“Mood!, Saxophone Standards Vol. 3,” is the third entry in Dale Fielder’s Saxophone Standards series, where the focal point is on the exploration of the American jazz standards tradition. “Mood!” follows on the heels of “Nocturne Serenity, Saxophone Standards Vol.2,” released just five months earlier in August 2023. Both albums are follow-ups to

“Mood!, Saxophone Standards Vol. 3,” is the third entry in Dale Fielder’s Saxophone Standards series, where the focal point is on the exploration of the American jazz standards tradition. “Mood!” follows on the heels of “Nocturne Serenity, Saxophone Standards Vol.2,” released just five months earlier in August 2023. Both albums are follow-ups to the eponymously titled first album, “Saxophone Standards Vol. 1.”, which was released in 2013. 

The release of “Mood!” on January 1st, 2024, is also the 29th anniversary of the Dale Fielder Quartet's first gig on New Year's Day 1995.  The benefit of this long-time alliance is obvious in the relaxed, telepathic-like interaction they maintain which is one of the factors that allows the group to rise a notch above in a field that abounds in great jazz groups. The DFQ is led by Fielder and ex-Charles Mingus Workshop pianist Jane Getz.  It is obvious that Fielder and Getz are both dedicated children of the bebop era.  They sound and play with a love, reverence, and authenticity that is striking, almost as if someone from that golden era were still alive and playing.  The entire band including bassist Bill Markus and drummer Thomas White play with an easy swing and a full, “classic” sound that draws the listener in.  The DFQ is a band that is perfectly balanced; where everyone listens, and supports each other, while also getting the chance to step out individually.
 
Fielder, a gifted composer, who primarily features his original compositions throughout most of his 23-album recording career, reflected on releasing two consecutive, back-to-back albums of jazz standards.  “Throughout all our years together, we always included and liked playing standards.  And in doing these two recordings, it felt good to come back to the standards in a bigger, almost exclusive way.  They can still speak to the emotions of today.  Because the pandemic eliminated many of our opportunities for live performances, we’ve been feeling kind of rusty in the fewer times we come together to play. It made sense with the standards, to record on familiar territory that also didn’t require a whole lot of rehearsing, which also kept things fresh and on the edge. These are the albums and tunes our fans have always wanted us to make. Even though we primarily play originals, we always include a standard in each set, usually to start off with.  And I constantly hear requests from our audiences to play more standards not so much for the familiarity, but because of the way we play them as well as our selection of the more obscure ones. I don’t think there’s any reason to be done with playing standards.  The positive response to "Nocturne Serenity" has really illustrated this to me. Where else can you play “Stella By Starlight” every night, the people love it, and we find new things to do with it each time?  It’s a music where you can use structure to liberate improvisation.  There’s no end to the freedom of expression within that idiom.  And for me, music should sound connected with its tradition, invoking a sound and feel that at the same time is both “ancient” as well as "futuristic". Let the ancestors speak through you and the music in the present moments when creating it.” 
 
Since 2002, Fielder, known for primarily playing the baritone saxophone, does not play it on “Mood!” He plays mostly alto sax on four of the seven selections, two on soprano and one on tenor sax.   As he did with “Nocturne Serenity”, Fielder continues to showcase the other members of his quartet, primarily pianist Jane Getz front, and center.  Generous space is also given to the other members of the quartet, Bill Markus on bass and Thomas White on drums.  On every tune except for the opener, “Change Partners” and “It’s You Or No One,” Getz takes the first solo.  The album starts with the rare standard, “Change Partners” written by Irving Berlin for the 1938 film “Carefree.” This tune perfectly illustrates what the DFQ is all about. The band’s effortless swing and interplay are sublime and dramatic. Everyone gets to solo. Of particular note is Fielder and Getz trading “fours” before the final melody, beautifully finishing each other’s phrases and has become something of a DFQ “standard” that their listeners look for.  The band’s treatments of the standards, “End Of A Love Affair,” the extremely rarely heard “Alone Too Long,” as well as “It’s You or No One,” and “Between The Devil and The Deep Blue Sea” are all swinging, evocative, and have that classic sound and feel. Because these recordings were done at the release performance for their CD “Nocturne Serenity,” two tunes from that CD were reprised, Thelonious Monk’s “Eronel,” and Fielder’s original “Mood!” with Fielder displaying his very singular style and approach on soprano sax for both tunes.
 
On “Mood!” – “Saxophone Standards Vol 3,” the Dale Fielder Quartet continues to do what they do best: breathe new life into jazz standards. Truly the best authentic jazz performances happen before a live audience. It is something very difficult to do, recording while you are performing, as there is no safety net. Yet Fielder and Company meet this challenge so well; and the recording quality is so good, that you aren’t even aware that this is a live recording until you hear the applause at each tune’s end! Recommended!
-Reid Schultz

“Nocturne Serenity” is a welcome return for saxophonist/composer Dale Fielder and his Quartet featuring pianist Jane Getz. It is their first recording since 2019’s “Consensus.” The recording is also subtitled “Saxophone Standards Volume 2,” a follow-up to 2013’s “Saxophone Standards Volume 1,” Fielder’s ongoing life-long project of exploring the

“Nocturne Serenity” is a welcome return for saxophonist/composer Dale Fielder and his Quartet featuring pianist Jane Getz. It is their first recording since 2019’s “Consensus.” The recording is also subtitled “Saxophone Standards Volume 2,” a follow-up to 2013’s “Saxophone Standards Volume 1,” Fielder’s ongoing life-long project of exploring the American jazz standard tradition. Since 2002, Fielder has primarily played the baritone saxophone. Even though he is photographed on the cover holding a baritone sax, he plays no baritone sax on this recording. Here he plays a strong, impassioned tenor sax on four of the seven tunes; soprano and alto on the remaining three tunes. On this CD, Fielder’s intent was to showcase the other members of his quartet that have remained intact now for 28 years. Featured are ex-Mingus pianist Jane Getz front and center along with generous space given to the other members of the quartet, bassist Bill Markus and drummer Thomas White.

Jane Getz launched her career on a seminal recording by Charles Mingus, “Right Now! Live In San Francisco” at the age of 16 and went on to perform with Pony Poindexter, Stan Getz, Herbie Mann, Roland Kirk, Charles Lloyd, and recorded with Pharoah Saunders on his very first album. She became Chick Corea’s first call sub. As promptly as she appeared, Getz disappeared from the jazz scene, ending up in LA as a plus-plus pop producer under the name of Mother Hen producing such artists as the Bee Gees, Don Henley, and Ringo Starr among others. Fielder, credited with returning Getz to the jazz world in 1995, intentionally featured Getz on this recording. Getz takes the first solo on every track with the exception of the opening and closing tunes. Fielder credits Getz as an important element of the Quartet. Says Fielder, “Jane coming into the quartet was the big factor for us both. We complement each other very well; a perfect foil for each other. I attribute this to the fact that we both feel the same way about music and jazz in particular. We both aren’t afraid of being traditionalists in the sense that in the new millennium, this seems to be a bad word. There’s a certain magic that happens when Jane and I play together, and we’ve been smart enough to explore this and let it develop all these years.”

The album starts with the rarely heard Wayne Shorter composition, “Pay As You Go,” as Fielder’s tribute to the passing of Wayne Shorter in 2023. Fielder’s aggressive tenor playing, and full-throated tone is a throwback to his tenor playing on the successful 1996 CD, “Dear Sir: Tribute To Wayne Shorter,” a CD released with the consultation and blessing of Shorter as well as bringing the DFQ to the attention of the national jazz scene at the time.

Fielder, known for performing rare, and obscure jazz standards, continues the tradition with Thelonious Monk’s “Eronel.” Here Jane Getz is featured right out of the box for a full chorus before Fielder comes in with the melody. In her opening chorus, Getz displays her effortless, swinging, and unhurried style that is fully in the Bud Powell continuum. “Eronel” is a typical example of the DFQ’s reverential treatment of standards that one will hear on their gigs. Everyone is involved and after White’s solo, the tune is topped off with a chorus of trades between Fielder and Getz before the final out-chorus. Here one can see the strong sympatico Fielder and Getz share, sounding as if they are the same person on two different instruments. This is what great jazz sounds like!

Getz’s feature continues on the title tune “Nocturne Serenity,” as Getz again solos first and stretches out on Fielder’s tranquil composition. Here, fully displayed is Getz and Fielder’s love of “rhapsodizing” in their improvisations; taking their time in their search for beauty and grandeur in the lines they create.

The rhapsodizing continues with the standards “Embraceable You,” with Fielder on alto sax, and “I Thought About You” on the soprano sax. Everyone stretches out on both tunes. These are the longest of the session clocking in at just over ten minutes each. The highlights are the relaxed, unhurried, chiseled solos by Fielder and Getz. Of note are Getz’s introductions, and Markus’ arco (bowed) bass solos.

The sleeper of the session is the other Fielder composition, “Mood.” The attractive, introspective melody is reflected by Fielder’s soprano sax played in the upper register of the horn. Getz again is featured up front with a dazzling solo. After Fielder’s impassioned soprano solo, Markus provides a fine pizzicato (plucked) solo at the back end before Fielder re-states the haunting melody. “Mood” as well as “Nocturne Serenity” are fine examples of Fielder’s imaginative writing. Fielder’s solo Rollinesque introduction starts out the closer “You Stepped Out Of A Dream,” as the band romps through this classic standard in fine form.

On “Nocturne Serenity” – “Saxophone Standards Vol 2,” the DFQ does what they do best: breathing new life into jazz standards. Truly the best authentic jazz performances happen before a live audience. It is something very difficult to do, recording while you are performing, as there is no safety net. Yet Fielder and company meet this challenge so well; and the recording quality is so good, that you aren’t even aware that this is a live recording until you hear the applause at each tune’s end! Recommended!

***10 weeks @ #7-9 on the Gavin Jazz Charts 1996***

The young tenor saxophonist Dale Fielder, in a quartet with pianist Jane Getz, bassist Bill Markus, and drummer Thomas White, performs four Wayne Shorter compositions, Gil Evans' "Barracudas" (which featured Shorter), and six originals that sound a bit influenced by Shorter's conception.

***10 weeks @ #7-9 on the Gavin Jazz Charts 1996***

The young tenor saxophonist Dale Fielder, in a quartet with pianist Jane Getz, bassist Bill Markus, and drummer Thomas White, performs four Wayne Shorter compositions, Gil Evans' "Barracudas" (which featured Shorter), and six originals that sound a bit influenced by Shorter's conception. Trumpeter Dan Bagasoul makes the quartet a quintet on two songs. Fielder is a strong up-and-coming talent and, although not a Wayne Shorter clone, he hints strongly at the older saxophonist on several of these well-conceived tributes. In fact, this music sounds like something Wayne Shorter might have come up with if he had not changed direction in the early '70s. Recommended.
--AllMusic Review by Scott Yanow

Fielder comes out of the gate blowing hard, aggressive, ferociously swinging tenor and with that blows away any preconceived notions about west coast jazz musicians not being able to deal with the same depth as their east coast counterparts. Fielder’s tone is big and pungent, reminiscent of Trane’s and he possesses an impressive command of his instrument in both low and high registers. No happy jazz here, just a lot of serious dealing.
--Bill Milkowski/JazzTimes Magazine

DEAR SIR finds Fielder fully ready to tackle the challenge of a CD program rendered in tribute to Wayne Shorter. Throughout these eleven pieces, the Dale Fielder Quartet gives a solid lie to the misguided notion that one has to be in New York to make significant jazz. DEAR SIR is likely something future generations of saxophonists will be addressing Dale Fielder by. He’s got it.
--Willard Jenkins/JazzTimes Magazine

They’re not necessarily easy to find. But these small-label albums from Southern California-based jazz musicians can be every bit as rewarding as the well-publicized releases from Verve, Blue Note, or the other major labels. These recordings have shared characteristics that mirror, in mood and tempo, the tenor of our contemporary California culture, belying the once accepted “cool-school” cliche of West Coast jazz. The common threads include deeply reflective improvisational styles, strong rhythmic bases, use of ethnic instrumentation and musical forms, a willingness to merge a variety of jazz genres, and a reverence for classical traditions from America, Europe, Africa, and the East. But most of all, these discs share an artistic aspiration that is uncompromised by commercial interests. These are musicians looking to establish their own voices and vision, without the help of big record company contracts. "Dear Sir” splits its 11 selections between compositions by Shorter and Fielder’s originals. Fielder’s tunes occasionally carry the refined spirit that Shorter imparted to his writing. Fielder’s exuberant tenor play and fine contributions from pianist Jane Getz, trumpeter Dan Bagasoul and bassist Bill Markus make this an album worth seeking out.
--Bill Kolhasse/LA TIMES