Review of CD - Woody Witt - by Kelly Dean at JazzHouston

With his debut release, Woody Witt has managed to hit the high-water mark in every category that defines a successful CD.

Let's start with his tone: While Witt's approach to the instrument clearly pays homage to the past masters, his tenor sound is quite firmly in the here & now, owing more to contemporaries like Bob Mintzer or Michael Brecker. The sound is captured masterfully by engineer Mike Sunjka, who manages to avoid the shrill sax sound that happens far too often in the studio. Both the tenor and soprano sounds are full-bodied and a joy to listen to.

Woody's fellow musicians are a mighty talented bunch, bringing with them decades of recording & performing experience. Drummer Tim Solook provides the perfect foil to Witt's hard-driving sound. Witness Solook's aggressive interplay on "Wood," where the drum/sax duo is used to great effect after the initial melody statement.

Pianist Joe LoCascio has built up an impressive catalog of his own releases over the past three decades. While there are numerous examples of his great swinging abilities, LoCascio's way with a ballad is particularly impressive. On "You Know I Care" he seamlessly transfers the reins from Woody's solo to the piano, and then proceeds forward with a crystal clear interpretation of his own.

David Craig, a fixture on the Houston jazz scene since the 80's, handles the bass duties here with aplomb. While most of his work here is in a supportive role, he does take center stage occasionally, as in his solo on "Through The Fog." A critical listen will also reveal his Keith Jarrett-like vocalese....

Four of the pieces ("A Child's Dance," "Homage," "Through The Fog," & "Trance") are Witt compositions. LoCascio contributes two ("My Idea Of Fun" & "Wood"). The remaining two tunes fall under the category of forgotten standards. "Who Cares?," a George & Ira Gershwin song, may not be one of their best known melodies, but it's likely that way due to the sheer volume of Gershwin's output. And pianist Duke Pearson's "You Know I Care" caught Woody's attention through Joe Henderson's version, but it has also been recorded by Art Farmer, Mark Levine, & Jim Snidero.

Though there's a lot of great music to sift through, the standout track may be "Trance," a 12+ minute excursion that gives LoCascio, Witt & Craig ample room to cut loose, with Solook propelling the music along masterfully.