Dan Block – (Plays the Music of Duke Ellington) From His World to Mine – Miles High Records

Dan Block – (Plays the Music of Duke Ellington) From His World to Mine – Miles High Records MHR 8612, 62:40 *****:
(Dan Block – Bb clarinet, Eb alto & Bb bass clarinets, tenor & alto saxophone and basset horn; Mike Kanan – piano; Lee Hudson – bass; James Chirillo – guitar; Mark Sherman – vibes; Brian Grice – drums; Renato Thoms– percussion; Pat O’Leary – cello)
You may not have heard of Dan Block, but odds are you have actually listened to him play at one time or another.  He is classically educated in music attending Juilliard.  He is a multi-instrument reed player.  Dan is noted for being able to fit into many styles and rhythms of music.  If you have listened to the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra you more than likely have heard Dan in the reed section.  He has worked with a myriad of famous music personalities such as Jerry Dodgion, Frank Wess, Wynton Marsalis, Harry Allen, Howard Alden and many more.  He has performed with the Frank Wess Nonet at Dizzy’s Coca-Cola Room.  Dan has played in a number of Motion Pictures such as the Aviator, The Good Shepherd and recently on HBO’s Boardwalk Empire.  He has worked with a number of well-known singers like Natalie Cole, Ann Hampton Calloway, Linda Ronstadt, Michael Feinstein and Rosemary Clooney.
From His World To Mine truly is a hidden gem.  Dan Block has avoided playing the traditionally recorded over and over Ellington and Strayhorn tunes and focused on other creations from these composers.  Bringing these to life and the musicality of this group of musicians in their performance I rated as a five star performance.  Dan Block is the lead instrument usually in each tune and gives the others in the group space for solos as well.  The album has been thoughtfully laid out.  This is not a monotonous play list of tunes having the same sound.  One song to the next is very different in both instrumentation and rhythm and style.  Style is a good word for this album as it definitely has style.  “Kissing Bug” was one of my favorites.  I have usually heard it as a vocal but is presented instrumentally and leads off the album.  It is played out in 12/8 time with Dan on sax and rhythm section giving a Latin sound, then breaking into some easy rolling swing alternating back and forth.
“New York City Blues” is very special.  Written in a bluesy way that sounds Billy Strayhorn, Dan starts out by himself on alto sax making runs for quite a few bars then about a third into the song works it until he is joined by slow piano, vibes, guitar, bass, snare drum with brushes who transition it to a walking bass rhythm augmenting the others.  It’s a beautiful piece.  “Old King Dooji” has Dan struttin’ his stuff on clarinet and sounds a lot like something you might hear at The Cotton Club.  Speaking of Cotton Club, Dan has presented on this album “Cotton Club Stomp” which was the original of two versions used at the club for the reviews back in the day.  “Rocks In My Bed” has Dan doing a slow walkin’ blues on what sounds to be several of his lower- voiced clarinets.  He slow walks with bass and strumming guitar.  “Second Line” is a swinger and reminiscent of the sound of the forties.
From His World To Mine being a delight also has great sound recording quality.  The liner notes extensively convey the thoughts of Dan Block as to what he was accomplishing with this album.  He further has added dates of the tunes and a bit of history. From His World To Mine is a class presentation to be thoroughly enjoyed.
TrackList: 1. Kissing Bug; 2. New York City Blues; 3. Old King Dooji; 4. Morning Glory; 5. Are You Stickin’?; 6. The Beautiful Indians; 7. Suburbanite; 8. Ballad Medley (All Heart/Change My Ways); 9. Portrait of Bert Williams; 10. Mt. Harrissa; 11. Creole Blues; 12. Cotton Club Stomp; 13. Rocks in My Bed; 14. Second Line.
—Tim Taylor