Over the past two decades, bassist and composer Clark Sommers seems to have become ubiquitous. He's worked or still works with Kurt Elling, Typical Sister, Chicago Yestet, guitarist Jeff Parker, pianist Darrell Grant, and saxophonist Chris Madsen (among many others). There are really good reasons for his continued employment; not only is he a truly "foundational" bassist but also very melodic. His composing "chops" are formidable as he has displayed on his two "solo" albums plus his work in the cooperative Ba(SH) Trio (with saxophonist Geof Bradfield and drummer Dana Hall) and with guitarist John McLean in their Quartet. Like most musicians, the pandemic took him off the road for an extended period of time which gave him the opportunity to work on his composing and arranging skills in the wake of his attending at Master's Program at DePaul University. While there, he attended a Workshop led by the afore-mentioned Dana Hall. That workshop included writing and arranging for a 12-piece band and Sommers created several pieces for that group.
In his time away from touring, Sommers composed numerous pieces for his own 12-member ensemble that would include many of the people the bassist has worked with since moving to Chicago from the West Coast. Scroll down and look at the list of musicians; they are among the "cream of the crop" of the Windy City and the Midwest. The results of Sommers' work can be heard on "Feast Ephemera" (Phrenology Music/self-released). Nine songs, 71 minutes of music and not a dull moment to be heard. Take your time to get into the program. You may notice how delightful the arrangements are or the smart original works that Sommers brought to the sessions. Perhaps it's the impressive solos that stand out for you or the fact that the leader does not take a solo. On pieces such as "The Rider" and "Pedals", the textures of the horns and reeds as they swirl around the rhythm section as well as the soloists that surprise on first listen. Also, notice how the section writing makes room for the solos.
Photo: Scott Hesse
Perhaps the most impressive aspect (to my ears) of this program is how the music does not really sound like any other modern large ensemble. The music swings a bit more than that of Maria Schneider and it is not as "spiky" and angular as the music of Darcy James Argue. Like those two composers (and others like Duke Ellington, Bob Brookmeyer, Miho Hazama, and Jim McNeely), Sommers writes for these friends and musicians, knowing their strengths, their willingness to explore their roles within the music, and to stretch. Listen to "Cave Dweller" below; you'll hear the various voices, including piano, clarinet, flute, and saxophone introduce the opening melody before moving into the theme. Notice the powerful drumming and direction setting of Hall, the powerful bass notes (in step with and counterpoint to the piano accompaniment), all in service of the music.
Dig in to "Feast Ephemera", bask in the brightness of melodies and solos, drink in the sweetness of each performance. As he showed listeners on 2022's "Intertwine" (Outside In Music) and 2017's "By A Thread" (Phrenology Music), Clark Sommers is an excellent composer, more interested in the arc of the musical stories he and the musicians are telling than in showing how technically fine a player he is. Sit down and listen, listen deeply!
You should think of "OTIS Pt 2" as the other albums that could have been in "Part 1" save for the space and attention span (mine). I love this music and the genuine creativity of the musicians makes me hope for a future that is bright and welcoming for our successors.
Fergus McCreadie – "Forest Floor" (Edition Records) – This is the third album from Scottish pianist McCreadie, the third to feature his trio of bassist David Bowden and drummer Stephen Henderson. All are busy on the growing Jazz scene in Scotland (and beyond) but when they come together to play McCreadie's music, magic happens! The pianist has become even more melodic in the past several years; though he can still play with exquisite technique, the pianist and the rhythm section are concentrating on telling stories and delivering messages in their music. One can still hear the influence of Highland reels, at times, and that is a welcome delight!
Listen to "The Unfurrowed Field":
Vadim Neselovskyi – "Odesa: a Musical Walk Through a Legendary City" – (Sunnyside Records) – Speaking of stories, four months after Russia invaded Ukraine (February 2022), pianist, composer, and educator Neselovskyi released this tribute to the city where he was born and raised (moving to Germany at the age of 17). One can not help but write that emotional pull of the terrible war (and the horrific stories we have heard and seen) gives this music heft––still, this is a tribute to the vibrant country where the pianist spent his formative years, to the family and friends he left behind, and to his desire that the country remain free. Since the album's release, Neselovskyi has toured extensively raising money to help refugees and the displaced within the country.
Walk down the "Potemkin Stairs":
Andrew Cyrille, William Parker, & Enrico Rava – "2 Blues for Cecil" (TUM Records) – This release was a delightful surprise when it was issued in late January. These three masters play tribute to pianist and composer Cecil Taylor, not be imitating him or covering his music but by demonstrating how the rhythmic innovations and startling melodic explorations can be interpreted so magically. Messrs. Cyrille and Rava (both born in 1939) sound great together and Mr. Parker (13 years their junior) keeps them on their musical toes. All three contribute compositions and there are four improvised plus a sweet version of "My Funny Valentine".
Here's "Ballerina":
Clark Sommers Lens – "Intertwine" (Outside In Music) – Bassist Sommers is often the glue in the various sideman projects he takes part––on his own, he shows a fine ear for melody, for allowing his music to breathe, and for giving his bandmates the room to create. There is a lot of music on "Intertwine" so let it roll through your brain and soon it will find its way to your heart. While I find the ballads most rewarding, there are several hard-edged pieces that sound great turned up loud! Great playing from the leader and from Chris Madsen (tenor sax), Geof Bradfield (bass clarinet, soprano and tenor saxes), Matt Gold (guitar), and Dana Hall (drums).
Here's "Second Guess":
Ernesto Cervini – "Joy" (TPR) – Drummer, composer, arranger, and publicist Cervini is a fan of the mysteries of Canadian author Louise Penny. And, for good reason. She writes mysteries where the lead character, Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, spend many days and nights in the fictional town of Three Pines, Quebec, solving complicated murders and discovering just how magical a place it can be. The drummer has created a fascinating suite of music featuring members of Turboprop, Tune Town, and Tetrahedron, groups that he leads or co-leads. Also, there are a number of guests, all who work to describe the characters who inhabit the town as well as the Chief Inspector and two of his closest associates. It's a smart idea that covers a lot of musical and literary territory!
Blues inspired by duck? Listen here to "Ruth's Rosa":
David Murray Brave New World Trio – "Seriana Promethia" (Intakt Records) – Murray, who excels on bass clarinet and tenor, remains vital well into his seventh decade. This "power trio" date on Intakt features bassist Brad Jones and drummer Hamid Drake playing music that swings, rock, whispers, squalls, and, at times, that you can dance to. The music on this album, all originals from Murray, is neither dated nor imitative but vital, exciting, and impressive. There's not a wasted note in this program only music that will challenge, soothe, and ultimately remind you of the power and grace of Black American Music.
Dance to the funky title track:
James Brandon Lewis Quartet – "Live: Molecular Systematic Music" (Intakt Records) – Bassist Jones (see directly above) is also a member of saxophonist and composer Lewis's "Molecular Music" Quartet. Along with Lewis and Jones are pianist Aruan Ortiz and drummer Chad Taylor. This double CD set was recorded on the opening night (May 15) of the ensemble's 2021 European tour, the first time the group had played together since they recorded the second album, "Codes of Being" (released in October of 2021). The excitement and enthusiasm of the musicians is palpable; the fiery playing may remind some of John Coltrane's classic Quartet but these songs display Lewis's growing maturity as a songwriter and a leader. He is quickly becoming a major voice as a musician, composer, and storyteller.
Hear "Of First Importance":
Art Hirahara – "Verdant Valley" (Posi-Tone Records) - Pianist and composer Hirahara is an impressive pianist (also plays organ on occasion) and has developed into a top-notch composer. His work for producer Marc Free and Posi-Tone Records (now eight albums as a leader and more as a sideman) sparkles with creativity and swings lustily with a softer side that is often lyrical and poetic. Joined here by bassist Boris Kozlov and drummer Rudy Royston with saxophonist/ flutist Donny McCaslin showing up on over half the tracks, the album jumps out of the speakers with a joy and intensity second to none. This is another recording that will make you glad to be alive in this day and age!
Hear "Zero Hour":
Dave Douglas Quintet – "Songs of Ascent: Book 1 – Degrees" (Greenleaf Music) – Mr. Douglas and his "Be Still" Quintet––Jon Irabagon (saxophones), Matt Mitchell (piano), Linda May Han Oh (bass), and Rudy Royston (drums)––created these musical interpretations of Old Testament Psalms in a unique. The leader played all his parts, sent those of to Mr. Irabagon who played his parts and passed them on to Mr. Mitchell and so on. To these ears, this music is alive, feeling like the Quintet is playing together in a studio. That's a tribute to the composer's vision and the great talents of the ensemble.
There's a "Book 2" that is only available to subscribers of Greenleaf Music. Believe me, it's worth the investment! Go to https://greenleafmusic.com/ and find out more.
Listen to "Lift Up My Eyes":
Pablo Ablanedo – "Chistreza" (Newvelle Records Digital) – The folks at Newvelle Records have begun this year to release digital versions of the high quality vinyl albums that have captured listeners attention over the past six years. "Chistreza" is a gem from pianist-composer Ablanedo featuring the band he recorded his debut album with over 20 years before. What a band––violinist Jenny Scheinman, saxophonists Chris Cheek, Jerome Sabbagh, and Anat Cohen (clarinet only), trumpeter Diego Urcola, guitarist Ben Monder, bassist Fernando Huergo, and drummer Franco Pinna (with saxophonist Daniel Ian Smith on two tracks. Best of all, the original compositions are well-drawn, the arrangements sharp, and the soloists impressive.
Like many top-notch bass players, Chicago-based Clark Sommers is often first-call. He has done numerous tours with vocalist Kurt Elling, with pianist Darrell Grant, the late tenor sax giant Von Freeman, vocalist Jeff Baker, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the 13-member Chicago Yestet, and guitarist Bobby Bloom (plus many others). For the past decade, the bassist has led the Ba(SH) Trio with saxophonist Geof Bradfield (tenor and soprano saxes plus bass clarinet) and drummer Dana Hall. That group has issued two excellent albums and Sommers' two compatriots are the foundation of the latest version of his Lens quintet. Sommers and Bradfield, along with drummer Kendrick Scott, guitarist Jeff Parker, and pianist/ organist Gary Versace released its first album, the self-titled "Lens", on eyes&ears Records in 2017. The quintet's second album, "Intertwine", is now out on Outside In Music now featuring guitarist Matt Gold, tenor saxophonist Chris Madsen, and drummer Hall.
Replacing the keyboards with the guitar acts to "open up" the sound of the quintet. The new album, which clocks in at nearly 74 minutes, never feels over-stuffed or sounds dull––instead, Sommers has composed music with strong melodies that gives the ensemble plenty of room to create cogent solos and for Hall to experiment underneath the solid foundations the leaders creates. "Also Tomorrow" opens the 12-song program, the two tenor saxes combining to present the melody while the drums and bass play a skipping rhythm. "James Marshall" follows and the title is a reference to James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix. You can hear the influence of the great guitarist in the structure of the song but Gold's solo certainly goes its own original way. There's a bluesy solo from Bradfield and exciting statement from Madsen that leads the piece to its powerful close.
Sommers the composer keeps one guessing as to what direction the next track are going to take.. There's the swinging hard-bop of "Second Guess", the lovely and mysterious modalities of "Ancient Voice" (where Bradfield's bass clarinet blends nicely with Madsen's tenor sax), the bluesy funk of "Weeks and Weeks" (where the handsome melody runs counter to the down-home feel of the rhythm section) which leads into "Invisible Arrow" that again has the open play feel of the earlier tracks.
The up-tempo title tracks closes the program. Again, it's the skipping quality of the drums that gives the handsome melody the room to move and expand. The blend of soprano and tenor over Gold's rippling guitar lines is so attractive. The track also features a melodically rich solo from the leader and rousing call and response by the saxes that leads the piece and album to a gentle finish.
"Intertwine", for this listener, is an album that I start at the beginning, go to the end and start all over again. The bountiful melodies and rhythms wash through the room and, in the long run, are greatly rewarding. Clark Sommers Lens is an ensemble that begs to be seen live so it can work its musical magic on an attentive and appreciative audience. In the meantime, this album is a true treat!
Most modern music fans know Elan Mehler as co-producer and Artistic Director of Newvelle Records, the label that has been producing ultra-high quality vinyl albums in a subscription series since 2016. There's much more than music––each package features impressive art work, informative liner notes, and more. Most people don't know that Mehler is a fine pianist––the fifth" season featured Mehler in a musical conversation with trumpeter Dave Douglas and, in 2020, his duo album with vocalist Becca Stevens was issued as a "digital-only" release.
This month, Newvelle issues a new quartet of albums under the name of "The Renewal Collection". Subscribers purchase four vinyl albums including new work from Mehler, saxophonist Michael Blake, saxophonist Dave Liebman, and trumpeter/ flugelhornist Nadje Noordhuis. All four will be issued digitally one month at a time. The impetus for this collection is how music was able to soothe so many souls during the worst months of the Pandemic. "There Is a Dance" finds Mehler in a trio conversation with acoustic bassist Tony Scherr and drummer Francisco Mela––if you love piano trios, this is worth your time. While most people will point to Bill Evans or Keith Jarrett or Bud Powell as the most influential piano trios, this 13-song (the digital release has two more tracks than the vinyl) reminds this listener of the cooperative trio of Geri Allen, Charlie Haden, and Paul Motian that recorded for Soul Note and DIW (Japan) in the late 1980s and 1990s.
In his liner notes, the pianist writes that "I’ve spent my whole life with this music – listening to this music – practicing this music – relying on this music – struggling with this music – and – when it’s good – welcoming this music’s arrival from the quietest place in my heart." (There's much more to understand about this recording in the notes). The music ranges from the sweet blues of "East Side Blues" to deep introspection of the title track to lovely gospel sounds of "When You Were Blind" to the Frank Kimbrough influence that permeates "The Shakes" to the lyrical "We Spin" to the Erik Satie gentleness of "Ruby D." Scherr and Mela are the perfect partners––while neither solos, they listen intently to the pianist either following as Mehler moves through his solos or gently prodding him or just quietly interacting. One of the aspects of this music that stands out is how articulate and musical Elan Mehler is.
What might happen to the active listener as he or she goes deeper into "There Is a Dance" is that a sense of calm should spread through the body. This music is not about technique, about swing, or volume; inevitably, it's about healing, about acceptance, about moving forward into a better state of being. Power need not be about pushing someone away until they push back; it can also be about pulling one into a hug and giving thanks for being alive. Elan Mehler may have struggled to bring this music to life but the results are life-affirming.
I first heard vibraphonist and composer Chris Dingman when he was a student at Wesleyan University around the turn of the 21st Century. He studied with Anthony Braxton, Jay Hoggard, Pheroan akLaff, and others as well as played in student ensembles. The California native then attended the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance (now named for Herbie Hancock) where he was exposed to and played with numerous artists such as Jason Moran, Stefon Harris, Jimmy Heath, Vince Mendoza, and many more. In late 2005, he was part of an ensemble that toured Vietnam and the Far East under the auspices of the United States State Department getting to play with Hancock and Wayne Shorter. Since 2007, he's lived in New York City where the vibraphonist has worked and recorded with fellow Wesleyan grad Steve Lehman, trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, John Zorn, Fabian Almazan, Jen Shyu, and Professor Braxton (among many others). Currently, he's part of the Envisage Collective and has a duo with vocalist Miriam Elhajli plus leads his own Trio.
His third album as a leader, "Embrace" (self-released), features bassist Linda May Han Oh and fellow Wes grad Tim Keiper (drums, percussion). Rest assured, it's one of the most beautiful albums you'll hear this or any year, filled with lovely melodies, splendid interactions, and hypnotic sounds. In the past few years during which time Dingman's father took ill and subsequently died, the vibraphonist has brought his music into hospitals and a hospice where the sounds became part of therapy. Several of the pieces in this nine-song program come from that (the opening "Inner Child" with its music-box vibes sound, "Ali" and its oh-so-gentle circular melody and backing), and the ethereal "Forgive Embrace") – Dingman has another project filled with pieces he played for his father, a five+ hour collection of improvisations, that will be released as an album later in 2020.
There are also pieces that dance forward with glee. "Hijinks and Wizardry" has a hummable melody played over the melodic bass lines of Ms. Oh and Keiper's splendid brushes strutting on his snare drum and caressing his cymbals. The drummer leads on "Find a Way" creating a skipping beat that the bass supports and that the vibes flow atop. After a handsome bass solo, Dingman and Keiper push each other to a higher level before bringing the song to gentler close. "Goddess" has a similar feel thanks to the close mics on the drums which, at times, push Keiper to the front (listen below). The program closes with "Folly of Progress" which jumps from the speakers on the throbbing bass line and martial drumming plus Dingman's powerful solo.(
Listening to "Embrace" reminds one how much fun it can be to get lost then found in a musical experience. The music that Chris Dingman, Linda May Han Oh, and Tim Keiper create alternately whispers and shouts out to to the listener to loosen the fears and worries that the world piles up on the doorstep, find a friend or group of friends, share these sounds, and celebrate life and community.
For more information, go to www.chrisdingman.com. The trio, with album producer Keith Witty (also a Wes grad) standing in for Ms. Oh, appears at the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning in Queens, NewYork (514) and at Firehouse 12, 45 Crown Street in New Haven, CT (5/15).
Enjoy this track:
For over three decades, drummer Ben Perowsky has performed with artists from multiple genres, from Rickie Lee Jones to John Cale to James Moody to Iggy Pop to Joan as Policewoman as well as his father's big band (and many more). He's co-founder of the fusion-jazz ensemble Lost Tribe and hs own big band, the Moodswing Orchestra. He's been playing with organist John Medeski and saxophonist-clarinetist Chris Speed for almost 20 years; since his move to Woodstock, NY, the trio gets together to "let off steam", forming a group they call RedCred. They recorded an album's worth of material of songs in May of 2014 – the album is just being issued by the drummer but, thanks to the great playing of the three musicians and the timeless quality of the material, the music sounds fresh.
"Upstream" is credited to all three musicians with the drummer taking top billing. The eight-song program includes several originals by the drummer, one Medeski piece written for his main gig (Martin, Medeski, & Wood), and pieces from Jaco Pastorius, Wayne Shorter, and Miles Davis. Pastorius's "Dania" kicks off the album – and I do mean kick – the trio blazing through the melody and into the solo section. Medeski's bass lines really move and Perowsky gooses the music forward. Speed's tenor solo rocks over the rhythm section and then steps aside while the organist has his own romp. One does not miss the bassist as both the organ and drums cover the bottom.
Highlights include Perowsky's "Paul"; while the track is written in honor of Paul Motian, one hears melodic excerpts from The Beatles "I Am The Walrus" written for Paul McCartney. "Face on the Barroom Floor" comes from Wayne Shorter who recorded the piece as a duo with the keyboards of Joe Zawinul on Weather Report's 1985 "Sportin' Life" album. The trio gives the piece a bluesy edge with Speed on clarinet and Perowsky using his brushes to move between the drum set and the cymbals. The music also has an introspective feel, slowly floating to an quiet close. Medeski's contribution is the frantically paced "Worms" (from MM&W's 1993 album "It's a Jungle In Here") where the piece was taken at a similar pace and equally as zany.
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"Upstream" closes with a ballad, Perowsky's "Love and the Apocalypse", a composition that dates back to the early 1990s. It bears a bit of resemblance to John Coltrane's "After the Rain" (from his 1963 "Impressions" Lp) as well as the opening four notes played by Speed sound like lie the opening line of Stephen Sondheim's "Send In The Clowns") – there's a bit more dissonance here but the piece is also played rubato so the music doesn't move as much as the sound swells, peaks, becomes quiet, all the while, Perowsky is raising a percussive storm. Medeski's majestic organ bring the piece and the album to a close after the drums fade.
Ben Perowsky, John Medeski, and Chris Speed – RedCred – make powerful music together, much of which will make you move with a pair of pieces that offer respite from the powerful jams. "Upstream" was worth the wait as it is timeless creative music.
The trio of Clark Sommers (acoustic bass), Geof Bradfield (tenor and soprano saxophones), and Dana Hall (drums) have worked together in the Chicago area for over two decades, playing with many local and national artists. Their self-titled debut album as the Clark Sommers' Ba(SH) Trio, was issued by Origin Records in 2013 – the name comes from the first letters of each musicians last name plus the lower case "a" to create a word one could associate with music (it's fine though this trio certainly knows how to create dynamic variation in its sounds).
Ba(SH)'s second album,"Peninsula" (Outside In Music), moves in a similar path to its earlier album. Produced and composed by the bassist (the 2013 date had three pieces by Bradfield plus one each from Thelonious Monk and Billy Higgins), one can sense from the onset here are three musicians who listen, react, interact, and share a vision. Because Chicago has been each man's base for so long, it's hard not to hear the influences of tenor sax great Von Freeman in the post-bop trajectory of pieces such as "Goes Around" and the fiery "Disambiguation" that closes the album. There's a trace of John Coltrane and Coleman Hawkins in Bradfield's sound but his singing tone belongs to him alone. Note the simplicity and power of the melody of "Morning Bell" and how the saxophonist navigates the powerful rhythmic flow from the bass and drums.
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Hall's sensitive brush work stands alone at the top of "The Forgotten", moving into a bolero rhythm with the addition of the bass before the soprano sax leads the listener on a meditative journey. There's a touch of a Middle Eastern melody in saxophonist's winding solo phrases while Hall and Sommers push and dance beneath. One gets a sense of intimacy that permeates the music as if we are right there in the room as the trio is playing. "Maybe Never" starts quietly, increasing in intensity as Hall pummels and phrases behind the powerful tenor sax lines and the foundational bass lines. "Hope Dance" moves between a blues pattern and rubato to great effect – Bradfield's husky tone, Sommers' counterpoint bass, and Hall's gut-bucket drumming, all combine to draw one in to this forceful performance. Pay attention to the skittering drums alongside the melodic and conversational bass solo before the close of the track, with Sommers leading Bradfield back in to join him on a repetitive melodic fragment as the drummer rumbles and...yes...bashes beneath them.
One could put "Peninsula" on repeat and hear something new each time. Clark Sommers' Ba(SH) plays spirited music that refer to its predecessors yet is firmly situated in the here and now.
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