Quartet Joys

 Since the beginning of November, Connecticut has been blessed with a delightful week of Indian Summer (soon to depart in favor of the chill of late Autumn).  The balmy temps (68-77) have allowed this writer to walk every day and to listen to music as I dodge the remaining leaves. The two albums have been in rotation each day!

Earlier this year, drummer and composer Tyshawn Sorey issued a trio album––"Mesmerism" featured bassist Matt Brewer and the splendid young pianist Aaron Diehl on an exciting and thoughtful exploration of "standards".  In early March of this year, Sorey brought Diehl, bassist Russell Hall (Joey Alexander), and special guest Greg Osby (alto saxophone) to New York City's The Jazz Gallery for a five-night engagement. The band did not rehearse and, pretty much, chose the music on the bandstand.  And, they recorded every set!

The results can be heard on "The Off-Off Broadway Guide to Synergism", a fantastic three-CD package from Pi Recordings. The 19-tracks are split up into three sets, each album approximately 75 minutes long. Five of the tracks are repeated in subsequent sets (Mr. Osby's "Please Stand By", Ornette Coleman's "Mob Job", Thelonious Monk's "Ask Me Now", Johnny Green's "Out of Nowhere", and "Three Little Words" composed in 1930 by Harry Ruby and lyricist Bert Kalmar).  It's truly a delight to hear where these four players go with the music.  The "Set 1" take of "Three Little Words" starts with a long, impressionistic, piano solo, so slow and gentle that it takes a moment before you the drums and bass have entered. Mr. Osby plays with the melody as if rolling a fine wine across his palette. Slowly and steadily, the alto solo builds with the insistence of the rhythm section. The leader, who does not solo on the set, engages in conversations with the other musicians.  Diehl paints a fascinating solo first with the introspection he showed at the onset of the track and it becomes great fun to hear where he takes the piece goosed forward by Sorey and shadowed by Hall whose solo later in the track is quite playful and percussive.

If you love improvisatory music, there is not a dull moment in this music. There's the beauty of Andrew Hill's "Ashes" (which Mr. Osby first recorded in 2000 on his "The Invisible Hand" album that featured the composer plus guitarist Jim Hall) as well as the saxophonist's unaccompanied introduction to Billy Strayhorn's "Chelsea Bridge"––listen below and notice the playful background work of bassist Hall and the beautiful work of Diehl. The pianist, at times, reminds this listener of Jaki Byard as well as Mr. Hill. The Trio + 1 swings mightily on both versions of "Mob Job" with the bass and drums leading the way. The second take of "Out of Nowhere" (originally recorded by Bing Crosby in 1931) opens with an expansive solo piano meditation before Mr. Osby enters with over the rippling piano, whispering cymbals, and bass counterpoint.  At the five-minute mark, the band kicks into a higher gear (but not out of control) with the alto and piano in conversation while the rhythm section dances about in support.

Photo: Jonathan Chimene

Every time one digs into the music of "The Off-Off Broadway Guide to Synergism", he or she can get carried away at the inventiveness of Tyshawn Sorey, Aaron Diehl, Russell Hall, and Greg Osby. The playfulness of the musicians on tracks such as "Jitterbug Waltz" (the track where one hears the inspiration of Jaki Byard in Diehl's piano solo) and the rip-roaring "Solar" is infectious and you can only imagine what is what being in the audience (unless you were). There are moments in each set where this quartet has the energy of the classic John Coltrane Quartet of the early-to-mid 1960s, the group with McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison, and Elvin Jones. It's truly a delight to hear Greg Osby play with such imagination, power, and so melodically. Treat yourself to this great album!

For more imagination, go to www.tyshawnsorey.com. To hear more and buy this stunning set, go to https://tyshawn-sorey.bandcamp.com/album/the-off-off-broadway-guide-to-synergism. 
 

Here's the Trio + Mr. Osby on Billy Strayhorn's "Chelsea Bridge":

Clarinetist Anat Cohen first assembled the three musicians who would join her to form Quartetinho (pronounced "quar-te-Chin-yo and meaning "little quartet") before the pandemic stopped the world in its tracks.  James Shipp (vibraphone, glockenspiel, analog synth, percussion), Vitor Gonçalves (piano, accordion, Fender Rhodes), and Tal Mashiach (acoustic bass, guitar) join Ms. Cohen (who also plays bass clarinet) for their self-titled debut album (Anzic Records).  If you have followed the clarinetist's career, you know that she has had a long love affair with Brazilian music, recording with guitarist Marcello Gonçalves as well as Trio Brasileiro and the Choro Ensemble.  

For its debut album, the "little quartet" treats the audience to an 11-song program that includes original pieces from the leader, Shipp, and Mashiach plus two pieces by Egberto Gismonti and one each from Antonio Carlos Jobim, the contemporary Brazilian composer Maria Do Carmo Barbosa De Melo (the lively "Boa Tarde Povo"), and Antonin Dvorāk's "Going Home".  The smashing arrangement of the last tune listed features accordion, vibes, bowed bass, and bass clarinet––it's a beautiful arrangement which during Ms. Cohen's solo takes a turn towards the blues.  Shipp's solo also takes the "blues route" with his sweetly expressed lines over the supportive bass and accordion swells.  Mashiach's "The Old Guitar" is a lovely ballad that leaves solo space for the leader as well as Gonçalves' sweet accordion sounds. The album opener, Shipp's "Baroquen Spirit", starts slowly with just clarinet, vibes, and a synth drone––the melody blends an Americana feel with a touch of classical music.

Photo: Shervin Lainez

That first track leads directly into Egberto Gismonti's lyrical "Palhaço"––there are moments during Ms. Cohen's solo that, thanks to the bass line, piano chords, and the dancing vibes, the music resembles a Joni Mitchell song.  Also check the splendid piano solo (with Mashiach's supportive bass) that leads to the close of the piece. The other Gismonti piece, "Frevo", jumps atop the rippling clarinet and piano melody before the clarinetist takes a sly solo over Shipp's delightful percussion and the throbbing bass notes. The piano solo is also a treat.

Ms. Cohen contributes three originals to the program.  "Birdie" is a melancholy melody played over a medium tempo with the Fender Rhodes offering shimmering chords (see the video below).  Next up is "Canon" which starts with a richly melodic bass solo (there's a touch of flamenco in Mashiach's playing). The bassist then articulates the handsome melody supported by Shipp's vibes. Ms. Cohen joins on bass clarinet while Gonçalves joins on piano.  "Louisiana" pops right along on the thick bass notes, the dancing piano chords, and the "jump-blues" in the vibes solo.  Everybody solos but at 3:30, the music hardly overstays its welcome.

The album closes on Mashiach's "Vivi and Zaco" which he introduces on 7-string guitar. The accordion and vibes enters when the guitarist expands on the heartfelt melody. The piece has a lovely flow that often speeds up and slows down at the end of the verse.  Before the piece ends, everyone has shared the melody line.  It's a sweet close to an elegant group of songs. 

"Quartetinho" is yet another jewel in the crown Anat Cohen is creating with her music.  Her heart is so enmeshed in her music and her love for playing shines through every performance.  With this quartet, culled from her Tentet, she has given listeners yet another reason to listen deeply.  

For more information, go to www.anatcohen.com.  To hear more and to buy the album, go to  https://anatcohen.bandcamp.com/album/quartetinho. 

Here's the Quartet live in the studio playing "Birdie":

Five by Twos

Photo: John Rogers

Believe it or not, the duo of Dan Weiss (drums) and Miles Okazaki (guitar) has been together for 25 years playing with other musicians in various combinations; saxophonist and composer Ohad Talmor just issued his latest album "Mise en Place" (Intakt Records) with the duo serving as his musical partners. Both Weiss and Okazaki were commissioned to compose pieces for their duo by John Zorn's Stone Commissioning Series in early 2020; only the guitarist's eight-part "The Memory Palace" received its performance debut (2/26/2020). The drummer's debut of "Middlegame" was set for late March but was postponed due to the pandemic. 
 

Now Cygnus Recordings has issued the two suites on CD, digital download, and as a two-Lp set.  Aptly titled "Music for Drums and Guitar", the music is a fascinating amalgam of the two musicians various interests and how they communicate in sound.  Okazaki's 36-minute piece,  has moments of sly funky beats, throbbing grooves, flourishes of folk and classical influences, prog-rock and more. Plus there's a feeling of playfulness that inhabits pieces such as "Part II" and "Part IV" –– the guitarist digs in to the groove Weiss lays down and the dance forward.  The melody of "Part VII" is long but flows atop a river of percussion that builds in intensity until a flurry of guitar notes rain down on the frenetic drums.  "Part VIII" closes the suite slowly at first but the circular guitar riff begins to expand –– note how the snare echoes the rapid-fire guitar riffs. As the performance builds to a fiery climax, Okazaki steps on the "fuzz' pedal and the proceedings explode right up to the final chord.

Photo: John Rogers

Weiss's seven-part suite "Middlegame" displays all of his strengths without the music turning into a mere display of technique. First and foremost, not only does the drummer "swing", he is quite a melodic player. Note how "Parts I and II" set up the template for the rest of the work.  Weiss leads the guitarist in, all the while creating rhythms that have power and depth.  "Part III" finds the drums up front with Okazaki as the support and melodic foil. By the last 90 seconds of the piece, the guitarist is locked into the beat, his percussive lines in step with Weiss. The longest piece in the suite and on the album (12:52), "Part V", is also driven by the rhythms with the guitarist being the "foundation" while Weiss steps up.  The drummer moves in and around the guitar switching from swinging the beat to being "conversational" on his kit.  

Dig deeply into "Music for Drums and Guitar" and you will find a world of endless possibilities.  As stated above, Dan Weiss and Miles Okazaki have history together so they know each other's strengths.  There are no 'dead" spots in this program; instead, the music continues to move forward, slowly down now and then to contemplate textures and introspective interactions.  There's much to discover!!

For more information, go to www.milesokazaki.com/. To purchase the album, CD, or digital download, go to https://mfdag.bandcamp.com/. 

Here's "Part II" from each suite:

 

The duo of Mary Halvorson (guitar, effects) and Sylvie Courvoisier (piano) first recorded together on 2017's "Crop Circle" (Relative Pitch Records), a collection of tracks that highlighted each musicians strengths as well as how they intuitively move through both composed and improvised material.  In June of this year, the duo got back together and recorded the 12 tracks that make up the two musicians second album and debut for Pyroclastic Records.  "Search for the Disappeared Hour" features five pieces composed by the guitarist, four by the pianist, and three improvisations.  The music draws in the listener while also challenging one's expectations. 

Ms. Halvorson's "Golden Proportion" opens the program; the opening melody is played by the guitar supported by powerful piano chords and rippling runs. On occasion, the musicians venture outside the stated rhythm yet never lose sight of the main thrust of the music.  Listen carefully and, right before the end, you'll hear a quote from Beethoven.  The pianist's "Mind Out of Time" finds Ms. Halvorson experimenting with sounds from the guitar while Ms. Courvoisier plays a dark, 20th Century style classical background.  The guitarist's "Bent Yellow" has a piano rhythm that references the music of Robin Holcomb; note how both musicians move in and out of blues patterns from the middle of the track forward. there are splashes of humor, the playful interactions of the duo creating a lightness that's hard to ignore. 

Photo: Self-portrait

Among the many delights on the recording is how the duo frame melodies so that they stand out. "Gates & Passes" is a ballad that builds up from the opening long melody into a long, dissonant, guitar solo. Note how Ms. Courvoisier never changes her pace or mood building her solo off the song's handsome chord structure. "Party Dress", an impromptu piece by the duo, has such a gentle feel even with the extended reverb on the guitar. "The album's closing piece, "Blizzard Rings", is also an improvisation that sounds like a dream, one in which someone is in a room full of wind-up toys –– the piano and guitar move in and around each other through to the soft finish.

"Searching for the Disappeared Hour" is quite an aural adventure through the creative minds of Mary Halvorson and Sylvie Courvoisier. If you are a fan of the two musicians, the music will delight and surprise you; if you are new to their explorations, keep an open mind and notice how the duo feeds off each others ideas, energy, and melodies.  

To learn about the individual artists, go to www.maryhalvorson.com and to www.sylviecourvoisier.com.  To purchase the album, go to  https://sylviecourvoisiermaryhalvorsonpyroclastic.bandcamp.com/album/searching-for-the-disappeared-hour. 

Here's the opening track:

 

Braithwaite & Katz · Golden Proportion - Sylvie Courvoisier and Mary Halvorson

Photo: Steve Mullensky

Does the end of Daylight Savings Time get you down?  Knowing that the evening starts earlier and the night lasts longer truly bother you?  My prescription for surviving the next several months is a healthy dose of "Reconvexo". No, it's not a new drug like the ones you might see on the nightly newscasts –– it's actually the new Anzic recording by the duo of Anat Cohen (clarinet, bass clarinet, voice) and Marcello Gonçalves (7-string guitar, voice). Recorded in January of 2020 while the duo was quarantined in Rio de Janiero, the nine-song program features songs from the Música Popular Brasileira songbook.  Their debut collaboration, "Outra Coisa: The Music of Moacir Santos", came out in 2017 so this time, they decided to play songs by some of Brazil's most popular composers.  

The album opens with the title track. Composed by Caetano Veloso for his sister Maria Bethânia for a 1989 album, the song has been covered by a slew of artists.  It's a bright melody that Ms. Cohen exults in while Gonçalves provides not only support but a percussive drive that pushes the song forward. Veloso and Milton Nascimento co-wrote "Paula e Bebeto", an episodic piece where the guitar and clarinets (Ms. Cohen overdubs bass clarinet) share the melody before the pace slows down for a lovely clarinet solo. The brightness of the guitar is expertly recorded so that you marvel at the brilliant accompaniment and how the piece moves organically.  Nascimento had his hand in composing two other songs on the album; he composed the words for Fernando Brant's lovely "Maria, Maria" which comes from a 1978 album about the legacy of slavery in Brazil while "Ânima" (composed with Zé Renato) is the title track for the singer's 1982 album.  The performance is truly beautiful with a melody that sounds like birds singing on a Spring morning. 

Other composers included in the program are Dori Caymmi, Gilberto Gil, the team of Antonio Carlos Jobim and Luis Bonfa, the 19th Century Venezulean composer Heraclio Hernandez, and the team of Stevie Wonder and Syreeta Wright.  "Never Dreamed You's Leave in Summer" is the tune that closes the album –– the sparkling arrangement of the Wright/ Wonder song does not sound out of place in this delightful collection.

"Reconvexo" is splendid from start-to-finish, sounding lovely at any time of day (early morning as the sun rises works for me) –– the duo of Anat Cohen and Marcello Gonçalves has created a delight-filled alternative to moping and negativity. One should feel cleansed after listening to this music!

For more information, go to www.anatcohen.com/index. To hear more and to purchase the album, go to https://anatcohen.bandcamp.com/album/reconvexo.

Here's "Ânima":

Photo: Whitney George

There is something soothing about two steel-string guitarists playing through their way through a set of songs that makes you long for sitting around a fire soaking in the sounds.  Cameron Mizell and Charlie Rauh have played together for a number of years but never like they have over the eight-plus months it took the duo to record its second album, "Local Folklore" (Destiny Records).  Both players contributed five songs to the program and both recorded in their own studios.  Despite the "remote" recording, this music sounds bright, collaborative, highly melodic and harmonic with a wistful quality permeating the songs.  Mizell and Ruah are busy leaders on their own yet when they come together, their musical conversations feel like a respite from the road, a quiet evening lost in melody and stories.

That's what "Local Folklore" is, a melody-laden journey into the heart.  Mizell's title song leads off the program on a uptempo note,, the strumming guitars setting the pace for the well-crafted melody and the fine, articulate, solos that follow. Rauh's "Petey & Kyle" follows with its Beatles-like melody just begging for words.  Yet, you can tell this is a story of two friends walking through life together   Still, Mizell's pieces also have stories connected to them whether. When you just sit and listen, you probably know people who the guitarists describe with their instruments and melodies.

Mizell switches to electric on several tracks mostly for the sustain and effects that add atmosphere and an orchestral feel to pieces such as Rauh's "A Forgiving Sort of Place" and lovely "Arolen".   The sounds are not intrusive; instead they add a sense of shimmering light off a mountain lake to the songs.  On he album closing "On Sundays I Walk Alone", the overdubbed electric plays both rhythm and the theme while Rauh's acoustic plays counterpoint.

"Local Folklore" is music for early in the morning and late in the evening.  The melodies are soothing, the musicianship impressive, a cooperative journey into the human heart and soul.  Cameron Mizell and Charlie Rauh may have had to curtail their "live" shows in the pandemic but, judging by the quality of their new album, both musicians made good use of their time.  

For more information, go to www.cameronmizell.com/ and www.charlierauh.com.  To purchase the album, go to https://destinyrecords.bandcamp.com/album/local-folklore. 

Here's the sweet "Greenwood Waltz":  

Braithwaite & Katz · Greenwood Waltz - Cameron Mizell & Charlie Rauh

Quintet & Big Band with Jared Schonig Leading!

 

Drummer and composer Jared Schonig is the exemplar of the 21st Century musician. Not only does he write music but he also plays in Broadway pit bands ("Color Purple", "Moulin Rouge: The Musical"). Schonig has worked or recorded with artists ranging from Fred Hersch to the 8-Bit Big Band, from Amy Cervini to Darcy James Argue & The Secret Society, and others plus is a Private Lessons Instructor  The drummer has toured with Kristen Chenowith, Kurt Elling, the New York Voices, Cynthia Erivo, Duchess and Laila Biali.  He is one of the co-leaders of The Wee Trio with bassist Dan Loomis and vibraphonist James Westfall.   

Earlier in 2021, Schonig self-released the three-song EP, "112 Project", featuring three different trios recorded remotely during the Pandemic.  Now, Anzic Records has released the exciting and ambitious "Two Takes, Volumes 1 & 2".  "Volume 1: The Quintet" features eight original compositions by the drummer plus a short "Intro to White Out" and three "Drum Interludes" played by the dynamic quintet of Schonig, bassist Matt Clohesy, pianist Luis Perdomo, alto saxophonist Godwin Lewis, and trumpeter Marquis Hill. Perhaps the best words to describe the program is "smoking hot" with the occasional foray into ballad territory.  The musicians play with great emotional fire throughout and Schonig's compositions are well-shaped, thoughtful, and often fiery. "Intro to White Out" opens the album with...well...a drum soliloquy leading directly into the first full track.  "White Out" leaps from the speakers moving forward on the "hot" drums and the rapid-fire melody line played by the sax and trumpet.  Louis takes the opening solo, laying down an energetic gauntlet for Hill to follow.  Perdomo quietly 'comps" until his solo that races along atop the twin engines of Clohesy and Schonig. 

Photo: Amy Schonig

Highlights abound throughout the program.  The sly, funky, "Climb" builds off the "tick-tock" clicking from the leader's drums with dynamic work from the bassist plus a splendid piano solo from Perdomo, a smoky interlude from Hill that erupts into flames creating a jumping off point from Louis's sweet solo. "Eight Twenty" also contains a slinky, soulful, rhythm as well as a handsome, singable, melody that offers the musicians the opportunity to weave in and around each other as well as the space for Louis, Hill, and Perdomo to create melodic solos. The pianst, Schonig, and Clohesy lay down quite a sneaky yet funky pace on "Sabotage" then drop into a hard-bop 4/4 for the solos.  

Photo: Leonardo Mascaro

The program also includes two fine ballads.  "Tig Mack" opens  with just bass and trumpet before Clohesy lays down a lovely circular line that the heartfelt melody rides upon. Perdomo emerges from the theme with a sweet solo that slowly picks up in intensity without boiling over.  The album closes with "Gibbs St." with its whirlwind melody line played by sax and trumpet over a simple but blues-influenced rhythm section. Louis and Hill "converse" through the middle of the song before leading the band back to the opening two-part theme.  There are traces of Dave Holland's fine ballad "Conference of the Birds" in the chordal accompaniment –– whether it's intentional or not, it's a lovely sound. 

"Two Takes, Volume 1" is rich in melodic material, ripe with strong solos, and excellent accompaniment.   Jared Schonig set a sumptuous table for his musical partners and the listener gets to partake in the feast!

Enjoy the energy of "White Out"

:

"Volume 2: Big Band" takes Schonig's Quintet material, distributes each piece (not the "Intro" or "Drum Preludes") to a different arranger (see the list below), and reimagines the songs in a big band setting.  Recorded in several different sessions (with varying personnel), the music often crackles with excitement led by the powerful drumming of the leader/ composer.  Ms. Hazama's arrangement of "Sabotage" leads off the program; it's a "speaker-shaker" with delightful solos from Quinson Nachoff (tenor sax) and Brian Pareschi (trumpet), as well as Schonig's thundering attack on his kit.  Jim McNeely does the honors of arranging "White Out" giving the skittish melody line to the muted brass and a unnamed flutist.  What follows is an exciting dialogue between the reeds and the brass before the opening theme is repeated, this time with the trumpets unmuted and adding the trombone.  Powerful solos from Troy Roberts (tenor sax) and trumpeter Scott Wendholt. Yes, there is a drum solo: this time, the brass and reeds begin by sparring with Schonig then framing his fills.  

Photo: Amy Schonig

Co-producer Mike Holober's contribution is his arrangement of "Climb": built off the simple "tick-tick" of the drums, here the reeds and brass shine on the thematic material. Charles Pillow

creates a quiet alto sax solo over the shimmering rhythm guitar (Nil Felder) and atop the pulsating Fender Rhodes work of Adam Birnbaum. Jason Rigby starts his tenor sax solo over Felder's clicking rhythm guitar and Schonig's "conversational" drums.  "Tig Mack" stands out for the adventurous nature of Darcy James Argue's smashing arrangement: how he uses the high reeds and brass in the background to swell up over the other horns a la Steve Reich.  The rhythm section behind Felder's excellent solo reminds this listener of Talking Heads circa 1980-85.  

Like "Volume 1: Quintet",  the program ends with "Gibbs St."  Brian Krock created the arrangement, maintaining the "Conference of the Birds"-feel in the rhythm section but not as pronounced as the Quintet take.  Felder creates another fine solo as does electric bassist Ike Sturm.  There's also an exciting tenor sax solo from McCaslin that invigorates the track –– listen to how subtly Krock adds the reeds and brass until they are roaring and then falling back.up until the final minute during which the music slowly fades on Sturm's bass melody.   

"Two Takes, Volume 2: Big Band" is as compelling and intriguing as the Quintet volume.  All eight arrangers put their unique spin on the music Jared Schonig composed for this project without sacrificing the intent and integrity of the drummer's works.  Both albums are worth investigating and owning. Great sounds that will brighten your attitude and your day!

For information about the leader, go to www.jaredschonig.com.  To hear more and to purchase the recording, go to https://jaredschonig.bandcamp.com/album/two-takes-vol-2-big-band. 

Here's the intriguing "Tig Mack":

aboutArrangers:  Alan Ferber, Jim McNeely, Mike Holober, Miho Hazama, Darcy James Argue, Laurence Hobgood, Brian Krock, and John Daversa.

credits

Personnel:

Reeds: Jon Gordon, Charles Pillow, Dave Pietro, Ben Kono, Donny McCaslin, Donny McCaslin, Troy Roberts, Quinson Nachoff, Carl Maraghi

Trumpets: Tony Kadleck, Jon Owens, Brian Pareschi, Jonathan Powell, Scott Wendholt

Trombones: Michael Davis, Marshall Gilkes, Keith O’Quinn, Alan Ferber, Jeff Nelson

Bass (acoustic and electric): Ike Sturm, Matt Clohesy, and Dan Loomis
Piano: Adam Birnbaum, David Cook
Guitar: Nir Felder
Drums: Jared Schonig
Conducted by Matt Holman

Mario Pavone Legacy Stories (Pt 2) + Joel Frahm Digs In

In late February of 2021, bassist and composer Mario Pavone enters a studio in Tampa, FL, to record an album with his son Michael (guitar), Mike DiRubbo (alto saxophone), and long-time associate Michael Sarin (drums).  The bassist knew he was losing his long battle with cancer plus he had been deeply saddened by the 2020 loss of his granddaughter Isabella. Pavone organized a book of new compositions, sent them to trumpeter/ arranger Dave Ballou to prepare for a recording session. The bassist and arranger agreed that the pieces would be recorded by two different quartets, the first with the three Michaels and the second (recorded four weeks later)with Pavone's Dialect Trio (pianist Matt Mitchell and drummer Tyshawn Sorey with Ballou as guest performer), an album titled "Blue Vertical" and released by Out of Our Heads Records (my review is here).  

"Isabella" (Clean Feed Records), like "Blue Vertical", is a powerful collection of original pieces filled with strong melodies and excellent musicianship.  Most Pavone fans will buy both albums and compare them yet each stands on its own merits.  Michael Pavone has had a busy sideman career playing with the likes of saxophonist Dewey Redman and and vocalist Bobby McFerrin; the only album that I can find where he is the leader is a 2001 Trio date with his father and drummer Marcello Pellitteri that appeared on Playscape Recordings.  His sound is clean, not unlike, at times, John Abercrombie and his father's close friend Michael Musillami–– check him out on "2/3rds Radial", you'll hear the former while on the hard-rocking "Philosophy Series", there is the influence of the latter. Saxophonist DiRubbo has also worked and recorded with the bassist in numerous occasion; his bright sound and rapid-fire lines enlighten pieces such as "Good Treble" and "Twardzik". 

As for Michael Sarin, he and bassist Pavone have a relationship that stretches back three decades to the drummer's debut with the Thomas Chapin Trio.  He really shines on all these pieces, driving hard when needs be or supporting with his whisper-soft brushes work (check him out on the title track).  You can hear how he leaves room for the bass –– if you have listened to any of Pavone's recordings, you know what a powerful and creative player he is. There is no diminution in his bass work on either album but he is more present in the mix on "Isabella" and that could be due to the fact the guitar is quieter than the piano on "Blue Vertical".  

"Isabella" is a delightful collection with great playing and subtle, witty, interplay from Mario Pavone and the three Michaels.  If you already own "Blue Vertical" which has a similar program, it's educational as well as entertaining to listen to both recordings.  Since his passing, I have been listening to the many and varied recordings from Mario Pavone's career and these two final albums are right up there with his best efforts.

For more information, go to www.mariopavone.com.  To hear more tracks and to purchase the recording, go to https://cleanfeedrecords.bandcamp.com/album/isabella. 

Hear "Philosophy Series":

Saxophonist Joel Frahm, a graduate of the prestigious Hall High School Jazz Program in West Hartford, has a delightful career playing alongside bassist Ben Allison, fellow Hall High grad Brad Mehldau, Andrew Hill, Betty Carter, Matt Wilson, Dafnis Prieto (in his Big Band), and so many more.  He joined drummer Ernesto Cervini's Quartet in 2008 and is also a member of Cervini's sextet Turboprop.  Frahm has not released an album as a leader since 2011's "Live at Small's", a quartet date with guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel. His new album, "The Bright Side" (Anzic Records), came about after a Turboprop workshop in Toronto, Canada, when Cervini and bassist Dan Loomis decided to book gigs with the saxophonist as a trio

The new recording, recorded in 2019, consists of original works,  seven from the leader, two from Loomis, and one from Cervini. The 10-song program opens with Frahm's "Blow Poppa Joe" which jumps right out of the gate with powerful tenor sax work (a la Sonny Rollins), thunderous drums, and splendid counterpoint from the bass. The first two notes of the next track, "Waiting for Benny", sound like we're in for an old television theme song ("The Andy Griffith Show") but quickly moves into a medium-paced romp over which Frahm's tenor soars, dances, his phrases twisting and turning with glee.  There's also a delightful bass solo (Loomis can be quite melodic in the spotlight) over Cervini's whispering brush work. The drummer then "trades 4s" with his mates. The leader brings out his soprano sax for Loomis's "Silk Road", an emotionally rich ballad with a mysterious feel, gentle playing, and, again, intelligent interplay. There's a moment in the final 90 seconds when it sounds as if the music is turning in a "free" direction before the soprano tamps down the intensity.  The bassist's other contribution is the hard-bopping "X Friends", a smoker with delightful solos from Frahm and the drummer. 

Cervini contributes "The Beautiful Mystery" which is truly a beautiful ballad, moves ever-so-slowly but never drags. Opening with Loomis's rich bass overtones, the saxophonist enter with the somber melody while the composer moves around the cymbals and floor tom.  Again, listen for the bass counterpoint as it is quite impressive.

If you have ever seen Joel Frahm live in person, you know he's got quite the sense of humor. The title track closes the album, its rhythm patterns based on Lou Reed's delightful groove on his "Walk on the Wild Side".  The rhythm section dances right along with the soulful sax riffs.

"The Bright Side" has many "bright moments" throughout as the program displays the saxophonist's joyful sound.  Over the years, he's developed into a fine composer and soloist. And he's quite "in the groove" with Dan Loomis and Ernesto Cervini who he has played with for over a decade.  Sit down, pour a cool glass of your favorite libation, and allow this fine album 

to lift your soul!

For more information, go to joelfrahm.com.  

Dig the title track:

Attention to Details!

The dynamic young alto saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin is steadily maturing into one of the more exciting musicians on the contemporary scene.  Ms. Benjamin, born in New York City, attended the Fiorello LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts and went on to the New School. She has performed with Clark Terry and Reggie Workman, appeared onstage with Stevie Wonder and The Roots, toured with Macy Gray, Alicia Keys, and Gregory Porter, and released her debut album on Motema Music in 2012.  That recording and her 2018 "Retox" (Ropeadope Records) showed the saxophonist in modern r'n'b, funk, and dance modes with a touch of jazz yet one could hear Ms. Benjamin's biting tone, sassy attack, and the influence of players such as David Sanborn ad Greg Osby.

For her third album and second for Ropeadope), Ms. Benjamin enlisted the aid of bassist Workman––they set about to create "Pursuance: The Coltranes", a tribute to the legendary saxophonist and his second wife Alice. Over the course of 13 songs and 70 minutes, right from the opening track, "Liberia" which pairs her with alto saxophonist Gary Bartz, to the blazing finale, "Affinity" (with its front line of alto saxophonists Greg Osby and Bruce Williams) this music explores just how powerful the music the couple created in their lifetime. Whether she's playing the themes or digging into her solo, Ms. Benjamin's vision is laser-focused and her sound is often keening, always moving forward.

There are highlights galore.  The saxophonist teams with pianist Bertha Hope on "Alabama" (the saxophonist's musical eulogy to the four young victims of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, AL); supported by the basses of Mr. Workman and Lonnie Plaxico plus the muscular drumming of Darrell Green, the music sears the soul as it did when John Coltrane first recorded the piece in 1963. That segues right into "Acknowlegement" (from "A Love Supreme") with a spoken word intro from Abiodun Oyewole (founder of The Last Poets) and a splendid call-and-response featuring Ms. Benjamin and vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater.  That jumps directly into "Pursuance" (also from "A Love Supreme"), a high-energy romp with Green and bassist Jonathan Michel pushing the saxophonist and pianist Marc Cary forward.

Six of the 13 pieces in the program were penned by Alice Coltrane including the sweet "Prema" (from her 1978 "Transfiguration" Lp) that features a five-person string section plus the harp of Brandee Younger. The ensemble, powered by Green, Plaxico, and pianist Surya Botofasina (who, as a child, studied at the ashram Ms. Coltrane founded in Los Angeles, CA), keeps the music roiling throughout. Georgia Ann Mudrow speaks the words of "Om Shanti" while Ms. Benjamin's alto wheels around the sound system and bassist/ vocalist Meshell Ndegeocello joins the leader singing the  Buddhist mantra. Botofasina returns for "Turiya and Ramakrishna", a medium tempo ballad that the alto saxophonist creates a prayer-like reading of the theme.  The piano solo starts with rippling, harp-like, figures before moving into a gospel-fueled statement that rises in intensity leading to Ms. Benjamin's sweet, blues-soaked, solo.

The afore-mention "Affinity" (also found on "Transfiguration") is a fiery close to the program with great solos from the three alto saxophonists plus excellent rhythm section fire provided by Green, Radway, and Reggie Workman (who played on the original album). "Pursuance: The Coltranes" is not for the faint-of-heart but for hearts (and minds) that need spiritual and physical cleansing, that need to understand the power of the music that both John and Alice Coltrane created, music that stands the test of time.  Lakecia Benjamin pulls no punches, cuts no corners, and plays with great emotion and dedication.  The album is a giant step forward in her maturation, music that will serve as a blueprint to continued growth as an artist.

For more information, go to www.lakeciabenjamin.com.

Here's the powerful opening track:

Vocalist, composer, educator, and producer Thana Alexa may be best known for her work with groups led by guitarist/ composer Gene Ess and her husband Antonio Sanchez & Migration.  Born in New York City to Croatian parents who moved back home when Ms. Alexa when a young teenager.  While living in Zagreb, she attend the Rock Academy of Music where she switched her attention from violin to voice.  She started college at Northeastern University before transferring to the New School in New York City where Ms. Alexa double-majored in jazz vocal performance and psychology!  She released her debut album "Ode to Heroes" (Harmonia Mundi) in 2015 – what stands out most in her music is the way she combines myriad musical genres to create emotionally rich stories.

"ONA" (self-released) is an often stunning step forward.  The theme of the album is right there in the title (the word translates to "she" from Croatian) – Ms. Alexa is interested in education the listener about the "feminine spirit", about the mysteries, joys, and more that being a 21st Century woman deals with. Along with her husband on drums, percussion, and keyboards, the instrumentalists include Carmen Staaf (piano, Fender Rhodes, keys), Jordan Peters (guitars), and Matt Brewer (acoustic and electric bass). On the title track which opens the album, Ms. Alexa utilizes 10 additional voices including the Rosa Vocal Group plus Nicole Zuraitis, Sofia Rei, Claudia Acuna, and Sarah Elizabeth Charles––the lyrics celebrates the determination of women in times of strife especially in a male-dominated world.

Poet, activist, and spoken work artist Staceyann Chin is featured on "The Resistance", another shout for freedom of spirit.  Before Ms. Chin appears to read an excerpt from her poem "Raise The Roof", the band builds a thumping beat that, at times, resembles the music from "Hamilton".  Ms. Chin's fiery words are framed by equally fiery music that, like her words, rises to a raging finish.  Violinist Regina Carter joins the ensemble for "Pachamama", and her overdubbed violin parts create a powerful counterpoint to the words.  "Set Free" is the first real ballad on the 10-song program: Ms. Staaf's introspective piano intro leads the song in and she is the only accompaniment for Ms. Alexa's fine vocal. The next piece, "You Taught Me", is introduced by Peters's acoustic guitar and he alone frames the vocal for the first verse. The sound and song opens up when the drums and bass come in but hushed quality of the opening never really disappears.  Becca Stevens shows up on "He Said She Said" to share the lead vocal plus add ukulele and 10-stringed charango.  It's a lovely story about love bringing people together from different countries and the sacrifices they make for love.

There are two cover tracks on the album.  "Teardrop", originally written and performed by Massive Attack, opens quietly with Ms Alexa's wordless vocal. As she sings the opening verse, her only accompaniment is her overdubbed voice. The band comes in and the piece picks in intensity until a roaring guitar solo; then it's back to quieter sounds.  The album closes with "Everybody Wants to Rule The World", the Tears for Fears hit from 1985 that has been showing on other jazz albums in the past year.  Here, Ms. Alexa and the band kick the tune quite hard with numerous tempo changes, tremendous drumming, power piano chords, and voices rising out of the mix, and a hard-edged guitar solo that carries the song and the album to its conclusion.

"ONA" is an ode to the power, to the creativity, to the necessity of speaking out, that Thana Alexa wants everyone to understand that this is also important for all women around the world. Originally recorded in early 2017, right after President Trump was elected and sworn-in, the music serves as a reminder of his administration's (and others around the world) desire to push back against the rights women, immigrants, and people of color have striven for through the 20th and early 21st Centuries.  Ms. Alexa points no fingers at any elected officials but her message is clear and her music reflects her passion.  Highly recommended!

For more information, go to www.thanaalexa.com.  

Listen closely to "The Resistance":

Photo: Kyra Kverno

Duchess––Amy Cervini, Hilary Gardner, and Melissa Stylianou–– are girls, okay, ladies, who just want their audiences to have fun when they perform.  They first organized in 2014, recording their self-titled debut that featured their case harmonies, soaring voices, and sparkling arrangements by Oded Lev-Ari.  With The Boswell Sisters as their inspiration, Duchess will lift your spirits and brighten your day.  Plus, they have a cracker-jack band backing them up––Michael Cabe (piano), Jesse Lewis (guitar), Matt Aronoff (bass), and Jared Schonig (drums)––who also join in on the fun

As much fun as their albums can be, it's in-person where Duchess shines.  So, after two studio efforts for Anzic Records, the ladies and their band spent two nights in The Jazz Standard in New York City. Now, with "Live at Jazz Standard", you'll hear what you've been missing. Yes, the songs are great, the harmonies splendid, and the band tight but it's the stage "patter"thats a treat – the "Band Introduction" is flat-out hilarious. That leads into Cy Coben's "It's a Man" (composed for Betty Hutton) which is delightfully (modern) politically incorrect.  The sound of the recording is crisp and clear as you can easily hear all the voices (oh, those sweet harmonies), the snap of the snare drums, the delightful piano interjections, the solid bass lines, and crackling guitar solos.

Photo: Kyra Kverno

The material comes from the 1920s, 30s, and 40s with standards such as "On The Sunny Side of the Street" and "Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen" rubbing shoulders (elbows, these days) with specialities such as "Heebie Jeebies" (recorded in the 1920s by both Louis Armstrong and Ethel Waters) and "Three Little Sisters" (composed in 1944 and recorded by The Andrews Sisters) – the last tune listed also features the group's horn section (the vocalists on kazoos). There's a lovely take on Duke Ellington's "Creole Love Call" (the arrangement comes from Wycliffe Gordon) plus a deeply swinging take on "Chatanooga Choo Choo."

No politics, just fun, when Duchess takes the stage and, if you don't join in on the applause at the end or get off the couch with a smile or even forget for a moment about the social distancing, you're not relaxing enough.  "Live at The Jazz Standard" is wonderfully alive, funny, swinging, and a delight  from start to finish.  Go ahead, indulge!

For more information, go to www.duchesstrio.com.

Here's the gang with a delightful Peggy Lee song:

Skins & Bones

Ernesto Cervini does many things and does them all with panache and dedication.  He's an excellent drummer, a fine composer/ arranger, band leader and co-leader, runs a publicity agency that promotes numerous Canadian-based artists as well as ensembles from the University of Toronto's splendid Music Program, and is an active parent.  Cervini leads a Quartet, a sextet (Turboprop) plus plays in the cooperative trio Myriad3 as well as two other trios, MEM 3 and Tunetown. Plus, he is his sister Amy's go-to drummer when she performs in Canada (he was the original drummer in her Quartet) – he even plays with a Radiohead "cover" band known as Ideoteque. Put succinctly, Ernesto Cervini is always moving forward.

Another trio that the drummer is part of, Tetrahedron, is a marked turn towards fusion and funk. Featuring the thick six-string bass sounds of Rich Brown and the round tones of alto saxophonist Luis Deniz, the ensemble creates a powerful sound.  Before recording its debut album, Cervini invited another good friend, guitarist Nir Felder, to join the trio.  The group's self-titled debut album is now available from Anzic Records and its powerful grooves and ability to also play with great gentleness will lift you from your seat.  Opening with the standard "Softly, As In a Morning Sunrise", with its solo bass, flamenco-influenced introduction, the foursome soon moves into a free-flowing jam where the guitar and alto sax weave in and around each other while the rhythm section creates a raucous background. The album's other non-original, "Angelicus", comes from the pen of Vince Mendoza – the piece begins with a lovely solo electric guitar introduction before moving into a gentle ballad.  Deniz's solo stands out for its sweet tone and emotional content.

The other tracks run the gamut from deep grooves of "Stro" (composed by Cervini in honor of then-Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Marcus Strohman) to the barn-burning "Summit Song" (from alto sax great Bunky Green), a piece that alternates from speaker rattling grooves to a fiery guitar solo to a bluesy and swinging alto sax solo.  The aptly-titled "Forward Motion" (composed by the bassist) charges in on a guitar-drums duo – when Brown's running "walking" bass line enters, the song skips along from its fine melody line into strong solos from Deniz and Cervini. The prettiest track, "Wandering", shows just how nicely the quartet can present a lovely melody and fill it with emotional strength, longing, and intelligent interaction.  Deniz is, again, the main soloist; pay attention to how he raises the intensity and then listen for his interaction with Felder.

"Tetrahedron", the album, closes with the high-powered "The Sneaky Two" – the power generated by the bass and drums may remind some of the work Billy Cobham created in the late 1970s.  Yet, for all the electric excitement, there's also subtlety and great dynamic variation.  Ernesto Cervini continues to make great strides on the contemporary music scene, getting and holding one's attention with his myriad creative projects. His music searches, probes, explores even as it swings, sways, rocks, and dances through your mind.  Kudos as well go to bassist Rich Brown whose underpinning and inventive solos make this album even more enjoyable.

To find out more, go to www.ernestocervini.com.

Here's a live version of "Stro":

Just like Ernesto Cervini, trombonist Nick Finzer has his hands in many pies.  He's not only a first-class musician but also a composer, arranger, educator on the music faculty of the University of North Texas, produces an educational online course for aspiring musicians, has written a book for budding trombonists, heads his own label (Outside In Music),  co-hosts a podcast, and performs with the Anat Cohen Tentet and Postmodern Jukebox.  For the past seven years or so, he's performed and recorded with a core group of musicians that include Lucas Pino (tenor saxophone, bass clarinet), Alex Wintz (guitar), Dave Baron (bass), Jimmy Macbride (drums), and Glenn Zaleski (piano). That ensemble has been featured on three albums with one release on Origin Records and Posi-Tone Records plus two newer albums on Outside In.

"Cast of Characters" is the group's third album for Finzer's label and continues in the path set by 2017's "Hear and Now". That recording simultaneously looked at the past in jazz (pieces by Duke Ellington, Herbie Hancock) while commenting on the present ("Race To The Bottom", "We The People", and "Dance of Persistence").  The new recording looks at societal archetypes from the past and present (Sorcerer, Brutus, Weatherman, Duke, Venus, and The Guru) and makes musical comments about each.  This focus allows the music to move away from certain expectations and, to these ears, frees it up.  Opening with "A Sorcerer (is a Myth)", the music thunders in on  powerful piano intro into a quiet melody shared by trombone and tenor sax; the rhythm section kicks in and the piece moves forward on a funky yet insisted groove into a smartly-etched theme shared by the horns and guitar before jumping into the leaders solo. Macbride, who seems to be ubiquitous these days, really kicks the music along while Baron keeps the foundation steady.  Pino's tenor is a good foil to the smooth sounds of the trombone and he creates an adventurous solo.

YouTube

The two pieces that follow, "Intro to..." and "Evolution of Perspective", set up an counter conversation. There are three "Intro to..." so they serve as prologue for the longer tracks that follow.  "...Perspective" is a high-powered post-bop piece that whisks the listener away into a fast-moving vehicle. Wintz's solo jumps out of the speakers leading into Zaleaski's romp across the keyboard.  The rhythm section act like the Acela on an open track, zipping forward.

"Patience, Patience", which follows "Brutus (The Contemporary)" and precedes "A Duke", is an handsome ballad that opens with Pino, on bass clarinet, stating the theme and Finzer playing harmony and counterpoint.  Baron's bass solo is quite melodic with quiet guitar, piano, and brushes as accompaniment.  Later in the program, "You'll Never Know (The Alternative)" has a similar feel with melody shared by trombone, guitar, piano, and bass clarinet – more up-tempo, the music dances atop a cushion provided by lively bass and drums.  "The Guru", the penultimate track on the album, also has an excellent melody shared by the front line yet do not overlook the excellent drum work (right from the opening hand drumming) of Macbride. The album closes with the short anthem "We're More Than The Sum of Our Influences"; Finzer gets directly to the point in the 73-second epilog while reminding us of all the different personalities we meet and we can be during our lifetime.

You can make up your own mind as to the narrative Nick Finzer creates on "Cast Of Characters" but there's no argument that the music sings, roars, romps, sighs, and is emotionally rich.  The sextet has played together numerous times live and in the studio; that comfort allows the leader to challenge them with his compositions and they respond with creativity!

For more information, go to www.nickfinzermusic.com.

Here's the group in the studio:



Nick and the band celebrates the album's release with live gigs throughout March including The Nash in Phoenix, AZ (3/7), Blue Whale in Los Angeles, CA (3/8), Jazzville in Palm Springs, CA (3/11), Dazzle Jazz in Denver, CO (3/12), University of Nevada/Reno in Reno, NV (3/13), a House Concert in Reno, NV (3/14), Birdland in New York City, NY (3/26), Rudy's Jazz Room in Nashville, TN (3/37), and The Side Door Jazz Club in Old Lyme CT (3/28) – check the website for ticket links.

Trombonists Altin Sencalar (left) and Chris Glassman (right) first met in 2017 as Graduate Assistants at Michigan State University.  They both studied with trombonist Michael Dease and bassist Rodney Whitaker; two years into their studies, they went into the studio with Dease as producer (and sometimes, participator) plus Whitaker in the rhythm section along with Addison Frei (piano), Zach Adelman (drums), and, on six of the 11 tracks, Nathan Borton (guitar).  The results can be heard on the duo's self-released debut album "Realization" which features a program of songs composed by influences such as J.J. Johnson, John Coltrane, and Herbie Hancock plus originals from the co-leaders and one "standard", "Nobody Else But Me", the Jerome Kern-Oscar Hammerstein II tune from "Show Boat".

Dease appears on the opening track, Glassman's "D is for Dastardly", and shares solo duties with the co-leaders.  The composer's bass trombone solo sets the pace (not to mention a delightful low note!) into a swinging, blues-influenced, tune.  A Brazilian feel permeates Sencalar's "In Your Own Head", a track enlivened by Adelman's delightful drumming plus strong solos from pianist Frei, guitarist Borton, and from the composer.  The next cut is a rousing take on John Coltrane's "Impressions"; Frei's arrangement adds harmonies to the statement of the main theme and solos from both co-leaders, Borton, and his own happy romp.  That's just the first three cuts and already you can tell these musicians love what they do.

Johnson's "Short Cake" rolls along on the expressive piano and the fine interaction of the trombonists. Whitaker also steps out of the rhythm section for a delightful solo of his own.  Borton adds Freddie Green-Inspired guitar to "Nobody Else...", strumming pleasantly under the co-leaders reading of the melody then stepping out for a sweet solo.  Fellow trombonist Steve Davis and his arrangement of Hancock's "The Maze" pushes both Sencalar and Glassman into a propulsive take on the tune.  Their call-and-response is a highlight leading into a strong piano solo pushed forward by Adelman's active drumming.

"Realization" is a fine showcase for two young trombonists Altin Sencalar and Chris Glassman; their musical collaboration is also a spotlight for Addison Frei, Nathan Borton, and Zach Adelman, all of whom are beginning to open eyes and ears of listeners around the US (and beyond).  The Sencalar-Glassman Quintet has created a debut album that feels like springtime: clean, fresh, and promising – give a listen!

For more information, go to www.sencalarglassmanquintet.com.

Here's the opening track: