Sam Braysher Trio: “Dance Little Lady, Dance Little Man” (2021) CD Review

After the long months of the pandemic, many of us are eager to go out dancing again, and so the title of the new album from Sam Braysher Trio, Dance Little Lady, Dance Little Man, carries a tremendous amount of appeal. It’s rather delightful, isn’t it? That title and the album cover’s artwork prepare us for something fun. The music includes some standards, as well as some that aren’t played as often, and one original composition. The trio is made up of Sam Braysher on alto saxophone, Tom Farmer on double bass, and Jorge Rossy on drums and percussion.

The album opens with a really nice rendition of “For Regulars Only,” written by Dexter Gordon and originally included on his 1961 LP Doin’ Allright. There is an unmistakable sense of cool on this track, particularly during Sam Braysher’s lead. That section may get you snapping your fingers along with the rhythm, or perhaps closing your eyes and letting the tune transport you to a club from decades ago, where you find you are a regular. I also dig those brief drum solos. This track is a wonderful start to the album. It is followed by “Heart And Soul,” a song we all learned to play on piano when we were children. Written by Hoagy Carmichael and Frank Loesser, this song was a hit for several artists in the late thirties and on into the 1960s. Sam Braysher starts the track with that familiar theme on saxophone. You know, as many times as I heard this tune growing up, I haven’t heard it much lately, and it’s great to revisit it here. That theme is the jumping off point, and it isn’t long before the trio begins to explore from there. And there is a cool and extended lead on bass, which leads back to the main theme. Just before it goes back into the theme, there is a moment on bass that reminds me of the Grateful Dead’s “Terrapin Station.” Does anyone else hear that?

Then we get a tune we do seem to hear a lot these days, “One Note Samba,” written by Antonio Carlos Jobim. These guys breathe fresh life into it, delivering an interesting version that comes at us at a somewhat faster clip. I particularly like Tom Farmer’s work on bass, which has a playful feel while holding everything together. And check out that drum work toward the end. Things then get a bit mellower with “Some Other Spring,” a pretty tune written by Irene Kitchings and Arthur Herzog Jr., and perhaps most famously recorded by Billie Holiday. On this track, Jorge Rossy plays vibraphone, and there is some wonderful interplay between that instrument and Sam Braysher’s saxophone. We are then treated to the album’s sole original composition, “Pintxos.” There is something light and spirited about this piece right from the start, and that bass line quickly had me smiling. The bass feels to be the heart of the piece. After a bit, the track takes off, with Jorge Rossy keeping it moving with steady work on cymbals. There is a certain joy to the playing, with each of the instruments expressing its own distinctive delight. And I love the way each of them drives forward, particularly the saxophone.

Sam Braysher Trio delivers a really good rendition of Walter Donaldson’s “Little White Lies.” Ah, it’s nice to return to little white lies, after the period from 2016 to 2020 when we heard big white lies coming from the country’s politicians. This is such an enjoyable rendition, featuring a good lead on bass. That’s followed by “The Sweetest Sounds,” the first of two Richard Rodgers songs, this one written without a partner. It was written for the musical No Strings. The bass is a dominant voice here, and there are good leads throughout, with Sam Braysher’s sax then coming in to dance above the bass before leading us back to the song’s strong main theme. The tune drifts off at the end, followed by “Reflection.” I’m not a fan of Disney animated films, and so am not all that familiar with this piece, which comes from Mulan. But there is a contemplative beauty to it which is nice. I suspect this rendition is better than whatever is in the film.

I say it often, but you can never go wrong with Gershwin. Sam Braysher Trio chooses two Gershwin songs for this release, the first being “Shall We Dance,” the title song from a 1937 film, and the tune which sort of works as a title track here, the album’s title coming from the song’s lyrics. “Life is short, we’re growing older/Don’t you be an also ran/You’d better dance little lady, dance little man/Dance whenever you can.” This is a really good version, with some wonderful work on saxophone and a great momentum. If it doesn’t get you dancing, it will certainly get you tapping your toes and drumming your fingers on whatever surface might be available to you. That’s followed by the second of two Richard Rodgers songs, “This Nearly Was Mine,” this one co-written by Oscar Hammerstein II for South Pacific. On it, Jorge Rossy plays marimba and delivers a lead that has a sense of hope about it, even some magic, as if this sad tale could have a different outcome. This is a pretty and easygoing track, and features some beautiful and moving work on bass toward the end. The album concludes with its second Gershwin composition, “Walking The Dog.” This short and delightful piece comes from Shall We Dance. It’s a fun number to wrap things up, with a cool section of bass and drums, where Jorge Rossy lets loose briefly on drums. It is another track that will bring a smile to your face.

CD Track List

1. For Regulars Only
2. Heart And Soul
3. One Note Samba (Samba de uma Nota Só)
4. Some Other Spring
5. Pintxos
6. Little White Lies
7. The Sweetest Sounds
8. Reflection
9. Shall We Dance
10. This Nearly Was Mine
11. Walking The Dog

Dance Little Lady, Dance Little Man was released on April 22, 2021 on Unit Records.