The new Ben Jones CD is an exciting live recording of one night at Sydney’s famed Woodfire Cabaret venue. Ben made quite a splash with his first album It Might As Well Be Swing (la Brava LB0040) with great reviews all over the world and followed up with an international collaboration with leading swing musicians from the Netherlands, recorded live in concert there in 2003 (The Basie, Bean and Fats Project LB0063).
This Darin tribute is one with a difference and far from an imitator, Ben manages to capture the wilder and jazzier side of Darin’s persona, both singing and playing saxophone to great effect. What you hear is a recording from the audience perspective recalling not so much the slickness but the energy and exuberance of a young Darin on a jazz gig. Ben fronts a swinging group of Sydney musicians with aplomb and the recording is an all digital affair making use of the best of valve microphones and equipment to ensure a warm, true and friendly sound.
Ben Jones is a regular featured soloist on the European Jazz Festival circuit with artists from the USA and Europe & has played with many of Australia’s finest jazz musicians including James Morrison, Tom Baker, Bob Barnard, Janet Seidel, Don Burrows & Monica Trapaga. On the international stage he has performed with Leroy Jones, Jason Marsalis, Eddie Locke, Dan Barrett, Ed Metz Jr, Peter Washington, Harry Allen, Howard Alden, John Allred and more.
“Although only in his mid-twenties, Jones has absorbed the tradition and performing operandi of the great masters of the saxophone, adding his own ideas and technique on top of that, and revealing strong lyricism and improvisational ideas in his playing. If this debut album as a leader is any indication, he is on the road to becoming a considerable sax powerhouse." by Dave Nathan, All Music Guide (USA).
"He’s a young tenor saxophonist from the city of Newcastle on the central coast of New South Wales but Ben Jones’ heart is back in the ’30s and ’40s. He’s got the look, the songs and he’s got the sound….. Shane Nichols: www.allaboutjazz.com.
1) Swing Low/ Lazy River
2) On Broadway
3) Artificial Flowers
4) What a Difference A Day Made
5) Charade
6) Clementine
7) I Remember You/ Just in Time/ I Wanna Be Around
8) Nature Boy
9) Down with Love
10) Don't Get Around Much Anymore
11) As Long As I'm Singin'
12) That's All
13) Mack the Knife
Ben Jones sax / vocal
Kevin Hunt piano
Chuck Morgan guitar
David Seidel bass
Ron Lemke drums
Review of Live Show – A Jazz Portrait of Bobby Darin
“Ben Jones's jazz portrait of Bobby Darin was the perfect lead in before the screening of ''Beyond The Sea'' at the Cremorne Orpheum on October 29,2006.
Mature beyond his tender years, Ben took the audience on a wonderful journey through Bobby Darin's jazz songbook. Supported by the superb musicianship of Kevin Hunt on piano, Chuck Morgan on guitar and David Seidel on Double Bass, Ben kicked off the concert with swinging renditions of Swing Low and Lazy River. Ben had really done his homework on Bobby Darin as he related a story about each song before he sang it. Next up was ''On Broadway'' followed by ''Artificial Flowers'', ''What a Difference A Day Makes'' and the Mancini/Mercer classic ''Charade'' featuring a hot tenor sax solo by Ben. By this point, Ben had the audience in the palm of his hand and launched into the quirky tale of ''Clementine''. Other highlights were ''Nature Boy'', ''As Long As I'm Singin'' and finishing off with ''That's All''. But wait, what about ''Mack The Knife''. You can't do a tribute to Bobby Darin and leave out ''Mack The Knife''. It was worth the wait as Ben and the boys came back for their encore and nailed ''Mack The Knife'' as a fitting finale.
Ben's singing debut at the Orpheum was a knockout with our audience and we look forward to many more performances from one of Australia's most accomplished and versatile jazz musicians.”
Roger Merrell, Cremorne Orpheum Theatre, Sydney Australia.
visit the Ben Jones page at Labrava Music
