MARIETTA, OH, USA - The 1986 plane crash that killed rock singer Rick Nelson suddenly extinguished a career that appeared to be at its zenith. Nelson’s final single, “Garden Party,” commented smartly on the vagaries of a rocker’s career. Only “Life’s Been Good to Me” seemed as sharp in its ironic lyrics, powered by Joe Walsh’s stinging guitar. At the age of 46, Nelson went from child actor on his parents’ TV sitcom to a level of recognition and respect that was surpassed by only a few of his contemporaries.

As a singer, Nelson’s career encompassed 15 years and contained a bushel basket filled to the rim with catchy songs performed with modified panache. When a new Rick Nelson release showed up on radio stations, teens marched to the local record emporium to add the new tunes to their collection.

Although considered appealing just to girls under 20, the years have been kind to Nelson. Nowadays the former-teens, who are now in their 40s and up, continue to dote on Nelson’s quietly melodic songs. As many of us around this planet decades longer have observed, the good guys of music endure. It’s sad that the plane tragedy cut short a career that might have continued for years ahead. As it now stands, every time fans hear “Garden Party,” silent tears may fight their way to the surface.

A proper tribute exists now in “Rick Nelson Greatest Hits” (Capitol Records), which delivers 20 of Nelson’s best work, including “I’m Walking,” “Be-Bop Baby,” “Poor Little Fool,” “Fools Rush In” and many more.

The album’s liner notes include photos of album covers and a small display of favored publicity pictures. James Levin explains the circumstances that led Nelson to record the songs, along with a brief biography of the singer’s two careers, as a child actor and as one of the most beloved performers in memory.

Arnett Moved Right Along

The San Francisco-based Fantasy Jazz consists of a number of distinguished jazz record labels and vaults of material from those good ole days when jazz and be bop seemed (to me, at least) the only music. Happily, the company continues to re-issue albums from jazz’s glory days, interspersed with new albums that already have become classics in their own ways.

One of the most entertaining of those reissues comes from Arnett Cobb, who enjoyed a reasonably successful career as tenor player with blues roots. No longer with us, the Texas honker was in fine form during 1960 when he recorded the album called “Movin’ Right Along” (Prestige Records).

As the title indicates, Cobb takes most of the eight tracks at an up-tempo pace. Backing are saucy musicians, including Bobby Timmons on piano. The play list was wisely chosen, three Cobb originals and four standards, including “Exactly Like You.” Rounding out this delightful album is the jazz classic, “Walkin’”.

Beegie Adair Pleases

Beegie Adair made her debut appearance on Earth in the town of Cave City, Ky. When old enough, she majored in piano at college, and then ventured down to Nashville, where she began working in the music business as a respected accompanist. She accompanied such country greats as Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, and Chet Atkins. But Beegie had a feeling for jazz. Good thing, as she demonstrates on her new album, “I’ll Take Romance” (Green Hill Records).

Now in her 64th year, Adair performs with distinction in front of the Jeff Steinberg orchestra, complete with strings. Her work is solid, while avoiding a tendency to show off her prowess on the keys. Although it’s obvious from the first track, the title song, that she knows her way around the jazz scene, Adair keeps it simple. And beautiful.

Bob Powers

The dozen tracks almost qualify as a list of the great standards of the past few decades. Adair, who never gets more adventurous, performs these familiar songs with an admirable leaning toward simplicity and straightforwardness. She can’t go wrong with such a formula.

The song list includes both old and new, including “I’ll Take Romance, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” “The Way You Look Tonight” and “What’s New.”

For those listeners who equate jazz with muddled melodies and standards with mawkish malarkey, “I’ll Take Romance” should provide many soothing hours of solid musicianship.

Eric Alexander Steals Spotlight

Adept pianist David Hazeltine has won praise for his first two albums on the Sharp Nine label. Working with drummer Louis Hayes and bassist Peter Washington, Hazeltine garnered superlatives along with predictions for a bright future in the world of jazz.

Hazeltine invited company for the new album, “The Classic Trio Meets Eric Alexander,” While the title will win no hurrahs for cleverness, the music on this CD makes a listener scratch his or her head in mild amazement. While some will come to a different conclusion, my ears told me that Alexander, a tenor saxophonist enjoying popularity from Proponents of the dreaded Smooth Jazz format, which has gained momentum as radio station programmers decide that authentic jazz might frighten away audiences while Alexander and his compatriots offer a menu rich in cholesterol and other bad things.

Two things strike me about this release: Alexander continues to play with feeling and a lovely tone while never challenging the brainpower of his audience. The tenor saxophone can, in the right hands, reach thrilling heights of aural ecstasy. The problem with Hazeltine’s latest is that Alexander gets all the good lines. Hazeltine’s piano sounds like he listened to lots of bop as he matured. There a fine moments in Hazeltine’s solos, but the overall result is a production that seems contradictory. While it’s not a disaster, the CD seems an example of good artists at cross-purposes.

Bob Powers always is interested in hearing from record distributors who deal in jazz, rock, folk, and anything that's good. For instructions on getting your album reviewed, contact him at rpow123@charter.net.

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