Hailing
from San Francisco Larry Tomko has found his paradise in
Châteauroux, France. Now 68 years old he lives there with his
wife Josiane. In the middle of a creative period, which led to
numerous music
albums, things developed in an unpredictable direction.
The Corona Pandemic has hit France severely. During the
lockdown, many French people were locked up in their homes to
counteract the rising infection rates. Larry decided to bring
joy and good humor to his neighbors as confined as him.
Every day at 6 p.m. he performed a corona concert as it happened
in many other cities. The neighbors enjoyed the show by
keeping a good distance from each other in front of his house.
After a while the idea aroused to create new instrumental
versions of his songs he usually sing. That way Larry created a
whole album during the lockdown which lasted longer than
expected, in particular 55 days.
The album is a balanced mixture of original compositions and
covers. It starts with a rendition of the Joe Sample piece
Put It Where You Want It. The reason why the smooth
jazz genre loves this tune (Richard Smith, Scott Wilkie, Larry
Carlton, Paul Brown) results from the gripping melody. Larry
brings it all pure, fresh and delicious!
Hwy 101 is Larry tribute to the Californian Highway 101
along the California Pacific coast with all its spectacular
natural spectacles. I Was a Fool delivers some retro
feeling with Vintage organ and a cool handling of the sax.
Make Me a Memory is a song by Grover Washington Jr. from his legendary GRAMMY awarded album Winelight (1980). Larry leaves the beautiful melody without major changes, because it is already a memorable cultural asset. Mr. Magic is the title song of the same named album by Grover, released in 1975. Larry takes a powerful approach to the song, which is good for his work.
Say Its True reveals the romantic side of two composers with a compelling love ballade. This tune was taken from the album Funk My Dog (2011), a collaboration between Larry Tomko and Peter Marsh. Like the free-floating glide of an eagle, this melody floats through space. Those who prefer the pure sound of a saxophone will find it at The Eagle.
The World Is a Ghetto was the fifth album of the group War, if one includes the albums with Eric Burdon. Obviously this album has influenced Larry like many others of his generation and so it is also part of his repertoire.
Winelight is the third song by Grover Washington chosen by Larry Tomko. Compared to the original Larry plays the theme more pronounced and a shade faster thus conveying a little more dynamics into the play. Up Till Now brings the album to an emotionally rich finale.
To describe Sax Only as Tomko's late work would be an impulsive prejudice. In this context we expect a lot more creative highlights in the future. Nevertheless, it certainly has the artistic maturity of such a one.
Buy the album
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Album Information
Title: Sax Only
Artist: Tomko
Year: 2020
Genre: Smooth Jazz
Label:
Independent
1) Put It Where You Want It (4:25)
2) Hwy 101 (5:14)
3) I
Was a Fool (5:03)
4) Make Me a Memory (6:01)
5) Mr Magic
(5:30)
6) Say Its True (4:45)
7) The Eagle (4:31)
8) The
World Is a Ghetto (5:05)
9) Winelight (4:47)
10) Up Till Now
(3:23)