Savoir Faire,
Allen Savedoff's 2004 album on Capstone of 12 short pieces composed or arranged for bassoon or contrabassoon in combination with various instruments, has an irresistible insouciance that dispels any doubts about the mixed program, and an almost insolent humor that challenges the listener to get the jokes. This is not a solemn or serious album, but neither is it a put-on:
Savedoff has a light touch that comes through in his choice of comic fare, such as
Bruce Broughton's lively Bounce, Gernot Wolfgang's rhythmically intriguing Uncle Bebop,
John Williams' incongruous Fluffy and His Harp, and the updated and adapted excerpt from
Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf. But several of the selections are wayward arrangements of classics, such as
Maurice Ravel's Pièce en forme de habanera,
Claude Debussy's Clair de Lune, Syrinx (strangely charming on contrabassoon), and weirdest of all but successful in its colorful effect, Léo Delibes' Flower Duet. Some modern pieces with a lyrical strain are included, such as Damian Montano's Canzona and Scherzo, and
Jeff Beal's neo-Classical piece for wind quintet, (low man) Totem Pole. But the one track that exemplifies both
Savedoff's title and his blending of humor and seriousness is Kim Scharnberg's jazz-inflected Concussion, which is perhaps the ideal setting for this versatile musician. Capstone's sound is quite clear and vivid, so absolutely nothing is lost.