Home » Jazz Articles » Play This! » Yotam Silberstein: Never Let Me Go

Yotam Silberstein: Never Let Me Go

By John Chacona
April 5, 2024
Sign in to view read count

In his heyday, tenor saxophonist George Coleman bulled through the changes with the single-minded muscularity of heavyweight boxer Joe Frazier bearing down on an opponent. When Big George was on, the changes didn't stand a chance. He's slowed down a bit, but like many distinguished predecessors, what Coleman has lost—or abandoned—at racehorse tempos is more than compensated by the grandeur of his playing on ballads.

"Never Let Me Go" seems to be a favorite of his, and guitarist Yotam Silberstein was wise to include it on the setlist of Standards (Jojo Records, 2024). Wiser still was the decision to invite old pros John Patitucci and Billy Hart, on bass and drums respectively, to the session. The song, a mid-'50s hit for Nat King Cole, is a dreamy lover's reverie, but one suspects that the lyrics might hold a different meaning for Coleman as his 90th birthday in 2025 draws nearer. Coleman slightly cracks a D on the initial statement of the melody, but out of that momentary unsteadiness flows a performance soaked in emotion and delivered with timeless eloquence.

Contact John Chacona on All About Jazz.
John Chacona is a freelance journalist, content writer and producer in Cleveland.

Contribute to Play This! Recommend a favorite song, album, or performance and we'll share it with your fellow All About Jazz readers. Submit it here.

< Previous
Bianca

Next >
James Brandon Lewis, Kenny Drew, Sato...

Comments

About Yotam Silberstein

Instrument: Guitar

Tags

For the Love of Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help

To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.