submitted on Mon, 02/25/2008 - 07:06 in Jazz Group by Mike_Longo 
The nine tracks on clarinetist Lajos Dudas' Live on Stage were taken from three different live performances in Germany. The technical quality of the recording is top-tier and intimate, providing a sense of both the atmosphere and space in which the music was made.
The repertoire suits the multiple streams that this group brings to its playing. Opening with Dudas' "For Gabor," the CD honors the late guitarist Gabor Szabo, an obvious influence for both Dudas and guitarist Philipp van Endert, a long-time Dudas collaborator. The shadings and detail on "Maydance," another Dudas composition, could serve as a Master Class on breath control, phrasing, and musicality for aspiring clarinetists (or, indeed, any horn players. As counterpoint, Sonny Stitt's "Blues for Rose," the classic blowing form blues, is updated in the sparest framework possible, yet absolutely nothing seems missing. "Kukeri Dance" opens with percussionist Jochen Bittner presenting a beautiful (albeit unexpected) solo gamelan to set the stage for an extended piece that weaves the players together in shifting combinations...
Source: allaboutjazz
Author: Terry Collison
