Cityscape
In the early '60s, arranger Claus Ogerman's signature style fueled classic hits like Frank Sinatra's landmark duet with Antonio Carlos Jobim - it's an approach that is still emulated today. By the early '70s, when a glut of jazz recordings laden with strings and background vocals surfaced (most in an effort to capitalize on the string-section appeal of some disco hits), Ogerman stood apart for his elegant melding of jazz and strings. Evidence of this is his work on George Benson's crossover hit Breezin'. Ogerman's earlier work on Jobim's landmark recording, Wave, as well as with Getz, Bill Evans, and Paul Desmond, and his later recordings with Benson, Freddie Hubbard, and Stanley Turrentine are better known than his solo and duet albums. It was producer Tommy LiPuma (then at Warner Bros.) who recognized Ogerman's talent early on. LiPuma produced an early Ogerman project, Gate of Dreams, that featured Benson, michael brecker, David Sanborn, and Joe Sample. One track inspired the producer to reunite Ogerman and Brecker for an album in 1982. "Nightwings" is from that collaboration, Cityscape. Conducted, composed, and arranged in classic Ogerman style, the album provided a unique backdrop for Brecker's impassioned solos.--- JAZZIZ MagazineCopyright © 2000, Milor Entertainment, Inc.--From Jazziz