Live At The Red Sea Jazz Festival

John Fedchock, a veteran trombonist and an alum of the big bands of Woody Herman, Gerry Mulligan, and Louie Bellson, has been focusing on composing, arranging, teaching, and recording as a leader since the early 1990s. In 2008, Fedchock's sextet was videotaped in Israel for television broadcast and he was so taken with the performances that he acquired a digital master to issue as a CD, with only minor tweaking needed. His sextet includes a number of in-demand artists based in New York, trumpeter/flugelhornist Scott Wendholt, tenor saxophonist Walt Weiskopf, pianist Allen Farnham, bassist David Finck and drummer Dave Ratajczak. Four of the six songs are originals by the leader, highlighted by frisky opener "This Just In" that showcases the trombonist and Wendholt in top form, along with the sassy Afro-Cuban number "That's All Right," in which Weiskopf steals the show with his furious solo. Fedchock's warm treatment of Tom Harrell's "Moon Alley" (which hasn't been recorded all that often) has rich interplay, while the fresh look at the oft-played jazz standard "Caravan" is very rewarding. John Fedchock may be one of New York's best-kept jazz secrets, but this delightful CD should bring him greater recognition elsewhere. ~ Ken Dryden