The Life of Musicians & a Powerful Song

Photo: Robert Adam Mayer

Saxophonist, composer, and educator David Bindman started his collegiate education at Wesleyan University in the early 1980s when Bill Barron, Bill Lowe, and Ed Blackwell were on the Music faculty  (in fact, Professor Barron was chair of the department from 1984-87). All three (and others) made a great impact on the young saxophonist.  After earning his Master's Degree in 1987, Bindman co-led the Brooklyn Sax Quartet with baritone saxophonist Fred Ho, worked in Blood Drum Spirit (a group formed by long-time associate, percussionist royal hartigan), and has taught at various schools in the New York City as well as Bennington College in Vermont.  In 2007, he created the David Bindman Sextet that features hartigan and fellow Wesleyan graduate Wes Brown (bass) plus Klezmatics-founder Frank London (trumpet, flugelhorn), Reut Regev (trombone), and Art Hirahara (piano).

In the latter half of 2017, the Bindman Sextet issued its second album, "Ten Billions Versions of Reality" (self-released).  The group's 2012 debut, "Sunset Park Polyphony" (reviewed here), was a fascinating 2-CD set with several long suites. The new album has seven Bindman originals (composed and arranged as a suite)  that, not surprisingly, covers a lot of musical territory.  The opening track, "Sketch in 12", shows the influence of Charles Mingus in its opening melody plus the strong African drum tradition that the leader, bassist, and drummer played while at Wesleyan. hartigan and Brown lay down a powerful rhythm and it's exciting to hear how the front line comes together, splits into their individual solos, and comes together again.  London's crisp trumpet is a splendid foil to the bluesy trombone of Ms. Regev and the hearty tenor sax.  Hirahara's solo, with just the bass as counterpoint, goes" out for a moment before group interplay takes the piece to its conclusion.

Photo: Sara Pettinella

Everyone's voice is important on this album.  From Brown's melodic bass solo on "Spring Song" to hartigan's powerful and masterful playing alongside the soloists and on his own on "Refuge" to the exciting polyrhythms of the title track over which Ms. Regev dances quite delightfully followed by a fiery piano solo, this music involves the listener.  The opening statement for the soprano sax and brass on "Ashgrove" hearkens back to Bindman's writing and arranging for the Brooklyn Sax Quartet.  After a moment, Hirahira becomes the fourth voice for the rest of the song, helping with the foundation but also serving as counterpoint. The short duo of soprano sax and piano stands out for how both Bindman and Hirahara move around each other in different moods yet finding common ground as they "speak". 

Photo: Xanyani Ephraim

The opening minute of "Through the Clouds" features just the tenor sax and brass but their melodic interplay sets the tone of the piece.  When the rhythm section enters, the music goes through many changes, changes of mood, tempo, yet the direction is always forward. The trombone solo is quite funky yet free and it's interesting how the bass, drums, and piano respond.  Hirahara's solo - sans rhythm section - starts out in a modern classical vein and then goes off in fascinating direction.  Brown and hartigan reenter and the pianist continues his journey.  Bindman's solo includes a three-way conversation with the bass and drums that is both contemplative and rollicking.

"Ten Billion Versions of Reality" is a mature statement from David Bindman. The music is thoughtful, thought-provoking, and displays how the composer-musician continues to grow.  The Sextet is the perfect vehicle for this music, six strong and individual voices, who put the music first.  Set yourself down and listen from beginning to end!

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

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Passover starts this weekend and coincides with Easter.  One thinks of the journeys his grandparents took from Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union to land at Ellis Island. From the tenements of Brooklyn and New York City, the intrepid families moved to various parts of this country and became Americans. They overcame the stigmas of not knowing English and speaking with a thick accent but they persevered, built businesses, synagogues, churches, homes, schools, and families.  This writer has always been partial to Paul Simon and his "American Tune." Composed around the time that the country was truly tired of the seemingly endless Vietnam War, the years of Richard Nixon, and still reeling from the deaths of John F. Kennedy, the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr, and Robert Kennedy and beginning to the toll that hard drugs was taking on the poorer segments of society, the song still has a message of hope, of discovery, of rebirth.  Kurt Elling has released a new album for Okeh Records, "The Questions", and it includes a lovely version of "American Tune." Take a look 

and listen for yourself:

The Next Roundup (Part 2)

Watching Paul Simon in "Under African Skies", the recently televised movie of the 25th Anniversary of "Graceland", I was struck by a number of different parts of the process that brought the music to fruition, then on to the stage and into history.  First of all, Simon broke the African National Congress's boycott of any interaction of non-residents with South Africans, especially those who were the victims of apartheid.  Secondly, it was mighty gutsy (or stupid, depending on your viewpoint) of Simon to enter South Africa in 1985 and then spend several days in the studio recording with Black musicians.  Granted, he paid them 3x union scale and, when he finally released the music, he gave composer credits where they were due. The film clips from the initial recording sessions are priceless as Simon attempts to pick up on the grooves he had only heard on cassettes and to steer the participants into different directions. Third, Simon has continued his relationship with a number of those musicians, including Joseph Shabalala & Ladysmith Black Mambazo, guitarist Ray Phiri, the incredibly gifted bassist Bakithi Kumalo, and keyboard player Tony Cedras (who joined Simon's band after the recording.) One fascinating revelation from Simon's work with these musicians is that he had a hard time fitting his lyrics to Phiri's unique guitar lines and found it easier to work off of Kumalo's phrases.

"Graceland", the recording, was a huge success in this country and around the world. The subsequent tours introduced millions of concert goers and viewers to the work of very talented South African musicians and vocalists.  And, the music holds well after a quarter of a century ("You Can Call Me Al" is goofy but irresistible while the title track is a true fusion of many genres.)  "Under African Skies", the documentary, is definitely worth watching, especially how Paul Simon has relaxed in this music. Older, perhaps wiser, the words and rhythms have to be part of his blood and it's fun to see him enjoying these experiences.  For more information and to watch the trailer, go to www.paulsimon.com/us/video/under-african-skies-graceland-documentary-trailer.

Cuban-born pianist Aruán Ortiz has made quite a name for himself, even before moving to the United States in 2003. He participated in bassist Esperanza Spalding's "Junjo" CD, has worked with flutist Mark Weinstein, saxophonist Greg Osby and, most notably, been a member of trumpeter Wallace Roney's ensemble.  "Orbiting" (Fresh Sound New Talent) is his 4th recording as a leader.  The band Ortiz has assembled features the fine guitarist David Gilmore, bassist Rashaan Carter, and drummer Eric McPherson. Their interactions are creative, honest, exciting and, even when the music is fast, the quartet does not overplay.  The program includes 4 originals and 4 tunes from other sources.  Charlie Parker's "Koko" is a playful take on the bebop classic, with touches of "free jazz" and fierce interactions between Gilmore and Ortiz.  They also work well off each other on the stately reading of the Schwartz/Dietz classic "Alone Together", Gilmore's ringing tones gliding over the pianist's rich chordal playing.  There is an exciting dynamic on the group's reading of Ornette Coleman's "WRU", a smart and fun blend of the "blues-swing-hard bop" that the composer created on his late 1950s-early 60s Atlantic Lps. Ortiz's ethereal solo really stands out as does the fine rhythm section work of Carter and McPherson.


On the title track, an original, each member of the group states the theme as they move through the song.  The stop/start action of the rhythm section adds extra tension to the solos and it is fascinating how Gilmore and Ortiz move through their spots.  "Green City" features an smartly structured theme and subtle shifts in tempo as well as intensity. Ortiz takes his time building his solo, sometimes taking cues from McPherson's dancing drum work, other times seemingly lost in musical contemplation.  The striking audio painting "Numbers", with its intense rubato and cinematic melody displays a classical influence.  


The music Aruán Ortiz and his cohorts make on this CD is well-worth investigating.  By eschewing any single genre, this music sounds fresh, alive with possibilities and makes one hope that this band "hits the road."  For more information, go to www.aruanortiz.net.  

There are recordings you put into the player and listen to all the way through.  Then you do it again not only to make sure the music is as good as it sounded on the initial run-through but also to listen a little closer.  Guitarist Bobby Broom began his professional career at the age of 16, has worked with a slew of great musicians, especially Sonny Rollins.  Since moving to Chicago in the 1990s, he has lead a Trio with bassist Dennis Carroll and drummer Kobie Watkins; both appear on "Upper West Side Story" (Origin Records) (Makaya McCraven replaces Watkins on 3 of the 9 tracks.) This is Broom's 10th recording as a leader (he also co-leads Deep Blue Organ Trio, a group with 4 CDs over the past decade) and first with all original material.  The leader had a softer tone yet can play with fire when the music calls for it.  The Trio tears through "Frambocious (for Fambrough)", dedicated to the bassist who passed on New Year's Day 2011.  The rhythm section stokes a fairly hot fire and Broom flies over it. There's a funky feel to the rhythm and opening guitar riff of "Catch Me A Cab", Carroll's thick bass tone and and solid phrases serving as a foundation while Watkins swings and Broom digs in for a fine solo. The interaction of the Trio really shines on "When The Leaves Fall...", the medium-tempo track that closes the program. Broom's crisp notes, full chords and subsequent percussive riffs seem to stand out over the spare rhythm section yet, as the piece moves towards its climax, Watkins doubles his tempo as Carroll's pulsating bass figures create a fine cushion of sound. McCraven's contributions do not change the overall sound of the Trio.  He locks into the groove on "Father", especially as Broom pushes the intensity, and, along with Carroll, moves "Minor Major Mishap" into quite a playful direction.  
 
The music that Bobby Broom and his band creates is for people who like jazz that coaxes and cajoles, soothes and caresses but does not go off on crazy tangents.  That's just fine - Broom is a mature player who can be quite creative even as he is being quite entertaining.  For more information, go to www.bobbybroom.com or to his page at Origin Records, which is originarts.com/artists/artist.php?Artist_ID=106.