Live at Montreux by Stan Getz (review)

While I consider myself to be a fan of the great tenor saxophonist Stan Getz, before reviewing this DVD, my familiarity with his work—and I suspect this may be the case for many others who are mildly ambivalent about jazz—had been limited largely to his Latin-flavored, bossa nova-based music from the early 1960s. On the Live at Montreux 1972 DVD, viewers are treated to a more eclectic and variegated set of jazz tunes, performed by a stellar quartet that includes Getz on sax, Stanley Clarke on bass, Tony Williams on drums and Chick Corea on piano. The DVD consists of seven tracks—about an hour of music—and is gorgeously filmed: multiple camera angles capture the dynamic interaction between the players, while close-up shots offer viewers intimate access to some truly great jazz musicians in peak form.

Among the best tracks on the DVD are the frenetic “La Fiesta,” a flamenco-flavored romp that has Getz mixing soaring melodic lines with brisk arpeggios, fluid scalar passages and long, wailing trills, and “Day Waves,” a mercurial little track that shifts in and out of a deep rhythmic groove and features a brilliant Fender Rhodes solo by Corea. While Getz’ playing is mellow and engaging, with a rich tone and effortless lyricism often in evidence (especially on the DVD’s other standout, the Billy Strayhorn ballad “Lush Life”), it is the rhythm section in this performance that really impresses: Clarke’s frisky bass lines provide tremendous momentum, and Williams’ smooth yet spritely playing shows why he is considered one of the greatest jazz drummers of all time. Their duet in the middle of “Day Waves” is remarkable, with Clarke’s fiery bass licks in counterpoint with Williams’ spidery rhythms played on the rims and shells of his drums. The young Chick Corea is also in fine form on this disc, if a bit understated.

This DVD has much to recommend it. Notwithstanding the times Getz is caught on camera looking decidedly blasé and a bit supercilious, it is visually appealing and captures a compelling, historically-significant performance. In terms of sound quality, it is lacking at times: Corea’s Rhodes piano, which sounds great when he is soloing, is largely lost when whole group is playing; Williams’ drums, with the exception of the punchy ride cymbal, are likewise too far back in the mix; and Getz occasionally wanders from his microphone. Otherwise, the performance looks and sounds as fresh and charming as it must have to the audience in Montreux, back in the summer of 1972. This DVD would be a good addition to a library’s jazz collection, and could be profitably used in undergraduate jazz history and music appreciation courses.