Cowboys and Frenchmen is a quintet based in New York City that took its name from a 1988 short film by David Lynch ("The Cowboy and The Frenchman"). Formed in 2014, the ensemble –– alto saxophonists Ethan Helm and Owen Broder, pianist Addison Frei (who replaced original member Chris Ziemba in 2019), bassist Ethan O'Reilly, and drummer Matt Honor –– released its debut album, "Rodeo" (Outside In Music), in November of 2015 and its second album, "Bluer Than You Think", in October 2017. Listen to the music and you will hear many strains of American music, from folk to classical, rock music to jazz, and beyond. And, although there are no lyrics on these songs, the music is telling us stories, illustrating how musicians convey their emotions through the music –– it's not about technical flashiness but about pulling the listener in to the music, not pushing them away.
The quintet's third full-length album (recorded before the pandemic EP the group self-released in August of last year) is "Our Highway" (Outside In Music) and is a digital release only –– in some ways, it's a tribute to all the time the band has spent on the road and, especially, the times they played at clubs in Jacksonville, FL (home of Broder) and Yorba Linda, CA (Helm's hometown). The band also created a video album, which is available only through ticketed events like the one this Friday, February 26 via Live From Our Living Rooms. You also see many shots of traffic from from various interstate highways as well as shots of the group walking through wooded areas and national parks. Helm wrote all the music and, like the video, his songs cover a wide swath of musical and personal territory. The power of the program is that it may be a long time before this band, and all other entertainers, live the "gig life" the way it used to be.
The music starts in the forest; "American Whispers: Pines" opes with the two altos playing a bucolic melody sans rhythm section. When the rest of the band kicks in, the music begins to fly. Note how the saxophonists are now playing complimenting each other, conversing as pianist Frei plays a powerful solo over the roiling rhythm section. Next is "Alice in Promisedland", a lovely piece inspired by the music of the late Alice Coltrane. As one hears the influence of Ms. Coltrane's trance-like compositions, there's also a generous amount of blues especially during Broder's long, flowing, solo. Helm adds trills and long tones on flute and joins in on the repetition of the opening. Helm's coda leads into "American Whispers: Streams –– An Old Church" with the flute and alto parsing the melody until Frei rides the fast-paced rhythm section. As the two altos join together on a classically-inspired melody line. the piano, bass, and drums fade out. When they return, the music takes on the feel of a hymn. Bassist O'Reilly creates a lovely solo over spare piano chords and Honor's shimmering, dancing, brush work.
The remainder of the six-song program is just as impressive and sweeping. Listen to the how the rhythm section moves together, how the piano pushes and prods the reeds and the reeds, at times, push back. Another goal of this sonic experience is to let the listener hear and know how much fun it is to play creative music. "Our Highway" is soulful, reverent and, at times, irreverent, looking back and forward (as many musicians do every time they compose and play), and well worth spending 47 minutes in the thrall of. Go to www.cowboysandfrenchmen.com to find out more and all are invited to attend the Album Release Party on 2/26 – to find out more about the ticket event, go to www.bandsintown.com/e/102455835. To hear more of the CD and purchase the album, go to https://cowboysfrenchmen.bandcamp.com/album/our-highway.
Here's a taste:
With the release of 2016's "Words", the focus of composer and pianist Amanda Tosoff went to blending her original music with the words of her father Lloyd, Uncle Ted, fellow Canadian poets (the pianist is a native of British Columbia and currently a resident of Toronto, Ontario) plus William Wordsworth. For her new recording, "Earth Voices" (Empress Music), she turns to the words of Rumi, Edgar Allan Poe, Pablo Neruda, Walt Whitman, and Canadian poet Marjorie Pickthall (1883-1922) plus covers of songs by Joni Mitchell, Mike Ross, Luciana Souza, and the quartet of Aoife O'Donovan, Chris Thile, Edgar Meyer, and Stuart Duncan (from Yo-Yo Ma's 2013 "Goat Rodeo Sessions". Instead of "Words" sole vocalist Felicity Willams, she is joined on the new album by Emilie-Claire Barlow, Laila Baili, Michelle Willis, Lydia Persaud, Robin Dann, and Alex Samaras. The previous recording featured a sextet of musicians while the new album features an ensemble of up to10 musicians including a string quartet playing on various (see below). What is not different are the engrossing melodies, the intelligent arrangements, and the attractive musicianship.
The eight-song program opens with Poe's "A Dream Within a Dream" sung by Ms. Barlow. The uptempo piece jumps forward on the power of Ms. Tosoff's piano in conjunction with the bass of Jon Maharaj and the drums of Morgan Childs. The tandem of saxophonists Kelly Jefferson (soprano) and Allison Au (alto) create a wordless chorus behind the voice. Jefferson creates a delightful solo in the middle. Violinist Aline Homzy and cellist Beth Silver join on "Sonnet 49", a lovely composition composed by Ms. Souza with words by Neruda. Ms. Dann's vocal has a light, ethereal, quality that fits the words perfectly and meshes so nicely with the strings. "Here and Heaven" (listen below), the piece from the Yo-Yo Ma album, opens with a plaintive cello melody (played by Ms. Silver) –– Ms. Willis and Mr. Samaras sing the opening lines of several of the verses over Childs insistent drum. The song also includes a excellent guitar solo from Alex Goodman; he also supports the vocalists on the final chorus.
Samaras appears on two more tracks, by himself on "Birdwings" (words by Rumi, music by Ms. Tosoff) and with Ms. Biali on "Oh, Life" (words and music by Canadian native Mike Ross). The former tune is a lovely ballad with the string quartet building on the solid foundation of the rhythm section. The melody flows as does the handsome vocal (Mr. Samaras's vocal reminds this listener of Theo Bleckmann, especially the intensity he can inject into quieter phrases). The latter song has a hypnotic opening and an emotionally string arrangement. Ms. Biali takes the lead, her rich alto joined by Samara's tenor on the refrain. Especially impressive in Childs's drumming over the repetitive piano figure. After the vocalists hit an intense climax, Goodman creates a solo that also adds intensity to the piece.
Lydia Persaud is the featured voice on Ms. Mitchell's anti-war piece "The Fiddle and The Drum" –– this arrangement, also recently recorded by Theo Bleckmann with The Westerlies, also features Ms. Au's alto sax, Goodman's guitar, and a particularly robust piano solo The power of the Vietnam-era lyrics are not lost in the light of the terrorists attacks in Washington D.C. on January 6, 2021. Ms. Persaud sings with strength as well as gentleness without resorting to imitating Ms. Mitchell's airy vocalizations.
The album closes as it opens, with the voice of Ms. Barlow. "Finis" (appropriate title for the last track) features the words of Ms. Pickthall over the music of Ms. Tosoff. The flowing melody helps take the sting out of the fact the poet is asking have more time in her life to enjoy the world around her –– one verse states "Give me a few more days to keep/ With a little love and a little sorrow/ And then the dawn in the skies of sleep/ And a clear tomorrow". In the middle of the song, the wordless vocal and piano take off together (in unison!) in a celebratory dance followed by another verse before Goldman's soaring solo.
If you allow this music to seep into your soul, "Earth Voices" will bring great comfort and light into your day. Make sure to take the time to listen to the fine piano playing of Amanda Tosoff, her compositions and delightful interpretations, and the excellent contributions from the seven voices and 10 instrumentalists. Enjoy!
Owen Broder, saxophonist, clarinetist, flutist, and composer, has just released his first album as a solo artist. "Heritage: The American Roots Project" (artistShare) is a fascinating and rewarding combination of different tunes from traditional American forms such as bluegrass, spirituals, early blues, and more with improvised music. Broder has assembled quite the octet of musicians; besides his woodwinds, there's the expressive violin of Sara Caswell, the formidable brass of Scott Wendholt (trumpet, flugelhorn) and Nick Finzer (trombone) as well as the rhythm section of James Shipp (vibraphone, percussion), pianist Frank Kimbrough, bassist Jay Anderson, and drummer Matt Wilson. Several tracks features the voices of Kate McGarry, Wendy Gilles, and Vuyo Sotashe. Composers include the leader, Miho Hazama, Ryan Truesdell (also the producer), and Aphonso Horne. Each composer supplied arrangements for their works while Ms. Hazama and Truesdell each arranged a traditional piece as did Jim McNeely and Bill Holman.
photo by Sasha Israel
The program is a treat from beginning to end. Opening with Broder's "Goin' Up Home" with it's haunting melody that suggests a blend of bluegrass and an Appalachian folk song, the piece begins with, of all things, vibraphone before the violin and trombone introduce the melody. The band enters and the melody is repeated yet listen to the hypnotic background created by the piano and vibes. Shipp steps out for the first solo over a fiery hard-bop rhythm while the other instruments add harmonies and short counter-melodies. Finzer solos over the droning violin with the vibes snd piano now adding counterpoint. Holman's "Jambalaya" is a delight-filled deconstruction and reconstruction of the song that was a big hit for Hank Williams (who took credit for the song that was co-written with pianist Moon Mullican - the pianist had based his song on another piece which contained melodic elements of a 1937 song titled "Alons Kooche Kooche" composed by Julius "Papa Cairo" Lamperez. Click on this link to find out more). This rendition swings with a "cool" feel, featuring fine solos from Ms. Caswell and Wendholt.
Ms. McGarry and Ms. Gilles share the lead vocals on "Wayfaring Stranger" (arranged by Truesdell. The opening is quite dramatic, the piano and bass leading the songs in while the bass clarinet moans quietly below. The vocal harmonies are lovely, with Ms. Gilles moving in and around the lead, at times singing in unison or either above and below Ms. McGarry's melody line. The song also features a long, melodic, bass solo from Anderson. Vuyo Sotashe takes the lead on Horne's "The People Could Fly": the melody is based on a line the composer heard from a storyteller, the rhythms delightfully South African, and the story an African American folktale. It's a rollicking good time. The assembled voices (wordless) support the opening melody on the final track "A Wiser Man Than Me." Broder's expressive baritone sax leads the way through this New Orleans-inspired gospel tune, a sweet coda to a fine program. And don't those unaccompanied voices sound sweet closing out the piece.
"Heritage" the American Roots Project" comes at a time when young people's belief in the "American Experiment" is at its lowest ebb in years. This music serves as a reminder that we are truly a nation of immigrants, that artists and musicians are inspired by the various cultures encountered in their daily and working life, and that imagination and improvisation can help open eyes to new possibilities.
Owen Broder is also a member of the quintet Cowboys And Frenchmen whose second album, "Bluer Than You Think" (Outside In Music) was issued in October 2017. Broder plays alto and baritone saxophones and is joined in the front line by fellow alto saxophonist Ethan Helm (who doubles on soprano sax). They each contribute three of the seven tunes with one from friend, trombonist, and conceptual artist Chris Misch-Bloxdorf (whose work you can find under the nom-de-plume Artie do Good). The rhythm section includes pianist Chris Ziemba, bassist Ethan O'Reilly, and drummer Matt Honor. The band came together in 2014, taking its name from a short film by David Lynch ("Twin Peaks"), with the intent to blend "traditional American folk and pop music with elements of contemporary R&B and modern jazz" (www.cowboysandfrenchmen.com).
The music does defy expectations. There's the tension-filled "Beasts" (with a Steve Reich-like rhythm and the feel of a piece by the Claudia Quintet), the funky, swaggering, "Companion Plan" (listen to how the bass, piano, and drums create an atmosphere that may remind some of Steely Dan, and "Wayfarer", the quintet take on "Wayfaring Stranger" (the baritone sax taking the lead here before it joins the alto sax for a hypnotic melody). Ziemba's piano solo on the last track has elements of Jewish liturgical music as his lines sway and slither over the over the bass and drums. "Clear Head", the song written by Misch-Bloxdorf, opens with the soprano and alto saxes playing a pleasing melody with support from drummer Honor. Then it drops into a rapid-fire beat, falling back to half-time and then rubato. There are several tempo variations as the soprano sax delivers a rousing solo. Helm's ballad "Lilies Beneath a Bridge" has a handsome melody played by the alto saxes that are just slightly off-kilter creating a doppler effect. Ziemba's sweet yet bittersweet piano solo is a highlight but so pay attention to the rhythm section supports and prods him forward.
"Bluer Than You Think" is one of the more playful, diverse, surprising, and pleasing albums of the past year. Tradition takes a back seat to invention and experimentation while most of the pieces have intelligent and lovely melodies. Several of the tracks show the influence of The Bad Plus (especially the powerful "C&F Jam", though the piano solo has a lot of Keith Jarrett as well). All told, Cowboys And Frenchmen deserve your attention with its challenging and rewarding music.
Here's a track to whet your appetite:
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