Playing Jazz - The Musical Autobiography Of Herb Geller

Herb Geller

Tracklisting:

1. Overture - 2:51
2. Midnight Memories pe- 3:27
3. Max Flack and Sam Geller/The New World... - 5:48
4. Chromatic Cry - 2:47
5. Stand-Up Comic - 3:35
6. Lenny's Bit - 2:35
7. Tolerance and Lovin' - 2:37
8. Searching for Truth Searching/Playing Jazz - 5:05
9. Celebrating Bird (Geller) - 4:07
10. Times Like These - 3:20
11. Pick-Up Pieces - 3:32
12. The Order - 3:35
13. Joe Albany - 5:26
14. My Favorite Songs - 3:31
15. Common Ground - 3:51
16. Chet Baker/Chet and The Devil - 4:09
17. Mr. Music - 4:47
18. Music and Life - 5:23
19. Nostalgia - 2:41

Recorded at Sage & Sound Studio, Hollywood, January 16,17,19 & 20,1995.

Review:
3***
"Altoist Herb Geller put together a musical play based on his life, and this CD is the result. Geller, who throughout the 1990s was at the peak of his playing powers, takes many fine solos on his originals and is assisted by pianist Tom Ranier, bassist John Leitham and drummer Paul Kriebich. He is joined by singers Lothar Atwell, Mike Campbell, Stephanie Haynes (who plays Lorraine Geller) and Polly Podewell, plus DJ Chuck Niles and Rich Crystal (who depicts Lenny Bruce doing a routine). Some of the individual pieces are overly talky, and the chronology is sometimes a little confusing, but this generally intriguing set has its strong moments. Particularly memorable are "Stand-Up Comic" and "Celebrating Bird.""
- Scott Yanow (All Music Guide)