Rapport

Ron Kaplan - High Standards

 

Ron Kaplan, Smith Dobson. Donny McCaslin Jr., Paul Contos, Stan Poplin, Steve Robertson. Kapland Records

Jazz singers come and go; few have staying power. Kaplan is one you can bet will be around for some time. First, he's a true jazz singer who knows his way around a tune, swinging in the irreverent manner that made singers like Mark Murphy, Jackie Paris and Mel Tormé stars. Kaplan's a musician first and foremost, using his voice as an integral part of the jazz mode. His take on Summertime is a knockout, the man is in charge of the set. When he performs the old Dizzy Gillespie composition A Night in Tunisia he fits the music like a glove offering enough personal differences to make you pay attention. As a piece of variety, he takes Antonio Carlos Jobim's Dindi, leading off in a conversational manner. When Frank Sinatra made a hit out of the tune, it was that of a pop singer adapting the Brazilian music to his own talents; here Kaplan does the same but there's an even deeper jazz touch to the music. And much has to be said about this supporting cast, notably McCaslin Jr. on tenor sax and Dobson on piano, who contribute to this memorable interpretation. McCaslin's horn leads off the Mel Tormé composition, Born to Be Blue but Kaplan's voice, sad and emotion-filled, maintains the very bluesy feel of the tune. McCaslin Jr. and Dobson round out the music giving the whole entry a deeper and impressive result. Although Horace Silver's trademark tune, Song For My Father has rarely been performed as a vocal, when you hear Kaplan deliver the lyrics, you realize that, as good as Silver was instrumentally, Kaplan has performed very deserving words to the music. And giving credit where credit is certainly due, Dobson's piano work on the music is expert and Poplin's bass and the soft drums of Robertson make this a very unique and impressive outing for all concerned.

There are many goodies on this disc. Autumn Leaves, Angel Eyes, Lazy Afternoon and My Favorite Things are other fine offerings. And when Kaplan returns to the works of Horace Silver with Senor Blues you know that Kaplan is very special, indeed. The slap-dash piano, the Poplin bass and Robertson's percussion make the whole disc a beauty. W.Y.