Live In CT This Week (4/18 + 19)

Busy week in the Basketball capital of the United States but it's "live" music that should pique our interest.  The Side Door Jazz Club in Old Lyme welcomes pianist Benny Green and his Trio on Friday (4/18).  Green, born in New York City but raised in Berkeley, CA, has been studying and playing since he was 7 years old.  His father, a jazz saxophonist, had a large record collection and young Benny took it upon himself to figure out what was going on in the songs of Thelonious Monk and Charlie Parker.

Over the course of his career, he was worked and recorded with Betty Carter, Oscar Peterson, Ray Brown, Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers and so many others.  He has recorded 15 CDs as a leader, the leanest being 2013's Sunnyside release, "Magic Beans."

For his debut at The Side Door, Benny Green bring his fine rhythm section of David Wong (bass) and Rodney Green (drums).  Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and the first set commences at 8:30.  Call 860-434-0886 for more information.

photo courtesy Joe L. Knaepen

Firehouse 12 in New Haven continues its Spring 2014 Concerts Series on Friday with a return visit from Loren Stillman & Bad Touch (the quartet first appeared in the Elm City in October of 2008.)  Saxophonist/composer Stillman, a native of London, England, has been part of the creative music scene since the mid-1990s, working with artists such as John Abercrombie, pianist Andy Milne, vibraphonist Chris Dingman, and the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra.

Bad Touch features the same lineup as on the earlier gig and that is Nate Radley (guitar), Ted Poor (drums) and Gary Versace (Hammond organ) - they have a brand new CD titled "Going Public" (Fresh Sounds New Talent) and it's a fine musical experience, ripe with melodies and creative interactions. For tickets, go to firehouse12.com or call 203-785-0468.  To learn more about Loren Stillman & Bad Touch, go to lorenstillman.com.

The Buttonwood Tree, 605 Main Street in Middletown, welcomes pianist/vocalist Warren Byrd this Friday evening at 8 p.m.  Byrd, a Hartford native who has been active on the CT and world scenes for several decades, is, perhaps, best known for his co-leadership and work with The Afro-Semitic Experience.  His Middletown appearance is a solo gig in which one will have the opportunity to revel in his gospel-tinged soulful piano work plus hear some of the new poetry Byrd has been working on.  He's got an imposing stage presence, a great touch and good sense of humor.  For more information, go to www.facebook.com/events/715983908463600/ - for reservations, go to www.buttonwood.org.

copyright Albert Brooks

Back to The Side Door on Saturday for an appearance by the Marcus Strickland Quartet.  The fine foursome - Strickland (saxophones), his twin brother E.J. (drums), David Bryant (piano) and Ben Williams (bass) - has been an ensemble for more than 5 years and it shows in their smart interaction, in how they not only push each other but also in how they listen to what the other is playing.  The music they create encompasses myriad genres, is quite exciting and can also be emotionally satisfying.

As usual, the doors open at 7:30 p.m. with the music starting at 8:30.  For more information, go to thesidedoorjazz.com.  To learn more about Marcus Strickland, his band and their music, go to marcusstrickland.com.

Marvelous Musical Worlds

There is music for every mood, from the depths of depression to the heights of exhilaration. Morning music, beach music, bedtime music, music for love, for loving, for holding a newborn or putting a 2-year old to bed.

A Jazz Orchestra has the ability, under the proper creative hand, to create myriad worlds and satisfy many moods.  Christine Jensen, a native of Sechelt, British Columbia, raised in Nanaimo on Vancouver Island B.C, moved to Montreal, Quebec, to study at McGill where she earned both her undergraduate (1994) and graduate degrees (2006), working in groups as a saxophonist (alto, soprano) with her sister Ingrid (trumpet), pianist Geoffrey Keezer, saxophonist Donny McCaslin and others.  As a leader, she released 3 smaller group recordings as well as co-leading Nordic Connect, a quintet with Swedish pianist Lena Olin.

In 2010, she released her first CD with the 18 member Christine Jensen Jazz Orchestra.  "Treelines" (Justin Time) is a tribute to her native land and the forests. The music displays the influences of Bob Brookmeyer, Gil Evans and, certainly, Maria Schneider (with whom she shares a trumpeter.)  Like the late Brookmeyer and Ms. Schneider, Ms. Jensen's compositions are not simply vehicles for long solos but stories with intricate arrangements, with solos that come logically or organically from the melodic strains in the works. She most certainly writes for the musicians in her band (most, if not all, Canadian citizens), creating pieces for their individual voices.  But, it's the great writing for the sections that often catch your ear on first listen.

Now, there is "Habitat" (Justin Time) which, like its predecessor, has won the Canadian JUNO Award for "Best Contemporary Jazz Album of the Year" (the CD was released in her native land in October of 2013). If you enjoy Big Band music, there is much here to merit your full attention.  Again, like Ms. Schneider, Christine Jensen writes pieces based on personal experiences.  The opening track, "Treelines", is a work commissioned for the University of Nebraska/Lincoln jazz orchestra with the condition the work carry the title of her previous CD.  "Tumbledown" was inspired by trips to Haiti before the devastating earthquake (the main theme composed in reaction to the event) whereas "Blue Yonder" features an Afro-Peruvian rhythm she discovered while on tour in South America.  The stately brass and reeds fanfare that opens the piece has an Aaron Copland feel but, once the rhythm section, the "feel" changes and the music charges forward.

The longest track, "Nishiyuu", is a musical tribute to the 6 Cree youth who walked 1500 kilometers from their home on Hudson Bay in northern Quebec to the Canadian capital, Ottawa (read about the journey here). The composition features the Orchestra in the role of the youth and tenor Chet Doxas as their guide. Even if you not know the story, this is powerful music, intense without being loud, never strident but also not soft or unfocused.  Doxas, whose next venture is a Greenleaf release with Dave Douglas, Steve Swallow and his drummer brother Jim, a tribute to Jimmy Giuffre, does a stellar  job, one of the finest tenor solos of the past few years.

Sister Ingrid, who appears on 4 of the 6 cuts, gets the lead on 2 including the afore-mentioned "Treelines" and on the closing track, "Sweet Adelphi."  Her fiery spotlight on the latter track comes after the expansive soprano sax solo performed by Christine.  The focus is on the different sections for several minutes before the lovely soprano/trumpet interaction that carries the piece and the CD to its close.

One of the more impressive aspects of "Habitat" is the music does not sound studied, stilted or overly derivative.   Instead, Christine Jensen has composed, orchestrated and coordinated a recording whose music moves inside on the first listen, going deeper into your heart and mind the more you listen.  For more information (and the entire cast of characters), go to www.christinejensenmusic.com.

Hard to believe it's been nearly 3 years since guitarist/ composer/ vocalist Joshua Stamper issued "Interstitials", a splendid recording filled with memorable songs and fascinating arrangements for guitars, reeds and low brass.  He's back with "the skin, the sea, the sound" (Good Behavior), employing the 2 reed players (Mike Cemprola and Jon Rees) and the low brass man (Paul Arbogast); this time around, he's added drummer Thomas Bendel, the electronics of Emil Nikolaisen, and the voice of Ruth Naomi Floyd (on one track). Stamper's music still sounds influenced by Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding of XTC as well as Robert Wyatt; yet I remain so impressed by his use of the reeds and brass. At times, his lyrics sound like e.e. cummings. For example, "Peel Past The Starry Scrim" is a combination of natural, religious and and surrealistic images in the words (see below).  Add the electronic noise that leads to the airy flutes, the chiming guitars, the soft overdubbed vocals, the low brass and the military-like drumming and you have music that transforms your day.  The bass trombone shadowing the vocal lines on "etching sticks click ice brick thick" (say that quickly 5 times) should make you smile and there's a hint of Charles Ives in the flute support.  As the song moves away from the vocals, the intensity picks up as the saxophone, clarinet and trombone dance around each other, sometimes in unison or harmony.  It's this wondrous polyphony that borders on "dixieland folk" music. There is a hint of Nino Rota (who scored the films of Federico Fellini) in the circus music opening of "A Better TelescopE" but the music soon goes in several new directions. A simple guitar melody opens the album's longest track (9:17) "I'd Like To Be Like You" - that's the opening line of the vocal which soon introduces the reeds and brass playing counterpoint.  An alto saxophone moves out of the ensemble to push the piece forward with brass moving beneath; suddenly, a soprano saxophone rises above everyone before the vocalist returns repeating the title as the piece comes to an abrupt end.   The program closes with "The Silent Beach, the Bowl of Stars", an instrumental with the reeds rising up through the hazy guitar sounds.

The music Joshua Stamper creates moves in its own world, one which has myriad influences yet sounds quite original.  "the skin, the sea, the sound" is a wonderful aural environment where one can lose him-or-herself and do so with pleasure. Don't waste your time putting a label on this album - really, just let yourself move into the songs and simply be.  For more information and purchase options, go to   joshuastamper.bandcamp.com.

Peel past the starry scrim to find 
Peel past the starry scrim to find, to find me 

Dig down, a righter rain will fall 

inside me 

Reach round the drowsy din and cut a key 

Please find me, unwind me 

Peel past the starry scrim to find 
Peel past the starry scrim to find, to find me, to find me. 

Under the skin, the sea, the sound 
O Lover of Beasts, O Star from the East, 
Will all things soon be found?

(Lyrics courtesy of Joshua Stamper)

Positively Posi-Tone (Part 2)

Bassist Peter Brendler, a native of Baltimore, Maryland, graduated from the Berklee School of Music and then went on to the Master's Program at the Manhattan School of Music. He's worked with pianist Frank Kimbrough, drummer Barry Altshul, and saxophonist Jon Irabagon (who recorded his "Foxy" CD with Altshul and Brendler) and his debut as a co-leader was a 2013 date with guitarist John Abercrombie.

"Outside The Line" is the first CD under his name only and is a "smoker" from the get-go.  Featuring Rich Perry (tenor saxophone), Peter Evans (trumpet, piccolo trumpet) and Vinnie Sperrazza (drums), the quartet rambles, rumbles, "splats", sputters, wails, struts and strolls through a 12-song program that features 9 originals and 3 inspired covers.

On the "covers" side, the program starts with the band speeding through Chet Baker's "Freeway", a hard-bop romp that features Sperrazza's "dazzle-dazzle" brushwork, Evans' inspired piccolo trumpet work and Perry's bluesy sax work.  There's a funky recreation of Lou Reed's "Walk On the Wild Side", complete with Perry and Evans taking the part of the "doot-da-doot-da-doot" chorus. Sperrazza's inspired brush work and the leader's full-toned bass notes give the soloists plenty of support.  The final cover is an inspired reading of Ornette Coleman's "Una Muy Bonita" which opens with a fine bass solo that slowly eases into the recognizable melody (the foursome does an excellent job of shifting the tempo throughout).

Several of Brendler's originals hew close to the Coleman Atlantic Records Quartet sound, such as the hard-driving "Lawn Darts" (it's a treat listening to how the bass and drums work together and independently to move this music forward).  In another direction, "Pharmacology" is a bopping blues track with a melody line that could have been played by the Clifford Brown-Max Roach Quintet.  Evans and Sperrazza goose each other along during the trumpet solo and then the drummer trades "4's" with the bassist. There's a noisy quality to the rapid give-and-take of Perry and Evans on "Openhanded" while "The Darkness" mines the blues in the musicians' veins.  The trumpet solo pushes against the medium-tempo stroll the bass create while the tenor saxophone joins in on the stroll.  The drone created by the bowed bass, trumpet and saxophone to one "Indelible Mark" induces shivers but also displays Brendler's splendid technique. He's the "lead" voice for the opening 1/3rd of the track.  Evans and Perry, though they come from different musical genres (the saxophonist has worked with the Maria Schneider Orchestra while the trumpeter is a mainstay in Mostly Other People Do The Killing), work extremely well together. The CD closes with "The Golden Ring", a series of ferocious interactions among the quartet. Sperrazza's drumming is inspired throughout, he and Brendler often function like lead instruments with their own thematic material.

One could call "Outside The Line" "free jazz" but the music is so much more.  The musicians provoke, challenge and complement each other, giving the listener much to chew on.  Peter Brendler has created quite the gem of a CD - I'd put his release right alongside Eric Revis's smashing new CD "In Memory of Things Yet Seen" as 2 of the best recordings by a bassist of the past several years.  To find out more, go to www.peterbrendler.com.

Drummer Steve Fidyk, the son of a drummer, is, perhaps, best known for his work with big bands (although he has also recorded contemporary Jewish music with Robyn Helzner and played with numerous Symphony orchestras). Meeting drummer/educator Joe Morello (Dave Brubeck Quartet) changed Fidyk's life as his mentor helped not only how to play but also how to be a better teacher.

"Heads Up!" is his debut as a leader and it's a solid effort. Engineer Michael Marciano (of Systems Two in Brooklyn, NY) does a great job of capturing Fidyk's excellent brush work.  The quintet for this date features Terell Stafford (trumpet, flugelhorn) Tim Warfield (tenor sax) and rhythm section from the Armed Services, bassist Regan Brough (from the U.S. Army Blues) and guitarist Shawn Purcell (the United States Naval Academy Band).  The 9 cuts include original songs by the leader, such as the energetic opening track "Untimely", the extremely funky "The Flip Flopper" and the sweet ballad feature for Stafford's flugelhorn "T.T.J".  Purcell is an excellent foil for the front line, never intrusive, always supportive.  His work is often subtle, playing quiet chordal patterns behind the soloists; yet, he can cut loose as well, shredding his way through "The Flip Flopper." His piece for trio, "Might This Be-Bop", features strong solos from him, bassist Brough and Fidyk.   Stafford is such a great player, whether soaring over the changes as he does on Fidyk's "The Bender" or playing muted and mellow on the rearrangement of Jules Styne's "Make Someone Happy."  He returns to flugelhorn on the slow take on Johnny Nash's reggae hit "I Can See Clearly Now", helping to create a big city, late night vibe.  Warfield's bluesy tenor is heard to great effect on several tracks, including Hank Mobley-like turns on Purcell's "Last Nerve" and the hard bop cum disco take on Cole Porter's "Love For Sale."

Steve Fidyk sounds like he's having a great time on "Heads Up!"  He keeps the tunes motoring along without intruding while pushing the soloists to greater heights on several occasions.  Posi-Tone Records, like Criss Cross Records, is a label that is often billed as a home for mainstream jazz. In actuality, both labels and their respective producers (Marc Free and Gerry Teekens), like to mix things up.  Yet, "Heads Up!" (which features Criss Cross artist Tim Warfield - he has 7 releases on the Netherlands-based label) is "straight-ahead" and gloriously so.  For more information, go to www.stevefidyk.com.

For his 5th Posi-Tone release, tenor saxophonist Doug Webb has organized a new group of East Coast musicians (3 of his previous 4 previous CDs featured the rhythm section of drummer Gerry Gibbs and bassist Stanley Clarke) - recorded in February 2013, "Another Scene" features the late bassist Dwayne Burno (who passed in late December of last year), pianist Peter Zak and the most impressive Rudy Royston (drums).  The change of scenery has energized Webb who picks up on the power of Royston's drumming and Burno's muscular bass lines and delivers a strong performance.  That's not to say this is all fire and no sweetness. There are several fine ballads including Dave Brubeck's "Southern Scene", Vernon Duke's "What Is There to Say" and Benny Carter's "Only Trust Your Heart" (a duo for saxophone and piano).

However, chances are good you'll remember the fiery saxophone and drums exchange that makes up "Rhythm With Rudy" and the hard-driving opening 2 tracks, "Mr. Milo" and "One for Art" (dedicated to Webb's former bassist, the late Dr. Art Davis).   "Another Step" is Webb's take on John Coltrane's "Giant Steps", with the saxophonist lying over the powerful piano chords and hard-charging rhythm section. Later in the program, Webb's "Verdi Variations" also has a Coltrane feel in the piano chords, the rubato work of Burno and Royston plus the feverish tenor of the leader. In a clever programming turn, the following track is Thad Jones' "Bird Song"  which features a sweet solo from the leader and a rocking bass statement from Burno.

"Another Scene" is, in my opinion, most complete recording I have heard from Doug Webb. His earlier CDs all had their moments but this one has many more.  Could be the great rhythm section, could be that Webb liked the change of scene, could just be his continuing maturity as a performer.  Whatever was in the air on the February day worked its magic on this session.  For more information, go to www.dougwebb.us.

A Flurry of Recommendations (Part 2)

"Fourteen" (Pi Recordings) is the fifth CD that Dan Weiss (drums, percussion, compositions) has issued  and the first with more than 3 musicians; in fact, the title refers to the number of participants.  His Trio partners, pianist Jacob Sacks and bassist Thomas Morgan, are here as is his duo partner, guitarist Miles Okazaki.  Joining them are Matt Mitchell (glockenspiel, organ, piano, clapping), David Binney (alto saxophone), Ohad Talmor (tenor sax), Jacob Garchik (trombone, tuba), Ben Gerstein (trombone), Katie Andrews (harp), Stephen Cellucci (percussion, clapping) and the vocal trio of Lana Cenčić, Judith Berkson and Maria Neckam.  The music is divided into 7 "Parts" with moments that sound like "progressive rock" from the 1970s, sections that reflect Weiss's lifelong interest in Indian drumming, limpid vocals that recall Steve Reich, quiet passages of acoustic guitar with glockenspiel ("Part Two") or tuba with trombone ("Part Five"), majestic piano melodies over a forceful rhythm section ("Part Six"), and long tones that juxtapose voice, piano and trombone ("Part 7"). 

The best way to experience "Fourteen" is to start at the beginning and listen to the end (just under 38 minutes).  Some of the moments are soft and lovely, others hard and stark but the overall experience is cathartic, a cleansing of the mind and, even, a sense of rebirth.  In so many ways, "Fourteen" is a reflection on living in unsettled times.  Dan Weiss has created a master work, one that reverberates long after the last quiet notes fade.  For more information, go to danweiss.net or pirecordings.com.  

Pianist/composer Leslie Pintchik writes music that asks the listener to relax, block out the everyday world and our performances will entertain without ever speaking down to you. "In the Nature of Things" (Pintch Hard Records) is her 4th recording as a leader and it's quite a treat. First of all, Ms. Pintchik has a dynamite rhythm section, with long-time associates Scott Hardy (bass, horn arrangements) and Satoshi Takeishi (percussion) plus Michael Sarin (drums).  Saxophonist Steve Wilson (soprano, alto), who appeared on the pianist's second album is back, joined here on the front line by Ron Horton (trumpet, flugelhorn) - they appear on 6 of the 9 tracks.

There's an airy quality to the majority of the tracks, a spaciousness that suggests contemplation yet also an intensity created by the joyful interaction of the musicians.  On first listen, the standout track is "I'd Turn Back If I Were You", with its Crescent City groove and splendid piano work (there are seriously low notes at the end of each chorus).  Wilson and Horton get in the groove, adding colorful splotches atop Sarin's dancing drums.  After several listens, one's attention is arrested by the truly delightful quartet reading of Lerner & Loewe's "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face".  Takeishi and Sarin mesh well, the quiet hand percussion (bells and blocks) alongside the splendid brush and cymbals supporting the pianist.  Hardy, who first worked with Ms. Pintchik as a guitarist, is quite the melodic bass, his full tones filling the spaces beneath the gentle piano chords.

Wilson and Horton share the theme section of the Brazilian-infuenced "Luscious" - after a fine piano solo, the saxophonist plays a lively solo on soprano.  Horton takes a spirited solo on "Sparkle" followed by Wilson, this time flying above the rhythm section on alto.  Several of the tracks use the reeds and brass as either counterpoint or for adding extra shading in the background.

Do make sure to pay attention to the pianist, especially her fine solos.  Ms. Pintchik may not be a flashy soloist but she can certainly swing (the live version of "There You Go" that closes the disk is ample evidence of her ability.) She is also exceptionally melodic, not unlike Dr. Denny Zeitlin. Listen to how she sets the table for Horton and Wilson on "Ripe", giving them the first 2 solos before stepping into her own fine statement.

In the liner notes, Leslie Pintchik acknowledges the influence of Herbie Hancock's 1968 Blue Note recording "Speak Like a Child", not so much in the instrumentation as in the approach to the material, the prominent role of the rhythm section (Ron Carter and Micky Roker with Hancock) and her solos, which often stay in the middle of the keyboard.  "In The Nature of Things" is inspiring and comforting music, well worth exploring time and again.  For more information, go to www.lesliepintchik.com.

A Flurry of Recommendations (Part 1)

Up until this CD arrived, I had not heard or heard of Douglas Detrick; all this time while I have been blithely innocent of his existence, he's been creating a fascinating repertoire. The New Jersey native, raised in Wisconsin, is now based in Portland, Oregon, where he earned his Master's of Music from the University of Oregon/Eugene.  He leads several different ensembles, including the AnyWhen Ensemble whose 3rd CD, "The Bright and Rushing World" (Navona Records), has just been issued.

The Ensemble - Detrick (trumpet, composition), Hashem Assaduhali (alto and soprano saxophone), Shirley Hunt (cello), Steve Vacchi (bassoon), and Ryan Biesack (drumset) - came to Firehouse 12 Studios in New Haven, C, to record the program, a 10-movement suite commissioned by Chamber Music America that is quite impressive in its blend of sounds and styles.  One could easily dub this music "chamber jazz" but that's too stifling.  The music has echoes of the Art Ensemble of Chicago, of Henry Threadgill, Marty Ehrlich, Aaron Copland and especially Muhal Richard Abrams.  The blend of the sharp brass phrases with Assaduhali's sweet soprano or angular alto saxophones plus the deep tones of the bassoon with the splendid brush work of Biesack may also remind you of the group Oregon.  Add to that, Ms. Hunt's deep cello lines and occasional pizzicato, and this music moves in unexpected ways.

The songs takes their titles from a 10-line poem Detrick wrote after he finished composing the music. The poem tells of the composer's work which, once loosed "Into the Bright and Rushing World", is forever changed and changing.  Best to immerse yourself in this music, enjoy the clear sounds, the way the pieces are often multi-sectioned, and how the parts are ever-shifting but returning to a peaceful center.  For more information, go to anywhenensemble.com.

Improvisations in Waterbury, Kneebody Knows No Trouble + Duo Power on Sunnyside

Stephen Haynes (cornet) and Joe Morris (bass, guitar) are the hosts and curators of the monthly "Improvisations" series at Real Art Ways in Hartford.  The gentlemen are taking the "show on the road", down Route 84 to Waterbury on Thursday April 3 to the "Music at the Matt" series, held on the first Thursday of the month at the Mattatuck Museum/Historical Society, 144 West Main Street.  Joining them for this all-improvised concert will be drummer Tyshawn Sorey (pictured left), Wesleyan graduate currently working on his Ph.D at Columbia University in New York City (when he's not traveling the world performing.) The concert, billed as Stephen Haynes and The Button Trio, starts at 6 p.m.  For more information, call 203-753-0381, extension 130 or go to www.mattatuckmuseum.org/jazzthursday. 

The Firehouse 12 Spring 2014 Concert Series is in full boom (even if the season is late in arriving).  This Friday (April 4), the New Haven performance space/recording studio welcomes Kneebody, the lively quintet that happily crosses genres with abandon and has since its inception 13 years ago.  Composed of musicians who met at the Eastman School and at the California Institute of the Arts, the ensemble - keyboardist Adam Benjamin, trumpeter Shane Endsley, electric bassist Kaveh Rastegar, saxophonist Ben Wendel and drummer Nate Wood - has issued 9 albums (some only available on Bandcamp or at gigs), the latest being 2013's "The Line", their debut on Concord Records. Each musician brings his own influences to the music and the blend is often quite exciting.  

Kneebody plays 2 sets - 8:30 and 10 p.m. (separate admission to each) - and you can find out so much more by going to firehouse12.com or calling 203-785-0468.  Learn more about the group by going to kneebody.com. 

**********************************************

In this era of short attention spans, it takes a certain courage to release a CD with just 4 songs with the longest clocking in just under 28 minutes and the shortest at 11:20.  But, acoustic guitarist/composer Diego Barber trusts you'll sit and listen to "Tales" (Sunnyside).  It's his 4th recording as a leader and he's created a program for his guitar and the acoustic piano of Craig Taborn.  This is music for dreaming, music for contemplation, for meditation, and for questioning expectations.  There are moments throughout that have echoes of the music of Ralph Towner but with a playful edge, most noticeable on "Eternal 7" and "Cipres" (dedicated to DJ Hugo Cipres, a musical partner of the guitarist who also hails from the Canary Islands.) Barber creates pieces that push both musicians mentally and physically, with repetitive figures weaving in and out of the arrangements.  The interaction of piano and guitar at the onset of "Cipres" suggests the electronic "waves of sounds" the DJ creates (he and Barber collaborated on the 2013 Origin release "411") yet the piece also has a handsome, almost classical, melody line. The long track, "Killian's Mountains", opens the program - it's a multi-sectioned work that has numerous moments of striking melodies as well as sections where piano and guitar take on a more percussive role.  The music is a meditation on and dedicated to the Catalonian mountain runner Killian Jornet Burgada. And, like the runner, the piece moves at various speeds but always in a forward motion and closing on a triumphant, exhilarating, flourish. (Exuberant listeners may wish to go right back to the starting line.)

The final track on the CD, "IM Park (To Diego Barber)", is a piece composed by Spanish guitarist Ricardo Gallen (whose Sunnyside recording of "Bach: Complete Lute Works" is stunning) yet the first half is all piano.  Taborn, who seems to be able to play just about everything, gets to the heart in the music so, that when the guitar enters, Barber picks up the emotion and carries it through the splendid second half of the piece.

Is "Tales" jazz?  Is it classical? Yes, no, who cares?  This is music that transcends labels and technique;  Diego Barber, along with Craig Taborn, merge beauty, song, and emotion to create quite a listening experience - do listen.  For more information, go to www.sunnysiderecords.com/artist.php?id=356#news.

Guitarist/composer Brandon Ross is in the midst that has seem him collaborate with artists such as Henry Threadgill, Cassandra Wilson, Bill Frisell, the late Lawrence "Butch" Morris, Wadada Leo Smith, Jewel and many others.  Ross is co-leader of the "power" trio Harriet Tubman.

His latest project, For Living Lovers, finds him in an acoustic setting with bass guitarist Stomu Takeishi.  Their debut recording, "Revealing Essence" (Sunnyside), first began to take shape in a series over 2 days in December 2009 in the Firehouse 12 recording space.  With the inclusion of 2 tracks recorded in New York City and Tokyo, Japan, the project was complete by September 2013.  The music Ross and Takeishi consists of ballads that are often stark, fairly quiet, angular, spacious, a blend of originals and smartly chosen interpretations of 2 of the 3 "Danse de Travers" by Erik Satie  and Ornette Coleman's "Night Plans" (first recorded in 1996 by Coleman in a duo setting with pianist Joachim Kuhn).

This music seems to exist on the edge of one's consciousness; the pieces insinuate themselves into your brain as if in a dream.  All of a sudden, one realizes Ross is playing banjo or creating feedback (as he does masterfully on "Lotus Blossom") or that the piece you think might be a Delta blues song is actually Satie's "Danse de Travers I" - Takeishi's simple yet effective bass lines (he's playing acoustic bass guitar) draw one in, pushing you deeper towards the core of the music. The unaccompanied banjo music of "Iago Whispered" is a wonderful and subtle blend of traditional African and modern European classical influences.   A Kabuki feel permeates the opening section of "Saturation", the terse, short, notes over the abrupt bass chords and notes paint an impressionistic landscape that slowly moves forward, never quite losing the solemnity of the earlier section.  "Thanks (for J-R)" closes the program with, perhaps, the prettiest melody on the disk and the one with the most dynamic variation.

It strikes one on multiple listens to this music by Brandon Ross and Stomu Takeishi that the duo has stripped away the unnecessary elements from these pieces and that the "Revealing Essence" is truly the heart of the creators.  That "heart" can not and should not be separated from the "heart" of the music.  For more information and to hear music from the CD, go to sunnysidezone.com/album/revealing-essence-ft-brandon-ross-stomu-takeishi.  The duo returns to Firehouse 12 for a concert on Friday May 30 - go to firehouse12.com for more information.

Firehouse 12, Side Door Jazz & Positively Posi-Tone

After a rousing Ben Allison Trio concert last Friday, Firehouse 12, 45 Crown Street in New Haven, stokes the fire once again this week (3/28) with the Kevin Hays New Day Trio. Pianist/composer Hays, a native of Southwestern Connecticut, is a very busy musician, working with his own group, alongside fellow pianist Brad Mehldau and with the Sangha Quartet featuring saxophonist Seamus Blake.  For the past decade +, he's been touring and recording with bassist Doug Weiss and drummer Bill Stewart but now has a new ensemble.  Drummer Adam Cruz and bassist/french horn player Rob Jost comprise the New Day Trio rhythm section and Hays has created a new book of compositions for the ensemble.

They will play 2 sets - 8:30 and 10 p.m. - and you can buy tickets online at firehouse12.com or by calling 203-785-0468.

The Side Door Jazz Club in Old Lyme continues its busy schedule with 2 fine shows this weekend. Friday night, guitarist/composer Oscar Penas brings his Ensemble to the club, a quartet that features bassist Moto Fukushima, drummer Rogerio Boccato and violinist Sara Caswell.  His music blends Spanish and South American influences; the use of violin with the guitar has truly expanded the scope of Penas' music.  The doors open at 7:30 p.m. with the music starting at 8:30.

On Saturday, the Noah Baerman Trio - pianist/composer Baerman (pictured above left), bassist Henry Lugo and drummer Vinnie Sperrazza - makes its Old Lyme debut.  They will be playing music from "Ripples", the new release from Baerman, as well as other pieces from their large repertoire (the NBT has been together for over a decade).  The group's interactions are often exciting and tuneful - the pianist, who has suffered from Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (a connective tissue disorder) throughout his life, is playing better than ever.  As above, the music starts at 8:30 p.m. and reservations are a must.  For more information, call 860-434-0886 or go to thesidedoorjazz.com.

For his new CD, "JG3 +3" (Posi-Tone Records), organist Jared Gold has doubled the size of his ensemble (normally a Trio) to a sextet. Joining Gold, Dave Stryker (electric guitar), and Sylvia Cuenca (drums) is Patrick Cornelius (alto saxophone), Jason Marshall (baritone saxophone) and Tatum Greenblatt (trumpet).  Gold's music is quite soulful and the added voices heighten the effect.

From the outset, the music has the feel of a well-recorded Jimmy Smith album.  The program, a mix of standards, a few originals, and a Trio reading of James Taylor's "Shower The People." Stryker is an excellent musical companion, funky as all get-out whether in the lead or in support.  Ms. Cuenca is a driving force here, whether locked in the groove, as she is on the Gold original, "Pendulum", or driving the sextet with abandon on Ray Bryant's "Cubano Chant."   Her brushes dance over the kit on "No Moon At All", a tune made famous by Julie London in 1956 but here a blazing track with fine solos from the leader and Cornelius.  Greenblatt rocks his solo on "I Can't Stop Loving You" (the Michael Jackson tune from "Bad", not the Ray Charles hit). Bari sax player Marshall (who has recorded and worked in the big bands of Roy Hargrove and Charles Tolliver, leads the group in on its reading of Cannonball Adderley's "Sermonette."  His solo is sweet and passionate. The saxophones and guitar blend to play the theme of "Charcoal Blues", a Wayne Shorter composition from his 1964 "Night Dreamer" Blue Note Lp. Cornelius digs down deep for a soulful solo which is matched by a fine statement from Stryker.

As for Jared Gold, his playing is striking throughout the program.  His footwork is deft while his accompaniment is always tasteful; Gold's solos are always interesting, with that wonderful B-3 sound, full and harmonious.  "JG3 + 3" is a delightful antidote for the craziness in the everyday world.  For more information, go to www.jaredgoldb3.com. 

"Ride" is the 5th CD saxophonist/composer Tom Tallitsch has issued and his second for Posi-Tone Records.  Born in Ohio and now living in Jersey City, New Jersey, Tallitsch has a busy schedule of teaching and playing plus a weekly radio show (8 - 10 p.m. Thursday on WWFM-Jazzon2).  This CD features the impressive rhythm section of Art Hirahara (piano), Peter Brendler (bass) and Rudy Royston (drums) with trombonist Michael Dease joining the front line on 8 of the 11 tracks.

The program opens with the title track, an intense "Ride" for the quartet pushed by the intense drum work of Royston and Tallitsch's strong tenor work.  Hirahara matches that intensity with a blazing solo that displays the influence of McCoy Tyner.  "Rubbernecker" has a similar feel but with a deceptive melody. Again, the rhythm section lights the fire and the leader carries the torch through a fiery solo.  The soulful ballad "Rain" displays another side of Tallitsch's playing, his full-tone and sustained notes telling a story.  Brendler takes a very melodic solo over the simple time-keeping of Royston and Hirahara's impressionistic chords. "Life on Mars" is an intelligent reading of the David Bowie composition, Tallitsch's tenor sticking to the melody supported by Dease's trombone and the fulsome piano chords.  Dease also adds heft to the melody line and backgrounds of "The Giving Tree" - his full tone adds a hearty counterpoint to the tenor on the group's reading of Led Zeppelin's "Ten Years Gone."  Dease steps out on the Tallitsch original "El Luchador", his intense solo pushing the bass and drums to respond in kind. The Quintet "gets down" on "Knuckle Dragger", a pleasing slab of funky blues that is ever-so-playful.

Tom Tallitsch is one of those rare contemporary tenor saxophonists who does not sound overly influenced by John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter or Michael Brecker.  He's studied with both Joe Henderson and Chris Potter plus it's obvious from his wide-ranging material that he listens to many different styles of music.  The band on "Ride" makes music that not only captures your ears but also your soul - to take a test drive, go to www.posi-tone.com/ride/ride.html.  To find out more about the saxophonist, go to www.tomtallitsch.com.