Reviews: Above The Clouds

Review: Audiophile Audition

Dave Glasser, alto sax - Above the Clouds (with Larry Ham, piano; Dennis Irwin, bass; Carl Allen, drums) - Arbors Jazz

Absolutely gorgeous sax timbre

Dave Glasser, alto sax - Above the Clouds (with Larry Ham, piano; Dennis Irwin, bass; Carl Allen, drums) - Arbors Jazz ARCD 19337 *****:

Have to admit I hadn't heard of Dave Glasser before, but he's played with Illinois Jacquet, The Count Basie Band, Clark Terry, Dizzy, Joe Williams, Lee Konitz and James Moody among others. Konitz was his first mentor.  What will strike you instantly is the absolutely gorgeous tone of his signature alto sound, reminding you of the best of Stan Getz, Paul Desmond and similar lyrical saxists.  But Dave keeps that gorgeous sound even on the uptempo tunes, where he swings hard but never gets harsh and gritty like some saxists.  Pianist Larry Ham is a strong partner in this quartet too. Recording quality is top-rate and the tunes can't be beat. Even the concluding corniness of the train sounds on I Been Working on the Railroad seem to work.  Don't miss the beautiful sound of Glasser!

Tracks: Can't I?, A Little Funky, Our Love Is Here to Stay, Stitt's Bits, Above the Clouds, Easter Parade, Tranquility, In a Sentimental Mood, Hidden Truths, Every Day I Fall in Love, Blues for Mat, I've Been Working on the Railroad.

 - John Henry

Review: All About Jazz

Dave Glasser blows a sweet-sounding alto saxophone, and he swings hard and gets down into the blues on this quartet recording, which brings past alto masters Johnny Hodges and Benny Carter to mind. It's in the beautifully lyrical story telling of an alto horn in front of a fluid, subtle rhythm team.

Glasser has played lead alto in Illinois Jacquet's big band and with the Count Basie Orchestra led by Frank Foster; he's also performed with a bunch of other giants, including Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Williams, Sarah Vaughan, Barry Harris and Lee Konitz.

Half of the twelve tunes on Above the Clouds are Glasser originals, and the tart ”Stitt's Bits” cooks on sizzling high heat. On the original title track, a gorgeously drifting ballad, Glasser proves his prowess with long, stretched out lines in front of a laid-back rhythm, with pianist Larry Ham bringing some very classy understatement to the accompaniment chores.

Glasser sounds as if he could fit right into the Duke Ellington Orchestra; his take on Duke's “Sentimental Mood” is a highlight. His playing takes on a late night mood, ruminating through the melody with perfect control of this beatifully melodic introspection. “Blues for Mat” gets into the highlight category, too—Glasser shows off a rich, resonant tone on his horn in front of the rhythm section of Ham (piano), Dennis Irwin (bass) and Carl Allen (drums), who ease down deep into a relaxed blues groove.

Review: The Musicians' Ombudsman

Above the amalgam of tons of reed players out there in the ether, emerges Dave Glasser (as the name of his new CD project so aptly resounds....Above the Clouds!!!)

Dave is in possession of an alto sax sound that can only be described as 'eminently listenable.' We as listeners are beginning to expect more from our jazzmen, & I suggest to my readers that Dave equally expects more from himself personified by his artistic delivery. His handle on such things as harmonic & rhythmic implication as well as harmonic motion & rhythmic activity is apparent in his take of Duke's 'Sentimental Mood.' As I listen to the level of talent of this pioneer as he explores his beloved jazz idiom, I am reminded that Dave is of the ilk of jazz player capable of bringing the art of improvisation to an new peak of maturity.

- George W. Carroll