Mark Winkler-David Benoit – Old Friends – CD Review

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Plastic – CD

Surface noise: N/A

Dynamic Range: 4+

Stereo Imaging: 5-

Image depth/perspective: 4+

Overall frequency response: 4+

Please see here for my comments on reviewing albums.

Track List:

1. I’ve Got Just About Everything
2. Sweet Kentucky Ham
3. Better Than Anything
4. The Shadow Of Your Smile
5. Two For The Road
6. Old Friends / Bookends
7. When This Love Affair Is Over
8. I Think It’s Going To Rain Today
9. In A Quiet Place
10. I Wish I’d Met You
11. Dragon Fly
12. Thirty Years (Only Sunshine Days)
13. Some Other Time

Instrumental Line Up:

• Mark Winkler – Vocals
• David Benoit– Piano (& Hammond B3)
• Game Davis – Bass
• Clayton Cameron – Drums
• Pat Kelley – Guitar
• Stefanie Fife – Cello
• Kevin Winward – Percussion

This album was originally recorded, engineered and mixed by Tally Sherwood at Tritone Studios, Glendale, CA. and mastered by Ron Bousted at Resolution Mastering in Sherman Oaks, CA.  The album was released on the Cafe´ Pacific Records label on February 23rd, 2021.

Mark Winkler is a popular vocalist, lyricist and recording artist having recorded more than sixteen CD’s. His lyrics have been covered hundreds of times by numerous famous artists to include: Dianne Reeves, Randy Crawford, Liza Minnelli and Bob Dorough.

David Benoit, a well known pianist composer and arranger and has received multiple GRAMMY nominations. He has composed film scores to include: “The Stars Fell On Henrietta” (1995) and “The Christmas Tree” (1996). Performing as a leader on more than thirty-five recordings he has worked with a very large number of well known musicians to include: The Rippingtons, Emily Remler, Faith Hill and CeCe Winans to name just a few.

Excluding T1 what this album is not, is in your face, foot stomping, dynamic bebop jazz. What it is, is a well recorded set of professional musicians creating a tight and very enjoyable vocal and musical performance of easy listening jazz, that lets you reflect upon the passage of time.

This recording sounds very good, with all the instruments sounding open and natural with a restrained kit and percussion sound. Vocals and musicianship are very good providing a tight, enjoyable and really entertaining performance. The kit was clearly set well back occupying left of center to right of center. Acoustic bass was always dead center just in-front of the kit but behind Marks vocals that were right-out-front-center. The electric and acoustic guitar were placed midway between center and left speaker, with the cello replacing them. The piano spanned midway left of center to just inside the right hand speaker where most of the action appeared, and an “unannounced” Hammond B3 organ part on T7 was spread wide about the center and set slightly back. Physical separation and image stability was very good having moderate image depth information. No instruments appeared in either speaker.

There is no background mix noise or hum during the quiet sections or as tracks are faded up and down. Many tracks showing long tails-outs of usually the piano’s last note. The recordings overall dynamics being very good showing no obvious signs of compression.

While all musicians provides some stellar solos the album is clearly about Marks vocals and Davids piano parts, all of which are first rate, providing duets on tracks T2, T5, T10, T12 and T13. Marks vocals that are part of every arrangement are warm, mellow and “inviting”, have good annunciation, and despite the close miking showed little signs of any sibilance or excessive breath intakes, having enough presence to “appear” in my room. The acoustic piano showed good attack and a clean, bright and mellow tone, again with excellent room presence sounding vey similar to my own grand piano. No key or damper action was evident, with imaging left of center to far right of center for the acoustic piano and recessed wide center for the Hammond B3 organ on T7. Every track contains a piano solo, they are all excellent, so just take your pick.

The electric and acoustic guitars sat slightly recessed midway between the center and left speaker, both providing a very open natural sound and having a pleasing level of reverb that you occasionally hear tail out. The acoustic guitar having a mellow warm sound while the electric guitar provided a slightly more immediate, brighter and “clean” tone. There was little plectrum, finger or fret noise of consequence except on T4. Solos/breaks of note would include T1, T3 and T4.

The kit provided a solid image with a clean and slightly “reserved” dynamic sound. Cymbals and hi-hat are well detailed, generally having a slightly dull edge to them. The snare drum had a short tight ring like the toms and provided good detailed brush work on tracks T1, T3, T4 and T11, that again just lacked a little in ‘sparkle’. The kick drum provided a deep dull thud with no beater noise but with a little reverb being apparent. Percussion to include, shaker, chimes, triangle, wood block etc. were detailed and natural, and imaged slightly right of center, again lacking just a little in ‘sparkle’. Despite the “not so bright” sound, the kit and percussion were in-keeping with the overall albums production. Only one kit solo/break is available so make the most of T1.

The acoustic bass is to be found on tracks T1, T3, T4, T7, and T9. It provides a well defined tight and uncolored natural tone with a little edge, and a solid body, gently nudging the track along but never getting lost in the mix. No significant neck or finger noise was noted. Unfortunately there are no significant solos or breaks of note.

The bowed Cello provides a beautiful soulful and mellow tone on tracks T6, T8 and T11. Creating fine duets with the piano on each track and a stirring solo on T6 that had excellent room presence.

All instruments were ‘wrapped’, with what I assume to be, synthetic reverb that was short and low level, not interfering with or coloring the musical performance, but addding a pleasing depth and warmth.

To my surprise I really enjoyed this laid back easy jazz performance that had me reflecting on a number of my own life experiences. The mix was refined enough allowing me to considerably raise its level, without it becoming hard or strident.

Every track had a little extra something to give the listener, be it an instrumental break or a great solo, of which there are many. I am sure that many easy jazz fans and all of Mark’s and David’s fans will thoroughly enjoy this album. Recomended.

Playback note: Reviewed using my Denon DBP A100 over Denon Link 3. Speakers; a stereo pair of Genelec 1038’s and four SVS subs.

Disclosure: This CD was provided by Mouthpiece Music for my review. No financial compensation was provided.

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