The Power of Positive Music

Listening to the opening minutes of the new Azar Lawrence CD, "The Seeker" (Sunnyside Records), brings back vivid memories of listening to McCoy Tyner in the mid-1970s.  It was Tyner's post-Coltrane recordings ("Sahara" - which featured Sonny Fortune, "Enlightenment" and "Sama Layuca" both with Lawrence) that showed me that Black American Music could have the same power, if not more, than the music I grew up listening, especially The Rolling Stones and The Who). Hearing Lawrence's tenor wailing over the forceful piano chords of Benito Gonzalez and the percussion storm created by Jeff "Tain" Watts as "Gandhi" flowed out of the speakers gave me goosebumps. Lawrence, who worked with drummer Elvin Jones before and after his years with Tyner, also worked with Miles Davis, Earth, Wind & Fire, Frank Zappa, and The Cookers (among many others), always displayed a full-throated tenor saxophone style and it's in full force on this "Live" recording (December 2011 at The Jazz Standard in New York City.) Joining him on the front line is trumpeter Nicholas Payton while Essiet Okon Essiet rounds out the rhythm section.  Payton gets to let loose as well as show a bluesy style on tracks such as "Lost Tribes of Lemuria" and "One More Time" (a piece that calms down after Lawrence's opening blast).  "Venus Rising" blends funk and swing, allowing for solos that roar (Lawrence) and "lay back" (Payton), never flagging in intensity or losing its dancing feel.

Lawrence's soprano saxophone appears on only 1 cut and that's the title track.  Building up from the solid piano chords, Lawrence takes the listener on a journey that rocks and swings.  After Watts kicks up a storm beneath the sax, Payton steps in and begins a journey of his own while the drummer responds to the powerful phrases emanating from the trumpet.  Pianist Gonzalez takes a bluesy turn that shows the Tyner influence (Essiet's bass lines are active and attractive.)

There is quite a resemblance to John Coltrane's mid-1960s music on "Rain Ballad."  Lawrence is the only soloist, prodded forward by the power of his melodic lines and the fervent work of the rhythm section.  Watts' drums play counterpoint while Essiet's line are harmonically rich.

Azar Lawrence never disappeared from the music scene, playing jazz and fusion jazz - in recent years, he has worked with pianist Gonzalez as well as drummer Franklin Kiermyer. "The Seeker" shows he's lost none of the power that appealed to listeners in the mid-1970s. If anything, his playing seems even stronger these days.  For more information, go to azarlawrence.com.

Drummer, composer and producer Ralph Peterson, grew up listening to funk and r'n'b; when he first entered Rutgers Univerity, he was better known as a trumpet player.  Meeting and studying with Michael Carvin convince Peterson the drums would be his focus and he was playing with pianist Walter Bishop's Trio plus in Art Blakey's 2-drummer big band while still a college student.  After graduation, he played with OTB (Out of the Blue), a quintet that Blue Note Records organized that also featured, at various stages of its 9-year existence, saxophonists Kenny Garrett and Steve Wilson, pianist Renee Rosnes and bassist Robert Hurst.  During that time, Peterson began recording for Blue Note in different settings including a trio with Geri Allen, a Quintet, and introducing his Fo'Tet. He went on to record excellent CDs for Gerry Teekens at Criss Cross and for the German Intuition label before starting the Onyx Music Label.

"ALIVE at Firehouse 12 Vol 2: Fo' n Mo'" is the 4th release on the label.  Recorded in December of 2013, the drummer blends his youthful Fo'Tet - Felix Peikli (clarinets), Joseph Doubleday (vibraphone) and the uncredited (on my edition) Alex Claffy (bass) - with guests Eguie Castrillo (percussion) and Steve Wilson (soprano saxophone).  The fire displayed by the group on tracks such as "Humpty Dumpty" (a Chick Corea composition from his 1978 "Mad Hatter" album) and Bud Powell's "Celia" gets one's blood roiling.  On the latter track, Peikli absolutely flies over the strong percussion duo of Castrillo and Peterson. That exciting music is tempered a long, evocative, reading of Billy Strayhorn's "Chelsea Bridge" that puts the spotlight on Wilson's magical soprano work, Doubleday's ringing vibes and the powerful bass of Claffy.  Castrillo's unaccompanied congas open Peterson's handsome medium-tempo ballad/bossa nova "The Tears I Cannot Hide" which, after the entire band plays through the fine melody, leads to a hardy bass solo and soaring clarinet statement.  The six musicians dance through a joyful performance of Stevie Wonder's "Overjoyed" - the blend of soprano sax and clarinet makes the melody lines stand out.

The leader's powerful work stands out throughout the recording yet Peterson has learned to temper his enthusiasm so that the melody stands out.  His solo that opens "Surrender" is impressive in an understated way; even as he sets the pace for the band, the drummer is serving the songs. Peterson has always been a muscular drummer, loud even on ballads (at times). Now, he is a mentor, bringing young talent to the fore, giving them a solid education on and off the bandstand, lessons they will pass on as they develop into leaders and educators.  While this music has plenty of solos over its 74 minutes, the listener will/should pay as much attention to the work of the rhythm section, to the melodies, the harmonies and how the musicians give their all on each and every song.

Ralph Peterson makes music that is "Alive", alive with possibilities and ideas.  The sound on this CD, captured by Firehouse 12 owner Nick Lloyd and venue manager Carl Testa, is brilliant, especially the sound of the drums (no surprise), the percussion and the vibraphone.  The New Haven venue is quickly becoming a favorite for "live" recordings, with releases over the past few years from Marcus Strickland, Wayne Escoffery, Armen Donelian and Taylor Ho Bynum.  It's also a great room for the audience, allowing close proximity to the creative process.  

For more information about this and other Ralph Peterson recordings, go to www.ralphpetersonmusic.com.

How "Alternating Current" Came To Be

Matthew Shipp is one of the finest modern pianists in creative music (and a gleeful rabble-rouser) while William Parker has established himself as a voice/force for new music and new approaches to creative music.  Throw into that mix drummer Jeff Cosgrove, who lives and works in the Mid-Atlantic region, and who has studied with Matt Wilson and Andrew Cyrille (among others), a musician who seems to have no fear of jumping into unknown situations, and the music comes alive.

I finally got around to listening to Jeff's June 2012 interview with Jason Crane on"The Jazz Session" as I was reviewing the CD (the link to the interview is here and to my review here).  At that time, the drummer explained how he formed the ensemble to record his debut CD "Motian Sickness: the Music of Paul Motian" and it made me curious how this meeting with Mr. Shipp and Mr. Parker came about.  His response is below:

"I've wanted to play with Matthew and William for years.  They became instant musical heroes when discovering their music in college.  I would tell my wife, then girlfriend, every time I listened to their records that I wanted to find a way to play with both of them.  It really seemed like a stretch then because my playing was not near the level it's on now and I still feel like I've got so much to learn to be on the level of those two great masters.  It was also interesting because I was not well regarded in the music program of the college I went to...I ended up with a psychology degree, if that tells you anything.

Fast forward to 2009, I had won a West Virginia Arts study grant to continue my studying with Andrew Cyrille and Matt Wilson.  I had mentioned to Andrew how much I was into both Matthew and William's music, hoping he would talk about his associations with them.  We mentioned the gigs he had done with William in various ensembles and it was really inspirational.  Matt and Andrew have never played together, even though they've been friends for years.  I tried to casually mention how I wanted to play with them...but, it wasn't as eloquent as I had hoped.  Andrew simply said, “it will happen when the time is right.”

In the spring of 2013, I saw Andrew in NY and mentioned to him again how I wanted to do a recording with Matt and William and without hesitation, he sent me their info.  Just the fact that Andrew had the confidence in me put me on cloud nine.

I reached out to Matthew first who was in Europe at the time.  He wanted to check out my "Motian Sickness" recording that featured Mat Maneri, a frequent collaborator of Matthew's.  To my surprise he dug the record and felt that Maneri and I played really well together – performances that I’m really proud of.  We talked on the phone one evening after he had listened to my record and we just talked about records, inspirations, and playing solo concerts.  It was really great to get his perspective given his experiences and just get his down to earth vibe.  After that call, Matt was in.  He said he would take care of getting William on board as they have been close for many years.  Now I was freaked out!  I was going to be doing a recording with Matthew Shipp and William Parker in front of an audience…it was a lot to take in. 

Photo by F Schindelbeck

I connected with William in New York when he was playing with Tony Malaby and Nasheet Waits at Greenwich House with my friends Jimmy Katz and drummer Deric Dickens.  William was really looking forward to the date and couldn’t have been nicer.  We talked a little about his upcoming schedule and some general pleasantries but nothing about the recording other than the date. 

The night of the concert finally arrived and my wife and I were in New York.  Klavierhaus has some of the beautiful pianos, as well as, an incredible recital hall but no drums.  Deric Dickens had arranged for me to borrow a set of drums from Steve Maxwell’s Vintage Drums but the only trick was that we had to get them from their Times Square studio to the Klavierhaus near Lincoln Center at rush hour.  I was more than a little stressed about the performance and if we would be able to even get to the gig in enough time to set up based on the traffic but somehow everything aligned perfectly and we got to the venue in no time. 

When we walked into Klavierhaus, Jimmy was already setting everything up around the piano and I began to get the drums up.  Then, suddenly, Matthew runs in out of breath because he had literally run several blocks because he went to the wrong address.  We had a good laugh about it as he caught his breath and you could just see his excitement to play the Fazioli piano.  While Matthew can sound amazing on any piano, to hear him on an instrument that really is up to the level of his ability is truly inspiring.  When you couple that with the connection he has with one of the greatest bass players living, it put me in a place of pure joy.  I knew anything could happen and that was what I wanted.  This would be a night that I had prepared for but never thought would arrive.  Two masters and musical heroes playing with me.  To make it better, if possible, they are two of the kindest and most thoughtful people. 

We didn’t talk about what we would play at all.  The only thing we discussed was that "Victoria", the Paul Motian composition, would be the last piece of the evening.  We just started to feel the music from the first notes.  It was an on the spot decision to dedicate the last piece of our first set to Andrew.  He is just such a special player that the three of us have known, that it only seemed right.  "Alternating Current" just seemed like a fitting title for the piece because AC are Andrew’s initials, as well as, he has always been at the forefront of evolutions of jazz. Bridges of Tomorrow was really where we hit our stride.  It was the opening of our second set and I just felt that opening pattern with the mallets and it was like Matt and William were reading my mind.  They just played with exactly what the music needed and every time that I thought the music had peaked, they could push it further. 

Playing with Matt and William was like being hit by a musical freight train and I mean that in the best possible way.  By the end of the first piece that we played, I had sweat through my shirt.  It was strong but sensitive, as well as, free but it never seemed out of control.  My wife commented that she had never seen or heard me play like that.  Matthew and William brought out a side of my playing that I didn’t know was there.  That was what it was like playing with these masters.  They unlocked things in a service to the music that changed my playing forever.  It was one of the greatest musical experiences of my life.  I had so much adrenaline running through my body, whew, I could have run back to the hotel.

Hopefully, we will be doing more playing together soon!"

For more information and links to purchase Jeff's CDs, go to jeffcosgrovemusic.com. 

Busy Week of Live Music in CT (Part 2)

The 2014 Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz takes place this weekend (Friday through Sunday) in Bushnell Park, downtown Hartford. The music starts Friday night at 7 p.m. with Cuban-born pianist/composer Manuel Valera & The New Cuban Express. One of the more progressive Latin-Jazz bands on the scene, the group finds Valera playing alongside Yosvany Terry (tenor saxophone), Tom Guarna (guitars), Hans Glawischnig (bass), Ludwig Alfonso (drums) and Mauricio Herrera (percussion). The sextet has issued 2 CDs on the pianist's Mavo label, both with strong compositions and playing.

The headliner for the Opening Night is alto saxophone great David Sanborn (pictured left).  He came out of St. Louis in the late 1960s, where he had backed touring blues players, and began performing with the Paul Butterfield Band. He soon moved on to work with Stevie Wonder, played with the Rolling Stones and David Bowie, and providing solos for records by Paul Simon and James Taylor. He has such a recognizable tone, tart, loud, often with a blues "cry".   In the late 1980s, he hosted "Night Music", a early-in-the-a.m. television show that featured many great jazz and blues artists. Over his career, he's recorded 24 CDs as a leader, his most recent being 2010's "Only Everything" on Decca Records.

Saturday is the day to bring your dancing shoes as a good number of the performers will have you up on your feet.  The music starts at 4:30 p.m with saxophonist David Davis followed at 6 by La Orquestra Espada.  At 7:30, the smooth sounds of the Urban Jazz Coalition will set the stage for the 9 p.m show of the Jazz All-Stars, a group led by soprano saxophonist Marion Meadows (pictured left), keyboard artist Brian Simpson and alto saxophonist Kim Waters.

After that "smooth jazz" triumvirate leaves the stage, the Park becomes a big dance floor with music provided by Jus...Us and moves by Side Street; New England's Premier Dance Crew.

Sunday's Festival Day begins with a 10 a.m. Jazz Mass at Christ Cathedral Church, 995 Main Street featuring the great sounds of Ross Tucker's Hot Cat Jazz Band.  Bushnell Park revs back up at 4:30 p.m. with flutist Sherry Winston and her group. At 6 p.m., the current chair of the Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz at the Hartt School, Javon Jackson performs along with his band. The tenor saxophonist is well-schooled in the fundamentals of jazz having graduated from the Art Blakey school of The Jazz Messengers.  The Festival comes to a rousing close with the Azar Lawrence Quintet.  Lawrence (pictured above), who first came to critical as a member of the McCoy Tyner Quartet in the mid-1970s and went on to play in drummer Elvin Jones group. He has performed with artists as diverse as Frank Zappa and Busta Rhymes. He spent time with Miles Davis and, more recently, appeared on the debut CD of The Cookers and with the Headhunters.  He is in the midst of a CD release, celebrating his new Sunnysde CD "The Seeker."  Joining him in the Capital City will be pianist Benito Gonzalez, trumpeter Dr. Eddie Henderson, bassist Essiet Okon Essiet, and drummer Brandon Lewis.

Every performance is free and open to the public.  For more information, go to www.hartfordjazz.com.

The UMOJA Music Series of free concerts comes to its conclusion this Friday with an appearance by the Kris Allen Quintet featuring trumpeter Duane Eubanks. Allen, who studied Jackie McLean at both the Artists Collective and the University of Hartford, has been active musician over the past decade-plus, working with saxophone great Illinois Jacquet and in the Gerald Wilson Big Band as well as with bassist Mario Pavone and with the Mingus Dynasty Band.

His top-notch Quintet not only features the afore-mentioned Eubanks (of the famous Eubanks family including Kevin and Robin) but also Allen's wife Jen (piano) and the dynamic rhythm section of Dezron Douglas (bass) and Jonathan Barber (drums).  The show actually takes place in the Pump House Gallery at the other end of Bushnell Park from the Jazz Fest.  Opening the show at 6 p.m will be the Alex Tremblay Quartet.  In case of rain, the concert moves indoors to the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts Recital Hall, 15 Vernon Street. For more information, go to umojamusic.com.

The Buttonwood Tree, 605 Main Street in Middletown, presents the Mike Augeri Quintet in concert Saturday at 8 p.m. The Middletown native, who is about to go on the road with The Drifters (yes, the singing group from the 1950s and 60s who had hits with "Up On The Roof" and "On Broadway"), is a fine jazz drummer who's been playing since his early teens.  Joining him will be the fine young pianist and vocalist Orice Jenkins, bassist Matt Dwonszyk, saxophonist Jim Bosco and percussionist Rich Tortorigi. Expect any style from jazz to funk to Latin and beyond when the Band hits the Buttonwood stage (such as it is).
For more information, go to www.buttonwood.org.

The first time I saw drummer Ralph Peterson Jr. (pictured left) was in Hartford at an indoor concert sponsored by the Hartford Jazz Society, perhaps 20+ years ago.  He's been back to the state numerous times as a leader or a sideman.  His latest 2 CDs are a product of 2 gigs in New Haven at Firehouse 12, the latest "Vol 2: Fo' n Mo'" (Onyx Productions) recorded in December 2013.  The knockout band for that date included the "Fo'" - Peterson, Felix Peikli (clarinet, bass clarinet), Joseph Doubleday (vibraphone) and Alexander Claffey (bass) - and the "Mo'" - Steve Wilson (soprano saxophone) and Eguie Castrillo (percussion).

On Monday July 21, the Hartford Jazz Society continues its 2014 Monday Night Jazz Series with an appearance by the Ralph Peterson Jr. Fo' n Mo', hopefully in Bushnell Park.  The band for the live show includes Messrs. Doubleday, Wilson, and Castrillo - joining them will be Alex Toth (bass) and Todd Marcus (clarinets).   Expect to be on your feet a lot during the show as Peterson's music can really shake the earth! Yet, he can also caress a ballad from the drum set and, with Wilson in the lineup, there should be a good amount of fine sounds.

Opening the show at 6 p.m. will be the quartet of Frank Kozyra (saxophones), Andrew Renfroe (guitar), Matt Dwonszyk (bass) and Curtis Torian (drums).  The concert is free and open to the public.  If you can't get to the Park, WWUH-FM91.3 broadcasts the show in its entirety over the airwaves and online (www.wwuh.org).

Busy Week of Live Music in CT (Part 1)

There is so much live music in our small state this week that this column must be posted in 2 parts.

On Wednesday July 16, bassist, composer and CT native Mario Pavone brings his "Street Songs: The Accordion Project" to Cafe Nine, 250 State Street in New Haven.  He has assembled quite a band - Matt Mitchell (piano), Adam Matlock (accordion), Carl Testa (acoustic bass), and Steve Johns (drums) plus a brass quartet that features Dave Ballou (cornet, flugelhorn), his wife Leise (french horn), Peter McEachern (trombone) and Gary Buttery (tuba) - and the music reflects his upbringing in the Italian community of Waterbury.  Like many of his ensembles, Mr. Pavone blends older and younger musicians who bring a wealth of experiences to his music, enriching the listener's evening.  The concert celebrates the release of Pavone's new Playscape Recordings CD (same name as the concert).

Doors open at 7 p.m. with the music starting at 8. For more information and ticket reservations, go to www.cafenine.com/event/553707-mario-pavone-street-songs-new-haven/.

Photo by Jimmy Katz

24 years ago, saxophonist Joe Lovano collaborated with drummer (and, at the time, Wesleyan instructor) Ed Blackwell on a pair of recordings, a trio date titled "Sounds of Joy" (with bassist Anthony Cox on ENJA) and "From The Soul" (on Blue Note with pianist Michel Petrucciani and bassist Dave Holland.) The drummer, who suffered terribly from diabetes, passed away just 10 months after the Blue Note sessions. In a recent conversation with Mr. Lovano, he recalled several trips to Middletown to visit and play with Mr. Blackwell and how easy their connection was.  That connection is quite evident on the 2 CDs.

On Thursday (7/17), Joe Lovano brings his Trio Fascination to Crowell Concert Hall at Wesleyan (Wyllys Avenue) for a concert that not only celebrates those earlier sessions but also looks forward to new music that the saxophonist has created for this band. Joining him are bassist Peter Slavov (a member of Lovano's US Five band), drummer Lamy Istrefi Jr (a native of Kosovo, Albania) plus special guest Judi Silvano (vocals).  Mr. Lovano, who plays tenor and soprano saxophone (among many others), enjoys these small groups as it allows him to interact on an intimate level, building the music up from the rhythm section.  Ms. Silvano, who is the saxophonist's wife, adds her voice in unique ways, serving as another improviser with her wordless vocals.

The concert starts at 8 p.m.  For more information, go to www.wesleyan.edu/cfa or call 860-685-2806.

If you want a real treat, head over to the home page of the HR Big Band (the short name of the Frankfurt (Germany) Radio Big Band) and check out the video of Joe Lovano's performance of John Coltrane's "A Love Supreme", arranged by Jim McNeely.  Trust me, it's well worth the 2 hour investment of time as this performance is quite wonderful.  Talking with the saxophonist, he had nothing but praise for the Big Band (note the joy on drummer Paul Hochstader's face as the music unfolds) and for the superlative arrangement, which allowed him to be be himself in the midst of the legendary Coltrane composition. Mr. Lovano certainly displays a debt to Coltrane's saxophone legacy but also goes his own way throughout the performance. After a short intermission, the second half of the video features several arrangements of Lovano compositions as well as more Coltrane material.  Go to www.hr-online.de/website/rubriken/kultur/index.jsp?rubrik=2023 and hunker down for a most wonderful experience.

Speaking of impressive saxophonists, Cuban-born Yosvany Terry has made his mark on the American music scene performing alongside Dave Douglas, Ravi Coltane, Cassandra Wilson, David Murray, Taj Mahal and many others since arriving in New York City in 1999.  Not only does he play tenor and soprano saxophones but he is also known for his percussion work (especially the chekere).  He has a brand new CD, "New Throned King" (on pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba's 5Pasion label), featuring a sextet with numerous guests playing original compositions based in Terry's study of vodun.

This Thursday, he brings his Bohemian Trio for an 8:30 p.m. show at The Side Door Jazz Club in Old Lyme.  The ensemble, formed in 2013, features French-born cellist Yves Dharamraj (a recent graduate of Yale University) and pianist Orlando Alonso (also a native of Cuba) playing music that brings together myriad influences, from Afro-Cuban music to classical to tango to rock and much more.  Though the Trio has yet to release a CD, you can hear a selection of its music by going to www.bohemiantrio.com.  Better yet, see and hear them live in a room that accentuates the joy and sounds of music. For ticket information, go to thesidedoorjazz.com or call 860-434-0886.

On Friday, The Side Door Club presents The Zach Bartholomew Trio.  Organized in 2009 at Florida State University, the ensemble features pianist Bartholomew, bassist Brandon Robertson and drummer Miles Bozeman. They released their debut CD, "Out of This Town" in 2012, concentrating on original music and new interpretations of jazz favorites. They have played venues throughout the United States.  Their first set begins at 8:30 p.m.

On Saturday, it's the music of the Metta Quintet.  Formed at the turn of the 21st Century by the not-for-profit JazzReachInc (a group committed to the "promotion, performance, creation and teaching of jazz music", the Quintet features tenor and soprano saxophonist Marcus Strickland, alto saxophonist Mark Gross, pianist David Bryant, bassist Zach Brown, and drummer Hans Schuman.  Over the course of 3 CDs, Metta has commissioned works by Brad Mehldau, Mark Turner, Miguel Zenon, Omer Avital, the afore-mentioned Yosvanny Terry and others.  The music is exciting, forward-looking, and challenging while the band plays with great fire and style.  To find out more about the Quintet and its music, go to www.jazzreach.org/metta-quintet.html.

The opening set commences at 8:30 p.m.  Call 806-434-0886 for reservations or go to  thesidedoorjazz.com.

The next post will talk about the 4th and final concert in the UMOJA series, about this weekend's Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz and the Monday Night Bushnell Park series.

Nick and Nicky

Nick Hempton came to the United States from his native Australia, saxophones in hand, a young man with a dream that one day his music would be heard around the world (or, at least, that's how I believe the story should go.)

Since organizing the Nick Hempton Band in 2005, he's released 3 CDs with the latest 2 out on Posi-Tone Records. This year, he's decided to try a new approach, a fan-friendlier approach but not "crowd-sourcing."  The "Catch and Release Experiment" is a unique idea, one in which the band - Hempton (alto, tenor saxophones), Dan Aran (drums), Jeremy Manasia (piano) and Dave Baron (bass) - will, over the course of 1 year, "write, rehearse, record, and release one new song every 6 weeks." The songs will be made available on the Band's website, on iTunes and Amazon.

If you have ever listened to Nick Hempton's music, you'll know he's a confident player with a sweet sound on alto and a swinging approach to the tenor.  His compositions leave plenty of room for solos but he does not skimp on melody.  Drummer Aran has been in the band since its inception and one cannot miss his rapport with the leader.

The first track, which takes its name from the "experiment", will be released on Tuesday July 15.You can join in on the fun by going to nickscatchandrelease.com.

Earlier this year vocalist/composer Nicky Schrire returned to her native South Africa after 4 years in New York City where she studied music, recorded 2 CDs and an EP, made scads of friends and ran herself ragged trying to get her career moving forward.  Despite strong positive critical responses, Ms. Schrire felt she needed a change of scene and made plans to settle in London, England.  First, she went home to recharge, see family and friends and to slow down for a little while.  She's now in London, starting to gig and getting established.

Before Nicky Schrire left the US, she recorded 11 original pieces in New York City with pianist Glenn Zaleski, bassist Desmond White and drummer Jimmy Macbride plus tenor saxophonist Jonas Ganzemuller on 3 tracks.   Titled "Demo 2014", the music seems fully realized but was not marked for release.   However, this music deserves to be heard so this post is a personal "shoutout" to Ms. Schrire to consider making these songs commercially available.  (Update - these tracks are not yet commercially available in any form and, after consulting with the artist, she has generously forwarded the following song for our enjoyment:)


While in Capetown, Nicky Schrire formed a duo with cellist Ariella Caira, recorded a 5-song EP that also begs to be heard.  Time will tell.

To find out more about the person and her engaging music, go to www.nickyschrire.com.

Charlie Haden

Just as I published my previous post, news of Charlie Haden's passing was coursing around Twitter, Facebook and the internet.

He'd been suffering for the past several years, had stopped playing in public and in the recording studio.

I never met him but he certainly had an impact on my opinions about the role of musicians in the modern world.  Mr Haden used his music to speak his mind about the foibles of democracy, about revolution, the rights of every person to live his or her life in freedom and the hypocrisy all around us.  Those beliefs certainly rubbed some people the wrong way but....

His music never lied, whether it was the raucous in-your-face-and-ears approach of the Liberation Music Orchestra or the film noir approach of Quartet West, Charlie Haden was honest.  The work he did with Ornette Coleman and Don Cherry in the 1950s and 60s (and the various reunions), his interactions with Keith Jarrett in his 1970's Impulse and ECM groups, Old & New Dreams (pictured left) in the 1980s, the trio with Geri Allen and Paul Motian and so much more, all stood out for its strong music and lack of compromise.

Then, of course, the love he had for his family stands out in a world where relationships can be as disposable as paper cups.  He started out singing and playing with his family's country & western band in the late 1940s and, in 2008, gathered his children, wife and friends to create a new musical experience along those lines for his "Rambling Boy" record.

Charlie Haden walked tall in good times and persevered in bad times, pushing music and ideas out from the rhythm section, not afraid to tell the truth as he saw it.  He played with substance, not speed, a full tone and articulated notes, not settling into the background (unless called for).

Many Jewish people believe in "tikkun olam", that we are on this earth to promote healing, to help repair what lies broken around us.  Though not a Jew, Charlie Haden, through his music and his activism, was just that kind of "repairman" and we were quite lucky to have him in our midst.  

Fred Hersch + Eric Reed, Monk & Beyond

One could argue all day and night about who are the great contemporary pianists; there are so many good players who are  composers and bandleaders.  Since moving to New York City in 1977, Fred Hersch has worked with numerous jazz giants and produced quite a body of work as a leader.  Over the past decade, he has created 2 long-form works, "Leaves of Grass: The Walt Whitman Project" and the un-recorded "Coma Dreams", he has collaborated with clarinetist Nico Gori, trumpeter Ralph Alessi and guitarist Julian Lage, recorded a "double-trio" project with fellow pianist Benoît Delbecq, produced several solo albums and worked with artists such as Nancy King and the Caswell Sisters.

One of the pianist's favorite settings is his Trio, especially the latest incarnation with bassist John Hebert and drummer Eric McPherson.  Their glorious new recording, "Floating" (Palmetto Records) is the ensemble's second studio effort (2010's "Whirl" was the first) and is a delightful 10-song journey filled with handsome melodies, magnificent interactions and strong solos.  "You & The Night & The Music", the Howard Dietz - Arthur Schwartz standard from 1934, opens the program with an impressive of piano work (Hersch's melodic and rhythmic ingenuity stands out) and don't ignore McPherson's inventive drum work. The following 7 tracks are originals, 6 of which are dedications.  They range from the lovely "West Virginia Rose", a short solo piano melody for his mother and grandmother, to the sprightly "Home Fries", a New Orleans-flavored treat for bassist Hebert, to the haunting and emotionally charged "Far Away", a piece written for Israeli-born pianist/composer Shimrit Shosan who passed away in 2012 at the age of 29. Other tunes are dedications to Esperanza Spalding ("Arcata"), pianist Kevin Hays ("Autumn Haze") and artist Maaria Wirkkala ("A Speech to the Sea" - it's her installation that graces the front cover).

The remaining tracks include a truly lovely reading of the Lerner-Loewe classic "If Ever I Would Leave You"; Hersch caresses the melody while Hebert provides melody counterpoint amidst McPherson's whisper-soft brushes work. No Hersch recording is complete without a Thelonious Monk song - in this instance, it's a "chill" version of "Let's Cool One", which dances atop a buoyant bass line and sparkling cymbals.  The musicians swing with glee, a pleasing reminder how Mr. Monk continues to inspire players and audiences alike (see below as well).

"Floating" will more than satisfy the fans of the Fred Hersch Trio; in fact, it should whet one's appetitive to see this ensemble live (Messrs. Hersch, Hebert and McPherson will be at The Village Vanguard from July 15-20 and on tour in October and November - find out more at www.fredhersch.com.) Enjoy!

Like Fred Hersch above, Eric Reed has been playing piano since he could walk (age 2 in his case).  He first came to national notice working with Wynton Marsalis (1990-95) and has world with a slew of fine artists, in and outside the realm of jazz.  He's recorded over 20 CDs as a leader.  "The Adventurous Monk" is his 6th release on Savant Records and the 3rd to be dedicated to the music of Thelonious Monk.  What Reed has been able to accomplish with his exploration of Monk's music is to make sound fresh and relevant in the 21st Century, treating the original versions as inspirations to be himself.

Joining him for this "adventure" is the classy rhythm section of Ben Williams (bass) and Gregory Hutchinson (drums) with appearances by tenor saxophonist Seamus Blake (3 tracks) and Charenee Wade (vocal on "Dear Ruby (Ruby My Dear")).  Reed is not afraid to "swing" as he and the rhythm section display on the opener, "Thelonious."  Hutchinson sets the breath-taking pace, Williams joining with rapid "walking" bass lines and Blake rising out of the piano solo.  "Work" is all play for the Trio plus Blake,with the leader delivering a delightful dancing solo before the saxophone gets down and bluesy.  Reed's sporadic chords and Hutchinson's martial snare drum coalesce into an exploratory performance of "Evidence", in which the drummer keeps the beat while Reed and Williams have numerous interactions. Hutchinson introduces the sweet take on "Pannonica" with his mallets on the tom-tom; Reed's slippery solo is a highlight as he dances atop the subtle rhythmic work.

Ms. Wade, who was the first runner-up in the 2010 Thelonious Monk Vocal Competition (to Cecile McLorin Salvant), makes the most of her one appearance.  There's more than a touch of Carmen McRae in her take of "Dear Ruby" (lyrics by Sally Swisher for a 1988 recording by Ms. McRae), a charming ballad where she is accompanied by piano and bass.  Reed's accompaniment is spare but effective, coloring where he can but making sure the spotlight stays on the vocalist.

The CD closes with a Monkian take of "Ba-lues Bolivar Ba-lues-are" (extra "s" in the first word) - the crisp drum work, the "strolling" bass lines and Reed's splendid solo make for fine listening.  The majority of the piano solo pays homage to the style of the composer, quirky lines that have a strong blues flavor. The interaction of the bassist and the drummer is such a delight.

"The Adventurous Monk" should appeal to aficionados of Eric Reed, Thelonious Monk and modern jazz.  Reed and company are not beholden to sounding like Monk revivalists, opting instead to be themselves and have fun.  No doubt, Mr. Monk would appreciate that attitude and approach - you should as well.  For more information, go to ericreed.net.