This classic tenor-piano duet album, entitled People Time, is a live recording between saxophonist Stan Getz and pianist Kenny Barron, recorded at Café Montmartre in Copenhagen across a four night run in 1991. It would be the pair's final performance together and Getz’s last recording. At the time he was battling liver cancer, passing only a few months after the recording. Initially released in 1992 as a two-disc album, it later expanded to include the recordings of the full four nights on a seven CD collection. The project emerged from Getz who had been contemplating this idea whilst touring with his quartet of Kenny Barron, Rufus Reid and Victor Lewis. Off-stage they would perform Benny Carter’s “People Time”, giving the title to the recording that came to fruition.
We’re treated to the quintessential Getz sound and style on Eddie Del Barrio’s “I’m Okay”, a sombre composition that is brought in by the piano following a short introduction from the saxophonist. Originally written for a friend of the composer contemplating suicide, the smooth and silky tone of Getz conveys a sense of warmth despite the song’s dark connotations. The playing of Kenny Barron is complimentary and, as we hear across the album, a prime example of duo playing – allowing the melody to breathe, but providing subtle dialogue in the spaces. Getz delivers the melancholic melody as they meet, and they embark further though the form with a tinge of rubato at points before a saxophone solo merges back with the melody.
Image: Brian Foskett
To prove that they can still swing, they tackle “Stablemates”, a popular Benny Golson jazz standard that features irregular sections of length and side-stepping harmonic progressions. Getz jumps into soloing, almost catching Barron out, before resuming the melody for a brief period. The Philadelphia native’s solo is built and paced well, twisting quaver lines to match the ever busying backing of the piano. There are points it feels like he’s about to handover, but a short burst of notes flows into another chorus of ideas. The piano solo leaps out, full of energy and evidently influenced by an array of musicians: Thelonius Monk, Hank Jones, Tommy Flanagan and many more to become like an encyclopedia of jazz piano players.
Played three times across the whole collection is “People Time”, each version is eloquent and gripping in its own way, the shape of the melody evolves over the engagement but not too much that we lose its charming appeal. Getz, always a talisman for melody, seems to have a deep connection to this song, playing it confidently and effortlessly, almost as if this is his final eulogy. What is exceptionally executed is the ability from the duo to keep the intensity high for prolonged periods, repertoire normally played as a ballad like “End of A Love Affair” and “East of the Sun (And West of the Moon)” are performed up-tempo. The improvising is telepathic, switching from dancing around one another to syncing rhythmically as it develops to a climax. The solos from Getz are tremendously fluid, legato phrases glide across the bar lines whilst Barron demonstrates his impressive soloistic traits with a left-hand mix of walking bass and stride to accompany himself. Special mentions go to the poignant rendition of “Soul Eyes”, Charlie Haden’s emotional “First Song” to the chaotic soundcheck “Night and Day” and its rough edges.
Image: Philippe Levy Stab
Across the whole album the chemistry between the musicians is strong, evident in the empathy and ingenuity shared musically. The role played by Kenny Barron deserves a special mention, his ability to anticipate and compliment any musical directions Getz may throw while remaining acutely aware of the saxophonist’s physical condition. A few instances appear of the saxophonist having to drop out; however this is rarely noticeable due to the attentiveness of his partner, resulting in a theme of dynamic interplay from beginning to end. Stan Getz’s warm and tender tone over his career, influenced by Lester Young, earned him the nickname ‘The Sound’, the occasional squeaks and split notes on this recording don’t detract from this tag. Despite ill health, his performance is brimming with maturity and delicate phrases, warmly appreciated by the audiences on the night and surely by those listening years down the line.
With a vast collection of songs, it’s impossible to detail every track and pick a favourite. The delivery from the Getz-Barron duo make this album an essential to any collection, whether an avid jazz aficionado or beginning to dip your toes into the world of jazz, People Time contains something for every listener due to its unbridled rawness. Kenny Barron noted, “The music on the recording is very special, not only because it’s the last documented recording of Stan Getz, but also because the music is real, honest, pure and beautiful in spite of the pain or perhaps because of it."
