Emerging from years of teaching and writing, mostly at the prestigious Berklee school of Music, John La Porta has returned to the recording studio to produce an auspicious program of ten of his originals and a variation on a classic standard. Before concentrating on teaching, La Porta honed his considerable reed skills playing with the likes of Woody Herman, Charles Mingus, and Lennie Tristano. When on clarinet he eschews lengthy forays into the instrument's upper register, thus producing a mellifluous, tender tone as he reveals his bebop upbringing. Both characteristics, mellifluous sound, and bebop are heard with distinction on Repartee. La Porta is also a true clarinet virtuoso. Not only was he on the recording of Ebony Concerto, composed for Woody Herman by Igor Stravinsky, he recorded this piece for Everest and was the principal soloist. On this album his clarinet virtuosity is given full rein with Presidential Encounter, which comes as close to a reading of 20th century classical music for quartet as anything on the disc. The interplay between La Porta's clarinet and Rick Peckham's guitar is a display of superior artistry. La Porta can also swing, as he and Peckham lay out on Two Plus Two. The liner notes indicate that La Porta is playing tenor on this cut, but it's the clarinet. With the tenor, La Porta stays on course as he transfers the same comfortable flowing, harmonic feeling from the long black stick to the curved horn. Valentine Variations, a play on the classic My Funny Valentine, reveals the flow and tenderness of the La Porta sax making this the pre-eminent track of the session. La Porta has true pros with him on this CD. Joe Hunt on drums was with the Stan Getz Quartet, as well as modernists George Russell and Gary McFarland. Bass player Bill Stinnett has performed with Phineas Newborn Jr. and Ernestine Anderson. La Porta's main comrade in arms, guitar player Rick Peckham, has distinguished himself with the likes of Bob Berg and Peter Erskine. This is a powerhouse group, indeed. With Life Cycle, John La Porta, at 80 years young, returns to the recording studio with a modern, entertaining, and recommended album. ~ Dave Nathan, Rovi

1		Chootabaka Fatback
2		J. V. Blues (Dedicated to Joe)
3		Repartee
4		Presidential Encounter
5		Lo Bastante
6		Two Plus Two
7		Altenative
8		Life Cycle
9		My Funny Valentine [Variations]
10		Conversion
11		Man to Man

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