Mad & Eddie Duran - From Here to the Moon - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

A luscious selection of Latin and bebop, standards and originals, from a pair of seasoned West Coast jazz masters. Winter '84. A bitterly cold night in Paris, icy sleet and cutting wind. A friend and I slogged up to Montmartre, not knowing what we sought, short on cash and cursing the cold. The deserted, windswept Place at the summit convinced us we were crazy to be there. Then, as we headed back down, we passed a tiny tavern that projected warmth, good cheer, and a rolling jazz base line. We walked into a world of finger-poppin' bebop, foot-tapping Latin jazz, a roaring fire, and great company. 'From Here to the Moon,' San Francisco-based husband-and-wife combo Mad and Eddie Duran's breakout album, takes me right back to that little club. To be sure, the musicianship here is in a different league from that of the impromptu trio that kept us smiling all evening in Montmartre. But there's the same sense of warm intimacy, shared fun, and pure enjoyment of the dynamic and emotional possibilities of jazz. Eddie Duran just gets better and better. This underappreciated guitar master has been around a while, and he's constantly expanding his horizons and honing his skills. Here, the fruits of his exploration of things Latin quickly become evident, especially in such original compositions as the title tune and 'Quesadillas,' co-written with Mad, who damn near sets her flute on fire on the irresistible, salsa-flavored cut. Speaking of Mad Duran, her tenor sax work throughout the record is just as engrossing and satisfying. Her sassy, whimsical turn on the destined-to-be-a-classic 'Favorite Things/Take Five' medley bounces deliciously along over Eddie's rich rhythm chording. And when she explores more muted emotional terrain, as in Cole Porter's 'Everything I Love,' she can express a tenderness and precision that evokes Chet Baker - a perfect foil for Eddie's blistering, Django