Jazzthetik 05-2024

Nederlands Jazz ArchiefEnglish:Saxophonist Susanne Alt hails from Germany but has long been a part of our jazz scene. Royalty For Real has the aura of a prestigious product. It is also a tribute to the late trumpeter Roy Hargrove. Hargrove was fond of participating in the after-hours sessions at North Sea Jazz; Alt occasionally played alongside him there – hence Bel Air Bop, one of the seven tracks. The saxophonist/flutist wrote five of the tracks herself, in addition to The Nearness of You and Roy Allan by Hargrove. The album was recorded in February 2022 in New York with pianist James Hurt, bassist Gerald Cannon, and drummer Willie Jones III. - JazzthetikTranslation:Born in Würzburg, Susanne Alt studied in the Netherlands and established herself there as a saxophonist and DJ. She feels at home in soul, funk, dance, and jazz, and one of her biggest idols was trumpeter Roy Hargrove, who passed away in 2018. When the Covid-19 pandemic halted her live performances, she conceived the idea for this special album, which serves as a homage to Hargrove.In early 2022, Susanne Alt, James Hurt, Gerald Cannon, and Willie Jones III went into the studio in New York. All had previously played with Hargrove, making them highly competent collaborators. Most of the seven tracks on the album are in a commercially appealing funk-jazz style, but there are a few original ideas, including acoustic bass and partially acoustic piano. Bel Air Bop features a swinging rhythm, and The Nearness of You, reportedly one of Hargrove's favorite songs, is played as a slow jazz ballad. Alt's virtuosic alto saxophone is very pleasant to hear.