Live!

Live concert recordings are not as common in the contemporary instrumental genre as they are in some others, which makes “Jeff Oster Live!” something special. Although in reality, everything Jeff Oster does is pretty special. Writing about this album and performance is something I feel particularly qualified to do since I was fortunate enough to actually be at the concert in the San Francisco Bay area where the album was recorded. The album is comprised of 7 tracks from Jeff’s extensive song catalog, many of which are extended versions in the 9 to 10 minutes range, providing plenty of room for everyone to showcase their formidable talents. The band included guitarist Todd Boston who is a rising star as a recording artist and producer in the new age genre, fretless bassist maestro Michael Manring who was the house bassist for Windham Hill Records as well as playing on many other projects including my own Ambient Alchemy album with Steven Halpern, drummer Celso Alberti who has played with Steve Winwood and many others, and last but certainly not least, keyboardist Frank Martin whose extensive credits include playing with Sting at Carnegie Hall! The concert also featured special guests Jeff Taboloff on sax and vocalist Roberta Donnay, as well as vocal loops by Melissa R. Kaplan on one track. The master of ceremonies, Jeff Oster, who plays flugelhorn and trumpet, has quite an impressive musical resume himself and his “Next” album includes GRAMMY winning recording artist/producer Nile Rogers, as well as studio legends Bernard Purdie and Chuck Rainey. Using a variety of electronic effects like reverb and echo, Jeff’s horn sound ranges from drifting ambient washes of sonic color to Miles Davis-influenced jazz phrasing, and more. His duets with sax man Jeff Taboloff absolutely brought the house down! The ensemble cruises through the songs like a well-oiled machine covering a nice variety of musical styles including ambient, smooth jazz, world music, and funk that ranged from slow rolling to seriously smoking. They even got a bit psychedelic on a tune from “Next” called “Half A Cookie.” A real crowd pleaser was their heart-wrenchingly beautiful instrumental cover of Bonnie Rait’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” which is also featured on “Next.” The excitement is palpable right from the start in the cheering of the crowd as Michael Manring’s funky bass line launches the band into the opening track, “Serengeti.” The musical communication between the band members seems almost telepathic as they swing between slamming funk and more mellow spaces. “Jeff Oster Live!” captures virtuoso performances by one of the best bands I’ve heard in a long time. While I’m grateful to have been there for the recording, I’m equally grateful that it is now available for everyone else to enjoy. Most highly recommended! To read a full-length feature article on this album, as well as others, please visit: MichaelDiamondMusic.com