Ron Cyger and Brent Butterworth
Take 2
Outrageous8 Records
Alto and soprano-saxophonist Ron Cyger and bassist-guitarist Brent Butterworth comprise Take 2, a jazz duo based in Southern California. Cyger has a degree in music from CSULA, has toured the Western US, Canada and Japan, and has worked with Angela O’Neill’s Outrageous 8 and the Green Street Jazz Quartet. Brent Butterworth, a recording engineer and reviewer of many audio products, plays bass, guitar and ukulele. While both Cyger and Butterworth contribute a bit of percussion on their Take 2 album, they also welcome guest percussionist Larry Salzman (who averages 275-300 recording sessions a year in many different styles of music) on three numbers.
The nine selections on this release (eight originals plus one famous pop song) feature Ron Cyger and Brent Butterworth in top form. They often utilize a bit of overdubbing so that they form a slightly larger group than a duo but their likable music is intimate and primarily features close interplay by the two musicians.
Cyger and Butterworth start off the program with the soul jazz groove of “Buddy’s Bounce” which has swinging guitar and alto solos along with Salzman’s prominent congas. “Waltz For Louie” utilizes a bassline that recalls “Take Five” a little and has a fine tradeoff between alto and bass. The 1950’s hit “How Much Is That Doggie In The Window” is given a light-hearted version with some cooking soprano playing by Cyger.
“Noir” has a mildly mysterious theme that could have worked well in a film noir. “Missy’s Mambo” has a heated soprano solo and some assertive guitar playing. One of the set’s catchier originals is the concise and swinging medium-tempo blues “Findango.” The fine program concludes with the sly “Chit Chat,” “Aprender” (which is based on “All The Things You Are”), and slow strut “The Sadie Shuffle.”
Take 2 is a fine introduction to the playing of Ron Cyger and Brent Butterworth.
Scott Yanow, jazz journalist/historian