PAPATAMUS REDUX

CHILL TONE RECORDS (RELEASED FEBRUARY 21, 2025)

Ballads, the newest release from saxophonist Noah Preminger, promises something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. The old is Preminger’s moving rendition of Gershwin’s 1926 ballad “Someone To Watch Over Me.” The new are four original ballads Preminger wrote for this session. The borrowed is a tune from the folk-rock community. The blue is the heartfelt version of “Stan’s Mood,” an often-overlooked ballad from the pen of Stan Getz. Supported by pianist Julian Shore, bassist Kim Cass and drummer Allan Mednard, Preminger joins the classic tenor sax balladeers he admires, particularly on the “old” and “blue” selections. Sandwiched between those tunes is a loping take on “Carry Me Ohio,” a song from singer-songwriter Mark Kozelek, aka Sun Kil Moon, and four Preminger originals — the slow and mournful “Unfair World,” the classic sounding ballad “In Our 20s,” the Latin-tinged “Democracy” and the tender and sedate “Pneu.” Preminger’s sensitive, sophisticated and sinewy tone are perfect for capturing the mood of these ballads. Perhaps his own compositions are a way to expand the ballad tradition into the 21^st century but they lack the lyrical and memorable qualities of the classic ballads from the Great American Songbook. The subtle work of Cass and Mednard allow Preminger to luxuriate on the seven ballads as well as providing a cushion for Shore’s elegant solos, particularly on “Stan’s Mood” and “Democrary.” In 1963, John Coltrane captured the beauty of ballads on his Impulse Records date titled Ballads. In 2001, Michael Brecker added his take to ballads with The Nearness of You, The Art of the Ballad. Preminger tosses his hat into the ballad ring with Ballads. Unfortunately, other than “Stan’s Mood” and “Someone To Watch Over Me,” the remainder of the tunes suffer from a sameness in the tempo and melancholy mood. Fortunately, Preminger and his crew handle them with passion, creativity, elegance and stellar playing.

BOTTOM LINE: Coleman Hawkins caressed them. Lester Young “sang” them. Dexter Gordon romanced them. John Coltrane embellished them. Stan Getz soothed them. Archie Shepp stretched them. With the release of his newest recording, tenor saxophonist Noah Preminger expands upon them. The “them” to which I am referring are ballads, the true test for generations of tenor saxophonists. On Ballads, Preminger passes the test with mixed results.