Tony Lakatos - Nothing Like a Ballad (2023)

Today it is not easy to find something that allows us to predict with some clarity the direction in which jazz could be evolving. For this reason, forgetting for a moment questions such as whether art should advance or not, might be the option that would allow us to fully enjoy it. Put in this scenario, it is comforting to come across records like this "Nothing Like A Ballad" by the Hungarian saxophonist Toni Lakatos, a proposal whose interest would be the same three decades ago as in the remote future. But when we set out to make proposals, the controversy would come when we asked about the need to re-record a handful of ballads already present, without exception, among the favorites of every good jazz fan. I don't think the answer to that exists, and I might not even care to find it. I prefer, after listening to "Nothing Like A Ballad", to write down the enormous amount of beauty that this album exudes. Located in a placid place in the fabric of space-time, Lakatos proposes visions of ten ballads including the haunting "What's New?", the atmospheric "Chelse Bridge" or, to name one more, a version of " Infant Eyes" which in my opinion would serve to fully defend the meaning and function of the ballad, and all its enormous power of expression and emotion, in the heart of African-American music. Accompanied by an excellent rhythm and backed by years of playing together in different projects, the saxophonist also claims something as essential to jazz music as individuality and leadership. His sound, beautiful and deep, walks with the gentle and sad step of the ballad on the gear provided by the pianist Fabio Miano, the double bassist Ignasi González and the drummer Jo Krause. He does it like a true leader, pulling the music from the first note. I think that "Nothing Like A Ballad" is one of those records that is needed, not only to recapture from a classic and timeless point of view the power of the ballad, but also to get art to make us travelers again , taking us to places of incredible beauty. Affecting, unequivocally, our emotions.