| Jazz |
Certainly, it’s a covers album, but one of rare distinction. And once again, thanks to the genius of these musicians, we can speak less of interpretation than of reinvention. What we’re offered here is this quartet’s own vision, casting new light on compositions by John Benson Brooks, Lester Lee, Bob Russell, and others. These are no easy standards, they’re complex works, originally crafted for musicians of the highest caliber, now given a thoroughly modern lens.
Last year, Israeli jazz guitarist Yotam Silberstein, equally fluent in bebop, blues, and the rich tonalities of North Africa and the Middle East, released Standards, an album whose apparent simplicity concealed remarkable depth. With an exceptional trio consisting of bassist John Patitucci and drummer Billy Hart, and featuring the legendary tenor saxophonist George Coleman on two tracks, Silberstein delivered a masterful reimagining of tunes linked to Miles Davis, Rodgers & Hammerstein, and other giants of the genre.
A familiar idea, yet far from ordinary. Jazz Weekly called the trio “suave,” and praised the “exquisite” chemistry between Silberstein and Coleman. Bebop Spoken Here wrote, “Silberstein is a new name to me, but he’s now at the top of my list of must-hear guitarists.” Jazz Guitar Today hailed the album as a collection of “great songs from the American repertoire,” naming Silberstein “one of the finest guitarists on the planet.”
Jazz criticism often revels in details while missing the essence. But here, the strength of this project lies not only in its exquisitely sculpted arrangements but also in the rhythmic intelligence that brings a fresh voice to familiar material. The album is a testament to decades of experience, years spent engaging with a spectrum of musicians and cultures, that now coalesce in a work of rare cohesion and finesse.
“I’ve always loved playing standards,” Silberstein confides. “It’s something I’ve been passionate about for a long time. I tried to pick lesser-known tunes, hidden gems. I chose them carefully and tried to bring a personal touch.”
Mission accomplished. Having only recently discovered Silberstein’s work, I wasn’t surprised by the elegance of his approach, nor by his selection of titles, many of them nearly forgotten. The album opens with Blue Gardenia by Lester Lee and Bob Russell, immortalized by Nat King Cole in the 1953 noir film The Blue Gardenia. “He’s one of my absolute heroes, I call him the King of Song,” Silberstein says. “It’s usually a ballad, but we gave it a little groove.”
He describes John Benson Brooks’s Just As Though You Were Here as “a beautiful ballad my high school teacher introduced me to, a very important figure in my life, so this is a kind of tribute.” As for Sonny Rollins’s blues Tenor Madness, a tune whose lineage traces back to legendary drummer Kenny Clarke: “George just started playing it spontaneously in the studio, and we said, ‘Okay, let’s go with it,’” Silberstein recalls. “Totally spontaneous. Unplanned.
Take the time to listen to this album—it’s a treat for the discerning jazz ear. And just when things might risk becoming too polished, Delhia, with its subtle Middle Eastern flavors, arrives to spice things up at precisely the right moment. A beautiful touch, and above all, from where I stand, a deeply instructive album for younger generations of musicians.
Thierry De Clemensat
Member at Jazz Journalists Association
USA correspondent for Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor in chief – Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News
PARIS-MOVE, April 25th 2025
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Musicians:
Yotam Silberstein, Piano
John Patitucci, Bass
Billy Hart, Drums
George Coleman, Tenor Saxophone on Tenor Madness
Tracklisting (vinyl)
SIDE A
1. Blue Gardenia (Lester Lee and Bob Russell) 6:04
2. Just As Though You Were Here (John Benson Brooks) 4:43
3. Tenor Madness ft. George Coleman (Sonny Rollins) 6:01
4. Answer Me, My Love (Gerhard Winkler) 4:04
SIDE B
1. Bluesville (Sonny Red) 6:54
2. Delilah (Victor Young) 6:11
3. Wrap Your Trouble in Dreams (Harry Barris) 4:58
4. Portrait of Jennie (J. Russel Robinson)4:31
“Deluxe Version” (CD & Digital):
Blue Gardenia (Lester Lee and Bob Russell)
Just As Though You Were Here (John Benson Brooks)
Tenor Madness ft. George Coleman (Sonny Rollins)
Love Thy Neighbour (Harry Revel)
Answer Me, My Love (Gerhard Winkler)
Bluesville (Sonny Red)
Delilah (Victor Young)
Portrait of Jennie (J. Russel Robinson)
Bonus Tracks:
Wrap You Trouble In Dreams (Harry Barris)
The Girl Next Door (Hugh Martin, Ralph Blane)