Vibraphonist Dick Sisto has had a long musical career. He discovered jazz in the late 1950s, led the Quartet Four with drummer Maurice White (who later founded Earth, Wind & Fire), spent a period living and playing in Northern California with the top local musicians, toured Europe a few time, and led the house trio at a Louisville hotel where he performed with many jazz artists for years.
Back in 1994, Sisto recorded a very good quartet album with pianist Fred Hersch, bassist Drew Gress, and drummer Tom Rainey that was originally called American Love Song when it was released by the tiny Jazzen label. It was quickly picked up by Steeplechase and renamed Falling In Love. Now Steeplechase has reissued the set.
As with the best jazz, the music on Falling In Love has not dated in the slightest and still sounds modern and creative. Performing nine standards, Tom Harrell’s “Little Dancer” and Sisto’s memorable original “Summer’s Gone,” the quartet displays an appealing group sound and is consistently inspired. It is particularly enjoyable to hear Fred Hersch this early in his career. He comes up with fresh and swinging statements on the standards while stretching the tunes a bit.
Dick Sisto, whose playing at times hints at Milt Jackson and Bobby Hutcherson but in his own voice, is heard in top form on such numbers as “Falling In Love With Love,” “Doxy,” “Moment’s Notice,” and “If I Should Lose You.” If he had spent more time living in the bigger metropolitan areas, he would be much better known today. But on evidence of his playing throughout Falling In Love and on his other recordings, he ranks near the top of jazz vibraphonists. This recommended set is available at www.steeplechase.dk and
www.amazon.com.