Stan Getz Music

This is really Getz at his best. The Peacocks rocks, and the Chess Players--I would beg to differ with my North Hollywood friend who wrote the first review--is the rockingest tune on the whole CD. It is a tip top solo, sung and played in flawless unison. Elvin Jones is altogether not a bad drummer, in my humble opinion...

When Jimmie Rowles plays and/or sings, it's the real deal. He doesn't show off, he doesn't have to. He tears your heart out on "My Buddy" then parties on "Rose Marie". Jon Hendricks & Co. ruin "The Chess Game" with their sweet slick harmonizing, a mismatch on this CD. Just skip track 6 and all is good.

This is a wonderful record, and anyone who is a fan of Stan Getz will enjoy his excellent playing here, with great company -- Jimmy Rowles, an idiosyncratic and charming pianist who was somewhat underappreciated because he spent most of his career on the west coast, and the greats Buster Williams and Elvin Jones. A couple of performances here are real classics -- especially "The Peacocks", a beautiful tune which was also performed by some other fine musicians for the soundtrack of the film "Round Midnight." My only quibble is the Jon Hendricks vocal additions on two tunes -- he transcribed two of Getz's improvised solos and overdubbed sung versions of the solos later, so it sounds like Getz and the singers are improvising together. I find the effect weird. And especially on this GREAT performance of Wayner Shorter's "The Chess Players" (why is this incredibly swinging tune not played more often?) I dearly wish I could hear it without the voices. If anyone from Columbia happens to read this -- there are many of us fans out here waiting for a re-release of this album with a bonus track WITHOUT the voices. What heaven that would be.

This is really Getz at his best. The Peacocks rocks, and the Chess Players--I would beg to differ with my North Hollywood friend who wrote the first review--is the rockingest tune on the whole CD. It is a tip top solo, sung and played in flawless unison. Elvin Jones is altogether not a bad drummer, in my humble opinion...

When Jimmie Rowles plays and/or sings, it's the real deal. He doesn't show off, he doesn't have to. He tears your heart out on "My Buddy" then parties on "Rose Marie". Jon Hendricks & Co. ruin "The Chess Game" with their sweet slick harmonizing, a mismatch on this CD. Just skip track 6 and all is good.

This is a wonderful record, and anyone who is a fan of Stan Getz will enjoy his excellent playing here, with great company -- Jimmy Rowles, an idiosyncratic and charming pianist who was somewhat underappreciated because he spent most of his career on the west coast, and the greats Buster Williams and Elvin Jones. A couple of performances here are real classics -- especially "The Peacocks", a beautiful tune which was also performed by some other fine musicians for the soundtrack of the film "Round Midnight." My only quibble is the Jon Hendricks vocal additions on two tunes -- he transcribed two of Getz's improvised solos and overdubbed sung versions of the solos later, so it sounds like Getz and the singers are improvising together. I find the effect weird. And especially on this GREAT performance of Wayner Shorter's "The Chess Players" (why is this incredibly swinging tune not played more often?) I dearly wish I could hear it without the voices. If anyone from Columbia happens to read this -- there are many of us fans out here waiting for a re-release of this album with a bonus track WITHOUT the voices. What heaven that would be.

This is Stan at his best with a world class pianist, Kenny Barron. No rhythm section (it's not needed), just these to greats making incredible music. Their take on standards sounds so fresh, yet time-less. The melodic element is never lost as they interact musically. This is a must-have album for any jazz lover!

stan recorded this session with months left to live in a staggering carear of music making . to be joined on these absolutely transcendent tracks by his frequent collaborator and brother in all but birth , kenny barron , is a gift to all with the capacity to appreciate it .

I have Getz's records going back to the early 40's. I've followed his carreer and have listened live at many nightclubs in the 70's to early 90's. When he died I almost felt like a part of me had also. I could not get myself to listen to any of the last recordings. It was only about six month ago that I finally bought 'People Time'. It blew me away as I never would have believed his sound could be so strong and pure with his death so near. The greatest tune on this album to me is 'Surrey with the fringe on the top'! He showed he had not lost any tone or playfull, lyrical improvisation in this cut.
I recommend to every Getz fan and ANY Jazz fan of great saxaphone.

This live CD set was made while Getz was dying of cancer. Read all the reviews on this one.

I can only add that the final tune "Soul Eyes" on CD #2 starts off with Getz and Barron together and then Getz disappears after his solo. The tune and album end with Barron creating a heart-breaking coda by himself. Getz was silent. Getz was gone.

He died weeks later.

"The music on this recording is very special, not only because it is the last documented recording of Stan Getz, but also because the music is real, honest, pure and beautiful in spite of the pain or perhaps because of it." ~ Kenny Barron, September 1991 ~

For fans of Stan Getz who love to listen to his recorded live performances, "People Time" is the perfect double-CD to own. This is not only a remarkable offering from the legendary saxophonist, but also an essential and notable purchase considering that these tracks are his final live renditions that he recorded for four consecutive nights with jazz pianist Kenny Barron at the Café Montmarte in Copenhagen in March of 1991, three months before he died of cancer on June 6, 1991. I admire Getz' exceptional courage, fighting spirit, and most of all his love and dedication to his craft. Who would think that he was suffering from last stage of cancer when these performances were recorded?

On this two-CD-set, Getz shares the center stage with Kenny Barron, who flawlessly complements the saxophonist's extraordinary flair in playing his favorite instrument. Throughout the 14 pleasant-sounding, simple yet full of charms, lyrical and harmonious tunes, they showed off their respective style marked by absolute mastery in the interpretations, which are some of the very best in instrumental jazz ever recorded. The listeners will forever be pleased with some of the highlights such as "There Is No Greater Love," "Soul Eyes," "Like Someone In Love," "Gone With The Wind" and "East of The Sun (And West of the Moon").

Stan Getz is gone, but definitely will not be forgotten. He left behind a memorable body of work that jazz lovers will enjoy for all the years to come. The more you listen to his recordings, the more you will appreciate his exceptional artistry. I would consider this an essential add-on to any of his fans for the simple fact that this is his very last recording and his last public performance as well.

And this is also a welcome addition to fans of one of the greatest pianists in the world of jazz, Kenny Barron, who has written a heartfelt and memory-filled article about his collaborations and tours with Getz on the twenty-page CD booklet along with Alain Gerber, jazz writer and host of Radio France, and a long-time friend of the saxophonist, Charlie Haden, bassist/composer who once said that "playing music with Stan Getz was like being transformed to a level of depth and beauty." One of the best tracks here is his original composition written for his wife, "First Song (For Ruth)." He added that Getz heard him play this ballad at a concert with his Quartet West in Santa Monica and asked him if he could record it for this album.

"With People Time, the legend comes to an end, and the myth begins." ~ Alain Gerber ~