Syzygy (1999)

About this title: Over the years, artists ranging from Stuff Smith, Joe Venuti and Stephane Grappelli, to Jean-Luc Ponty and John Blake, have demonstrated how well the violin can work as a jazz instrument. Nonetheless, violinists are very much a minority in jazz -- for every jazz violinist you can name, you could easily name 50 or 100 alto sax players or trumpeters. One of the noteworthy jazz violinists/viola players who was active in the '90s was Jim Nolet. Focusing on bop and modal post-bop, Syzygy finds Nolet playing his violin and viola in a swinging yet consistently melodic fashion. Nolet swings ... read more

Tracks:

1. Shirley [Turrentine]
2. Central Park West [Coltrane]
3. Mr. Rodrique [Nolet]
4. Tycoon [Nolet]
5. Syzgy [Nolet]
6. Love Can See [Nolet/wedge]
7. SSHHH...Escuche! [Nolet]
8. Countdown [Coltrane]
9. Angelica [Ellington]

Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is further described below.