While the name of the group featured on The Song In Our Soul CD (the Palomar Trio) is a bit anonymous, its members will be quite familiar to readers of the Syncopated Times. Dan Levinson, whether playing clarinet, tenor, or C-melody, and exploring pre-1920 music, hot jazz of the ’20s, or swing, always succeeds at sounding like himself. He comes across as a good-humored and creative improviser of the pre-bop era. While very aware of the historic greats and playing in the early idioms, Levinson has developed an individual voice on each of his instruments. Pianist Mark Shane is often compared to Teddy Wilson, not just because he has mastered the swing style but, like Wilson, his taste is impeccable and he sounds as if he has never played an inappropriate note. Drummer Kevin Dorn, while inspired by Gene Krupa, has a lighter touch and his rhythms are often felt as much as they are heard.
The Song In Our Soul features the three musicians, who have played together in many settings through the years, performing 11 songs. Only “In A Shanty In Old Shanty Town” would be considered a standard while the others are superior obscurities although record collectors will be familiar with “It’s Been So Long,” “The Day You Came Along,” and “River, Stay Way From My Door.” Levinson in the liner notes correctly states that there is no point to recording the umpteenth version of “All O
