Jazzthing 26-02-2024

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. - JazzthingTranslation:Who has the opportunity to work with the idols of their youth later on? At 15, Susanne Alt's love for jazz ignited, and her enthusiasm for icons like trumpeter Roy Hargrove was immense. Later, the German saxophonist, now based in the Netherlands, regularly jammed with her idol at festivals. She dedicates her sixth studio album to the jazz hero who died in 2018 at just 49, sending shockwaves through the jazz community. All the tracks on Royalty For Real, recorded in New York, were inspired by King Roy's influence, penned by him, or frequently associated with him, such as the ballad The Nearness Of You. Because Alt plays with a beautiful tone and the rhythm section (pianist James Hurt, bassist Gerald Cannon, and drummer Willie Jones III) shifts effortlessly and elegantly between swinging, soul-jazz, and funk, this tribute is quite pleasant to listen to. However, overall it is too harmless, musically a bit too uneventful, lacking the spark, the fire.