Success jazzy at SUCO
By Jack Mazurak Staff Writer
A CD co-produced by a local professor got national recognition throughout 2003 and landed in fourth place on Amazon.com's list of 10 best jazz albums for the year.
Charles Dahan, an assistant professor of music at the State University College at Oneonta, said the album covers existing songs in a jazz style.
The album, "Boogaloo to Beck: A Tribute," was released in early 2003 and got positive reviews in Rolling Stone magazine and on Amazon.com. It features organist Dr. Lonnie Smith and sax player David "Fathead" Newman.
Dahan said the CD was recorded in a two-day session in November 2002 at a studio in Marnroneck. The two other co-producers, Douglas Munra and Joseph Ferry, are professors at the State University College at Purchase.
On Tuesday night, Dahan said the album, as its title indicates, sources some of its songs from Beck, a modern rock, funk and punk player. "Beck is eclectic. His first album was antii-folk, then he went grove, then had a punk, smarty-pants period," he said. "Beck has a nice idea of melody, which is easy for musicians to take and make their own."
He said listeners might not immediately hear the Beck melodies in the album's jazz versions but the basic structures are there.
Amazon reviewer Michael Ross said "Boogaloo to Beck: A Tribute" made some of Beck's original recordings seem pale. Dahan, who has two Grarnmy nominations under his belt, said the idea for the album came when representatives from CMH Records, a label he has worked with before, called and asked for something special.
"They wanted a 1960s, Blue Note (Records)-style organ trio. We got the trio and added a sax player, so it was that plus one," Dahan said. He said they chose Beck's tunes for his melody work and to explore what his music would be like in the jazz style.
A producer's work starts long before the actual recording session, Dahan said.
"There's a lot of set-up — organizing the artists, booking the sessions and arranging the artists' contracts," he said. "Then during the recording, I see my job as making the environment as comfortable and easy as possible for the artist to go ahead and create their work."
Dahan said he's also an impartial voice to say which tracks were laid down well and what needs to be redone. He said the nature of jazz players is to improvise, so if they redo a take, the song often goes in a new direction.
"Jazz is all about capturing the moment," he said, "Take to take, fa song) will usually be colossaliy different. But if it feels good and it swings, then that's the take."
Since "Boogaloo to Beck: A Tribute" got a good public reception, Dahan said he's already at work on a follow-up
album.
"It's just in the planning stages, but this time, it's a tribute to the Beastie Boys," he said.
Carol Blazina, SUCO public relations official, said Dahan has taught at the college since 2001 and is a former professor at Marymount College.
She said Dahan is a co-founder of Larchmont Records and worked as a director at Shanachie Records for more than seven years.
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