Reviews:
"Three Card Molly" - Skipper and Crew
From LA Jazz Scene October 2005 - by Jim Santella
Featuring Mark Wagonner's passionate guitar, the Henry Franklin Collaborationwelcomes in a new year with positive thoughts for straight-ahead jazz.
It doesn't get much better.
Put this one at the top of our "best of" list for 2005.
The veteran bassist has come up with a winning formula in guitarist Waggoner, pianist Steve Katsuyama and drummer Tony Austin.
Together, they interpret this lovable program with a natural feel for what mainstream jazz means to our readers.
"Sister Cheryl" contains all the drama and powerful emotion that we recall from the song's origins.
Wagonner explores the melody while Katsuyama pulls out all the stops.
Franklin adds a pleasant, strolling bass line, while Austin plies his wares in a non-stop array of percussion textures.
Together, they stretch out for almost 10 minutes in an enjoyable parade of events.
It's like having old friends over for dinner - friends that you've not seen since the wedding.
Clare Fischer's "Pensativa," with all its Latin splendor, provides the session with a bouyant ambience that shows off the natural lyricism of both guitarist and pianist.
McCoy Tyner's "Search for Peace" seems quite appropriate for these trying times.
Slow and thoughtful, Franklin's Collaboration pours this one out with a thorough interpretation that's both introspective and exploratory.
They close the program with a Waggoner original that spins animatedly in a post-bop cyclone of energy.
Like a dose of vitamins, Three Card Molly pumps our love for modern jazz in the New Year and shouldn't be missed.
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