honed their chops at Smalls and Lindner's big band emerged out of that heady '90s scene with a weekly engagement at that very fertile Village jazz proving ground. The Waverly 7's Yo! Bobby (2007), a tribute to the music of vocalist Bobby Darin, is in many ways the ultimate Anzic experience. In an ensemble composed of all the Anzic artists plus Scott Robinson on baritone sax and guitarist Vic Juris, songs sung by Darin are given the Anzic treatment of youthful exuberance, eclecticism and creativity combined with technical excellence. Anat Cohen sums up that experience perfectly when she says, "Anzic gives musicians the freedom to be who they are. I love it. All these influences...they are all part of my path as a musician and all styles I have heard or played along the way. I think everything I hear becomes part of my musical world and at one point or another it will come out in my music—and my writing or my improvisation." She, the other Anzic artists and jazz fans everywhere are fortunate to have a vehicle like Anzic to make such music available.
