Music Reviews

Oct 23, 1999 - Pete Fountain at Nightingale: A Dull Night of Cool Jazz

By Jack Neal

Pete Fountain, one of the near greats of 20th century jazz clarinetting, has become so comfortable within the limited range of his style a full evening of listening to his playing is too much (for me) like hearing the same four-minute cut from a CD over and over again.

The clarinetist was the ninth star performer to grace the Nightingale Concert Hall stage in the Nightingale family's annual memorial tribute to family patriarch Leon Nightingale. Possibly remembering Mr. Fountain's glory days on the Lawrence Welk Show, Friday's capacity audience (10/22/99) treated the event like a visit to the St. Peters Basilica. Certainly Mr. Fountain, whose career has spanned at least 50 years, has earned a reverential place in the hearts of fans of jazz.

That's why Friday's concert was more of a disappointment than a pleasure. The old Fountain style still reigned supreme, but is there enough variation in that style to keep an audience glued to what it's about? If the question needs asking, the answer's no.

The Fountain style stems from the late, great and under-appreciated New Orleans jazz clarinetist Irving (Prestopnick) Fazola. Fazola's was a lyrical clarinet style with much recognition of European harmonies and with an emphasis on a full, rich clarinet sound. That's all well and good; a superb influence. My problem with Mr. Fountain's playing is the sameness of his improvisations and sound over the long haul of a concert-hall program without the diversions the informality of a saloon would promote. Nightingale Concert Hall isn't, after all, some dixieland joint on Bourbon street.

That having been said, there's nobody who plays any better within self-imposed confines than does Pete Fountain. He does a splendid job and always assures fans an evening of pleasant listening. Bassist Oliver Felix, who is the veteran of Fountain's band, gives the group its rock-solid anchor. When Felix strolls stoically into "Just a Closer Walk," it's down-home time in New Orleans.

"Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans," "Clarinet Marmalade," and "Basin Street Blues" are all Fountain standards and pile up nicely one on top the other in a manner that works well for most listeners, even though - once again - there's the sameness factor.

"It Had to be You" was taken at a ballad tempo and was a nice change of pace. "Honky Tonk Town" allowed drummer Bryan N. Barberot to cut loose on a short solo and he's terrific.

Then there were the pretty much formulaic passing around of solos to Michael E. Genevay (trombone), James E. Weber (trumpet), Thomas Maggiore (saxophone) and Matt Lemmler (piano). All the men play exceedingly well. Their most distinguishing collective characteristic is the care with which they play and the lack of edge of their sounds. In a time when loud, high, fast and inaccurate are in - restraint in all those areas is greatly appreciated.

Basically, Pete Fountain sounded the same fifty years ago as he sounds today and that says a great deal about his staying power. He has more authority now, along with more shadings and colorations. But his phrasing and musical thoughts have remained largely the same throughout his career. Why alter success?

If you like Pete Fountain, you'd have loved Friday's concert.

Although the Leon Nightingale Memorial Concert is a not a regular part of the University of Nevada, Reno/Truckee Meadows Community College Performing Arts Series, it is closely related. For information regarding future Performing Arts Series events call 775-784-4046 or 775-784-6847. All Performing Arts Series programs are presented at Nightingale Concert Hall on the UNR campus, 900 North Virginia Street, Reno.