Not that he’s slowing down in the least, but Jim Self’s decision to retire from his teaching position at USC after many decades could just lead the legendary tuba master, studio musician and veteran jazz artist to be even more prolific than he’s been over the years. In simple terms, he explains in his liner notes why so much of that creative fire happens in tandem with equally storied guitarist John Chiodini, to the tune of four duo albums (including their appropriately titled latest collection Feels So Good) and a quintet collection since 2017.
Basically, he and Chiodini “share a good habit. It’s called ‘loving great songs.” He adds that for many years now, the two have gotten together almost every Friday in his music room. Besides exquisite and colorful arrangements of standards and intoxicating original surprises, there’s another cool reason why their voluminous output is a wonderful thing – the opportunity in every review to write the word “FLUBA,” a super low bass toned tuba sized flugelhorn designed by Self.
He plays it on two tracks of Feels So Good, including the lively and playful title rendition of the Chuck Mangione instrumental pop classic, perhaps the collection’s best showcase of the effortless, intuitive rapport between Self’s peppy dark tones and Chiodini’s plucky precision. The Fluba’s also there, bouncing away below Chiodini’s rhythmic strumming and snappy soloing, on a festive, freewheeling swirl through Lee Morgan’s “Sidewinder.”
The other 11 gems on the album feature the more mainstream strains of Self’s F Tuba, from a sassy spin on “You’d Be So Nice to Come Home To” and a mystical, classical guitar driven take on “Cinema Paradiso” through the fast strutting, percussive romp through Ornette Coleman’s “Blues Connotation,” which features the explosive horn section and soloing excitement of saxophonists Steve Marsh and Phil Feather, trombonist Bill Booth and trumpeter Kris Burgh. In the midst of all this high fallutin’ fun are two of the most engaging and playful tracks, the rambunctious “Super Mario” and tenderhearted “Midsummer,” a dreamy ballad with an 8th note groove.
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