Ballads for Audiophiles

A relaxed set of ballads highlighting Hamilton's mastery of the swing ballad style.

For this 2017 release, tenor saxophonist Scott Hamilton presents an aptly titled disc of quartet music. "Ballads for Audiophiles" accurately sums up the album, which is a set of well-recorded, laid-back ballads. For his rhythm section Hamilton picks pianist Paolo Birro, bassist Aldo Zunino, and drummer Alfred Kramer.

The ten tracks on the album are all standards, though some of them will be more familiar than others. For instance, there are the commonly played standards "Everything Happens to Me," "Moon River," and "All or Nothing at All," but there are also a few more obscure standards like Billy Reed's "The Gypsy," or a bluesy take of Bobby Troup's "Baby All the Time." Interestingly there are two tunes by Gordon Jenkins; the first is "This Is All I Ask" and then the album closes with Jenkins' fitting "Good Bye." Another interesting choice of cover tunes is Jobim's "Se Todos Fossem Iguais a Voçe," taken with a slow bossa feel that, paired with Hamilton's romantic tone, can't help but remind you of Stan Getz.

Hamilton is known for his traditionalist, swing-based approach and he doesn't change the formula here. From his highly melodic phrasing of the melodies it's clear he took the time to learn each tune's lyric and in his improvisation he favors clear, simple ideas that build and resolve logically. His lyrical style is obviously heavily influenced by Lester Young and at times, Coleman Hawkins, though his slightly more modern tone (meticulously recorded and mixed) elevate him somewhat beyond just a mere imitator. The rhythm section wisely mirrors his traditional approach and play extremely simply, supporting Hamilton but never overshadowing him.

The title should clue you in on what to expect on this album. Nobody would describe Hamilton's approach as progressive, but rather looks to the past for inspiration. The focus on ballads allows Hamilton and Co. to find a specific mood and sustain it for the duration of the hour-long set.