Big Weeds (Live)

Album Review

Cory Weeds is the owner of the Cellar Restaurant in Vancouver, B.C. and the Cellar Live label. However, as he proves throughout Big Weeds (his first recording as a leader), he is also a very good saxophonist on both alto and tenor. Teamed with three New York veteran giants (organist Mike LeDonne, guitarist Peter Bernstein, and drummer Joe Farnsworth), Weeds shows that he is on their level. This hard bop set, which consists of six of Weeds' originals plus "It's Only a Paper Moon" and the James Moody obscurity "Darben the Redd Foxx," features blues, ballads, and straight-ahead jazz, all played with spirit. The music may not be groundbreaking but it swings hard, sounds fresh, and finds all of the musicians in top form. LeDonne, who originally gained recognition as a pianist, has to be one of the most underrated organists on the scene. Bernstein is always creative within this format and Farnsworth is consistently solid. But the main reason to acquire Big Weeds is for the excellent playing of the leader, who creates one colorful solo after another. Hopefully there will be many more recordings in the future from this club owner/label head.