Mike Vax, Ron Romm - Collaboration (2018) 320kbps

“If you, like me, love great trumpet playing, Collaboration (Summit – 713) by MIKE VAX & RON ROMM is a must have album. Vax is best known for his time spent as the lead trumpet on Stan Kenton’s Orchestra, and his subsequent efforts to keep the Kenton legacy alive through many educational projects and leadership of the Stan Kenton Legacy Orchestra. Romm was a founder and long time member of the Canadian Brass and currently serves as Professor of Trumpet at the University of Illinois. These two gentlemen have been friends for decades, and have talked about recording together for much of that time, but until recently circumstances stood in the way of that happening. Now that it has occurred, the world is a better place. They laid down twelve tracks, most of them with Jack Peterson on guitar, Ioannis Goudelis on piano, Selwyn Reams on bass and Clive Huff on drums. There are guest appearances by Dr. David Hickman on trumpet, Tony Vacca on reeds, Scott Whitfield on trombone, Joel Robin on piano, and Avis Romm on piano. Trying to single out any of the tracks for special mention is unfair to those not so recognized, so just suffice to say that no matter which track you hear, “The Shadow of Your Smile,” “Cornet Chop Suey,” “My Pal Vachee,” “I Remember Clifford,” “Up Jumped Spring,” “Hayden Trumpet Concerto, Movement Two – Andante,” “Collaboration,” “Lenny Leaps Out,” “The Brave Matador,” “just a Closer Walk with Thee,” “The Summer Knows” or “Sweet Emma,” you will be transported to a magic place where trumpets rule the day. As the titles indicate, a lot of musical ground is covered, all of it as tastefully and musically adept as possible. This is a Collaboration in the best sense of the word.” ~Joseph Lang