Piano trios––piano, bass, and drums––have been a constant of American music since the 1940s, catching fire in the 1950s with the work of Ahmad Jamal (see below), Oscar Peterson, Hank Jones, Bud Powell, Bill Evans, and so on. They remain popular today thanks to the artistry of Jason Moran, Matthew Shipp, Brad Mehldau, Tord Gustavsen, Fergus McCreadie, and others including the gentleman below.
Pianist and composer Laszlo Gardony first recorded with bassist John Lockwood and drummer Yoron Israel in 2003 and five times since. Their sixth recording, the appropriately-titled "Close Connection" (Sunnyside Records), accentuates the musicians' relationship on and off the bandstand. The trio reconvened in early 2022 after nearly two years of inactivity due to the COVID pandemic. Professor Gardony (he's on the faculty of Berklee College of Music and Harvard University) brought in six original pieces and the Trio created another six collectively in the studio.
One of the most enjoyable facets of Gardony's music is how rhythmical many of his pieces are. The program opens with "Irrepressible", which roars out of the speakers with a melody inspired by Bela Bartok, Eastern European folk music, and the hard-edge funky swing of Chick Corea. The pianist grew up in Hungary listening to Progressive Rock (Emerson, Lake, & Palmer, Genesis, Can) which one can hear in "Strong Minds" but this listener hears a touch of Black Sabbath in the "heavier" sections. The New Orleans roll of "Cedar Tree Dance" displays the danceability of this music––influenced by Black music, the Trio never lose the infectious feeling (listen to the piano under the bass solo). "Times of Discord" builds off an eight-note descending piano rolling forward on Israel's powerful drumming and Lockwood's mighty bass lines. The drummer switches to the kalimba (African thumb piano) and hand percussion while Gardony picks up the melodica for the hypnotic "Savanna Sunrise", a gentle piece built upon simple phrases.
Photo: Chris Drukker
Six of the last eight tracks on the album are group improvisations. They are a varied and often fascinating collection of ideas, rhythms, and interactions. Ranging from the tender, Abdullah Ibrahim-like, "Everybody Needs a Home" (a nod to bassist Lockwood's native land of South Africa) to the lovely, meditative, "Hopeful Vision" to the quiet interactions of "All that Remains" to the fiery "Night Run" (check out the swinging rhythm section plus the nod to the opening melody of Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring") to the album closer "Cold Earth" (a rumination of the state of the world featuring splendid arco bass work), the music stands as a testament to the friendship of the Trio, to their fertile musical imaginations, and their intelligent interactions.
"Close Connection" will make you sit up and listen. Laszlo Gardony, along with Yoron Israel and John Lockwood, has created music that shines in the darkness that seems to envelop our world. Recorded as the pandemic still had its tight grip on this country and abroad, this music, even with several darker moments, brims with hope, joy, and fun!
For more information, go to www.lgjazz.com. To hear more and to purchase the album, go to
Looking for the perfect gift for the "jazzhead" on your Holiday shopping list, look no further "Emerald City Nights : Live at The Penthouse", two 2-CD sets from pianist Ahmad Jamal. The sets are the first releases on producer-historian Zev Feldman's new Jazz Detective label. Feldman has built quite a reputation for discovering never-before-released music from the 1950s and 60s and releasing intelligently package albums for Resonance Records (he's also worked on several archival releases for Blue Note). His work not only features music but also interviews with many of the musicians involved in each project as well as with writers, presenters, and others who give great insight on each project.
The first two CDs from the Seattle, Washington nightclub, are subtitled "1963-1964" and feature one session recorded in June of 1963 while the other has selections from March 28 and April 2 1964. The 1963 date features Mr. Jamal with bassist Richard Evans and drummer Chuck Lampkin; opening with the lively and truly swinging "Johnny One Note" from the 1937 Rodgers & Hart musical "Babe In Arms". One can help but notice the flexible yet solid rhythm section giving the pianist lots of space to dance. Because the bassist and drummer are not sideman but partners in the creative process. Yes, the pianist selects the material but the music is continually reshaped on the bandstand and in the studio by all three. Bassist Evans composed "Minor Adjustments", a classically-inspired work that shows how graceful both he and the pianist can play. The highlight of this first Trio set is the high-energy "Squatty Roo"––the blistering pace allows Mr. Jamal to play both minimalistic and also let loose. He throws quotes from several songs in his fiery solo.
Bassist Evans is gone by the two 1964 sessions of CD 2, replaced by the gracious sounds of Jamil Nasser. The set starts with "Bogota", a handsome piece by the departed bassist that, to these ears, builds on the mood of the pianist's biggest "hit" "Poinciana". Other highlights include the sweet unaccompanied piano opening to the 1960s "pop" tune "Lollipops & Roses" plus the gospel-infused "Keep On Keeping On" (also composed by Richard Evans). The latter tune, recorded a week later, breaks out into a lively jam with Mr. Jamal's displaying his blues chops. On the next cut, "Minor Moods", stays in the blues mood albeit in waltz tempo–this time, his two-handed solo pushes against the bass and drums until he dances away; when he adds in several long escapades up and down the keyboard, it's hard not to smile. Lampkin's brushes blend so well with the melodic moves of both Mr. Jamal and Nasser. The bassist and drummer both get to solo to appreciative responses by the leader.
The booklet that accompanies the package includes interviews with Mr. Jamal, with Marshall Chess (whose Argo label released a number of seminal Lps by the pianist), with Ramsey Lewis, Hiromi, and a long history of the pianist and review of the album's performances written by reviewer/critic Eugene Holley, Jr.
Here's "Tangerine" with the 1964 Trio of Mr. Jamal, bassist Jamil Nasser, and drummer Chuck Lampkin:
The second double-Lp and CD set begins in March 1965 with the same trio that appeared the previous year. Like the 1963 set, the album opens with a Rodgers & Hart song; this time, it's "I Didn't Know What Time It Was" from the 1939 musical "Too Many Girls". After a fairly formal-sounding opening, the rhythm section breaks into a brisk tempo and Mr. Jamal creates an incredible solo. Far and away, the longest track on either package (15:07), there are solos by Lampkin and Nasser and nary a dull moment. Just when you think the song is about to end, the Trio slows the tempo down and plays a sweet take on the melody before a short drum solo helps take the tune out. The other three songs on the first CD/Lp were composed by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse and all from their 1964 show "The Roar of the Greasepaint––the Smell of the Crowd". Mr. Jamal caresses the melody of "Who Can I Turn To" but the next track, recorded seven nights later, "My First Love Song", toggles between an medium-tempo ballad and a swing beat. The Trio's take on "Feeling Good" is a deep-blues with the hint of Middle Eastern tempos. There's a sly musical reference to the music of Herbie Hancock near the close of the piano.
CD/Lp 2 opens with two tracks from late October 1965. Drummer Vernal Fournier replaces Lampkin for these cuts including "Concern", a bluesy Jamal original that swings with a purpose. The playful solo features a slew of song "quotes", a quiet section then a bass solo, a drum solo, then back to Mr. Jamal for more "play". "Like Someone in Love" opens with an expansive unaccompanied piano solo that, when the rhythm section comes in, there's pedal point bass and quiet drums while the pianist quotes the opening melody from "The Sound of Music". When the Trio breaks into a swing mode, Mr. Jamal creates yet another playful solo.
The last three tracks come from September 1966; Frank Gant is now the drummer and the Trio hits the ground running with the Bronislaw Kaper classic "Invitation". The sound quality on these cuts is crisper, louder, yet the Trio still swing the pieces with abandon (Mr. Jamal even strums the piano strings!). Next up is the tune most people associate with Ahmad Jamal, "Poinciana". First recorded for his 1958 album "Live at The Pershing", the hypnotic rhythms and two-handed piano approach has mesmerized audience for over six decades. The version here does not stray much from the original save for the playful piano solo. The set closes with Benny Golson's "Whisper Not"––dig the Fats Waller-inspired solo piano opening before the Trio jumps into a high-powered romp featuring a jaunty piano excursion. The music fades out at around 2:40 just as the leader seems to heading into another solo.
The accompanying booklet features another fine essay by Eugene Holley, Jr, a repeat of the statements by Feldman, Mr. Jamal, and Marshall Chess plus essays from Kenny Barron, Jon Batiste, and Aaron Diehl. All told, "Emerald City Nights: Live at The Penthouse" is a gem that should not be missed. There is a promise of a third CD in 2023––what a treasure! If you have ever wondered why pianist Ahmad Jamal, now 92 and retired from performing, is held in such high regard, just listen to these two great recordings!
As we head into the Holiday season for 2019, artists and record labels are releasing albums at a......well....at a record pace. Here's a bunch that feature pianists in various setting.
Kenny Barron & Mulgrew Miller - The Art of the Piano Duo: Live (Groovin' High Records/ Sunnyside Records) - Two modern masters of jazz piano as well as two great friends, Kenny Barron (born 1943) and Mulgrew Miller (1955-2013) were invited to tour Europe several times in the decade between the beginning of the 21st Century and Mr. Miller's passing. Not surprisingly, someone thought to record the concerts. The music on this set was recorded in Marciac, France, in 2005 and in Switzerland in May of 2011. Happily, Sunnyside has released three full concerts on this 3-CD set. With set lists ranging from Broadway and popular standards to Duke Ellington, Joe Henderson, and Thelonious Monk, the duo has a rip-roaring time playing melody, counter-point, rhythm, and impressive solos.
Photo: Bern Jazz Fest 2010
It's impossible to pick out one or two standout tracks as there are no duds over the three hour + program. One thing is certain – there is something for everyone to like. These gentlemen can swing plus know how to caress a ballad so that the listener does not miss the emotion inherent in the lyrics. It's hard to to pick who's playing which solo and that really does not matter. Just dive in and go with the amazing flow!
Here's the duo in action from Vienna, Austria (this piece is not on the album but it's certainly worth checking out):
Brenda Earle Stokes - Solo Sessions, Vol. I(AllSheNeeds Music) - One can never know what will befall them when they move away from home. School, jobs, marriage, and children (and much more) change most people so that when they come home, they are changed. Vocalist-educator-pianist Brenda Earle Stokes was raised in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada, where she went to school, took piano lessons (from the age of four), where she performed, and became prepared to study further in the "Big City." She has performed on cruise ships, taught and performed in places and far-flung as Australia and New Zealand. Since 2002, Ms. Stokes has issued four albums that feature standards and originals backed by session men and friends. She is featured on piano on various tracks but the focus has always been on her voice.
Album #6 brings her home, right to the Sarnia Public Library into the performance room where she played as a young girl and participated in other events. This is not the first time she's recorded singing and playing the keys but it's the first time she has felt compelled to "go it alone" on record (she had done so in concert). No need to worry as the recording is a stone joy from the opening notes to the close. Along the way, Ms. Stokes explores songs from the Great American Songbook, from Brazil, from the years the she was growing up, and even back to a Leroy Carr blues (from the 1930s). That track, "How Long Blues", displays her chops with a blow to Memphis Slim. Another delightful surprise is the slinky version of "The Power of Love" (the Huey Lewis & The News tune from the 1985 movie "Back to the Future") – not only is the music deeply funky but there's a bit of gospel feel in there as well. There's a delightful version of Steve Swallow's "Ladies in Mercedes" (with lyrics by Norma Winstone) and a lovely take of Dave Brubeck's "Strange Meadowlark." That latter track appears on the pianist's classic 1959"Time Out" Lp; here, Ms. Stokes adds Iona Brubeck's lyrics and really digs into the piece.
There's plenty more so check out "Solo Sessions, Vol. 1" – revel in the music and the fact that there's more to come! Brenda Earle Stokes, whose voice has alway been appealing to these ears, shows just how fine a pianist she is as both an accompanist and soloist. Put on the music, sit back, and enjoy.
Here's Ms. Stokes's version of a song by the trio of Billy Steinberg, Rick Nowels, and Marie Claire D'ubaldo first recorded by K.D. Lang:
Champian Fulton can play piano, she can sing, she can swing, she can be sassy, and can be silky smooth. Over the past dozen years, she's had 10 albums as a leader or lead singer. Number 11 is a delightful live session recorded late February of this year in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and featuring Ms. Fulton alongside tenor saxophonist Cory Weeds. "Dream a Little..." (Cellar Live Records) finds the duo exploring nine standards and one original over the course of an hour. It's quite a treat to hear Weeds weave his tenor lines around the piano on "Fly Me To The Moon" and carrying on a conversation with Ms. Fulton's vocal on "Darn That Dream". One can hear traces of Sarah Vaughan and Betty Carter on the latter track plus dig the Art Taum-esque piano solo on this most delightful ballad.
Mr. Weeds leads the way into "Tangerine": soon, the duo is off and running its respective way through the changes. Ms. Fulton is an excellent accompanist, giving her partner a lovely cushion of chords to play as well as a sprightly bass line. The pianist takes the lead on "I'd Give a Dollar for a Dime", pleading for the coin to play a one song on the juke box. Mr. Weeds plays an expansive blues-tinged counterpoint. The album closes with Buddy Johnson's "Save Your Love For Me". Using the Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis arrangement, the duo dogs in and swings the heck out of the piece. Pay attention to how the piano colors the background behind the expansive tenor solo. Make sure to check out the great piano solo that follows. A bit of Earl "Fatha" Hines, James P. Johnson, and Eubie Blake plus a whole bunch of Champian Fulton makes for a finger-snapping treat.
"Dream a Little..." is a lot of fine music in one dynamic duo package. Champian Fulton & Cory Weeds certainly had fun that night (check out the pianist's giddy response to the tenor solos) and you will as well once you surrender to the sweet sounds.
To paraphrase one of the more famous advertising phrases of early 20th Century (see here), "They smile when Laszlo Gardony sits at the piano, because they know, they're going to hear some great music before he stands back up." His new solo piano album, "La Marseillaise" (Sunnyside Records), was recorded live in March at the Berklee College of Music Keys Fest. While his small group has always been impressive, when he plays sans accompaniment, Gardony just seems more expressive. Plus his programs always combine originals, fully improvised pieces, standards, and pieces that mesh blues, gospel, New Orleans, and r'n'b into magical works. Every time I have seen Mr. Gardony play in concert, he's smiling and having the time of his life – even though this is a recording, that happiness comes through loud and clear on this album!
The opening track, "Revolution" (one of five original pieces), is based on the French Revolution-inspired song that gives the album its title. After the classical-style reading of the theme, the pianist's left hand gets into quite a boogie-woogie groove. Note the up-tempo rhythm the pianist gives "O Sole Mio" making the song feel more like Myra Melford than Elvis Presley "It's Now or Never"). In the middle of the program, the mood goes to introspection on Errol Garner's "Misty" – it's such a lovely reading, a bit bluesy yet always melodic. That's followed by a powerful performance of fellow pianist (and label mate) Denny Zeitlin's classic "Quiet Now." Also introspective in nature, Mr. Gardony plays so expressively that it seems like the piano is singing.
There are two fully improvised pieces. "Four Notes Given" is based on four notes suggested by the audience and the pianist elaborates on those tones. The resulting music has a hypnotic sound not unlike the solo piano work of Keith Jarrett. "On The Spot", an apt title, builds quickly from the initial melodic fragment; it's rapid pace and long flowing lines leaves the listener breathless.
"La Marseillaise" closes with another original, "Bourbon Street Blues", a piece first recorded in a small group setting. Played solo, the music has the feel of an Allen Toussiant composition right down to the dancing left hand and the rollicking melody lines. There is no way one can feel blue listening to the music. Laszlo Gardony plays with such verve, empathy, and downright ebullience tha one feels the urge to hit "repeat" each time the final applause dies down. As I write this, we're heading into the "darker" months of the year so let "La Marseillaise" carry you through the grey days and crisp, chilly, nights!
Autumn is here and the time is right for jazz in concert venues and performance spaces! This weekend in Connecticut promises little foliage but three fine shows, all of which are worth your time and effort to attend.
Saxophonist, bassist, composer, and educator Mark Zaleski returns to The Side Door Jazz Club in Old Lyme. His band includes brother Glenn on piano, tenor saxophonist Jon Bean, guitarist Ciao Aifune, bassist Danny Weller, and drummer Oscar Suchanek. They'll play music from Mr. Zaleski's second album, 2017's "Days, Month, and Years" as well as his latest project which is a collection of rearrangements, reconstructions, and deconstructions of Michael Jackson's songs. What you'll hear over the course of the two sets is great interactions, smart melodies, and powerful solos. Plus it's great fun.
Firehouse 12 in New Haven continues its Fall 2018 Concerts Series this Friday night with a visit from drummer Devin Gray and his quartet know as Dirigo Rataplan. He's celebrating the release of the group's second album "Dirigo Rataplan II" - besides Gray, the group features bassist Michael Formanek, tenor saxophonist Ellery Eskelin, and trumpeter Dave Ballou (the same lineup as on the 2015 self-titled album released onSkirl Records). This is one of those delightful groups that blurs the lines between styles (or genres, if you'd rather) so you'll hear snatches of blues, "free" jazz, funk, folk elements, a trace of Ornette Coleman-like interplay, and impressive interactions.
Dirigo Rataplan takes the stage for the first set at 8:30 p.m. The second set - a separate charge - starts at 10 p.m. You should enjoy this exploratory music not only for the way the band digs into the music but also because each musician has a distinctive "voice". The crisp attack and sound of Ballou, the smooth yet searching tones of Eskelin, the melodic majesty of Formanek's bass playing, and Gray's exciting yet thoughtful drumming. To find out more, go to devingraymusic.com. For tickets, call 203-785-0468 or go to firehouse12.com.
Here's a short compilation of the album (which, on Bandcamp, is titled "Dirigo Rataplan II" - go figure.
On Saturday evening, The Buttonwood Tree, 605 Main Street in Middletown, welcomes the duo of Christian Artmann (flutes) and Laszlo Gardony (piano). They will be celebrating Mr. Artmann's new Sunnyside Recording, "Our Story", a quartet album (with guest vocalist) that Mr. Gardony (who often graces the piano seat at The Buttonwood with his exciting and melodic playing) is an important member of the group. For the Middletown date, it's the two of them sans rhythm section (or guest vocalist). Mr. Artmann's music is quite handsome, ethereal at times, and his flute sound is graceful and gracious. He can also swing when the music calls for it.
Mr. Artmann studied classical music in his native Germany as he was growing up, discovering in his teens. He's studied at Harvard Law School, Princeton University, and the Berklee School of Music. He has toured Europe playing in both classical and jazz settings as well as clubs and performance venues in the United States. "Our Story" is his fourth album as a leader since 2010, three of them with the delightful rhythm section of bassist Johannes Weidenmuller and drummer Jeff Hirschfield. To find out more about the flutist, go to artmannjazz.com.
The Side Door Jazz Club in Old Lyme CT, now in its fifth year, is having a bang-up summer, combining programs that feature artists rarely seen in Connecticut to shows with regular visitors, some who are Connecticut natives. This weekend (7/20-21) marks the return of saxophonist (tenor and soprano) and composer Jimmy Greene. The Hartford native, graduate of the Hartt School of Music/Jackie McLean Institute, and currently on the music faculty of Western CT State University, has worked with many greats artists including Harry Connick, The Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, Kenny Barron, Tom Harrell, and another CT native, the late Horace Silver.
Sadly, Jimmy Greene may be best known as the father of Ana Grace Marquez-Greene, one of the 26 people killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in December 2012. The two albums that have appeared since that horrible event - 2014's "Beautiful Life" and 2017's "Flowers - Beautiful Life Volume 2", both on Mack Avenue Records - include original music inspired by his daughter, all of it life-affirming, much of it powerful. Professor Greene plays with power and direction, his emotions poured into performances that are spirited and spiritually moving.
He's bringing his Quartet, a group that features the fine drummer Otis Brown III, bassist Luke Sellick, and pianist Taber Gable. They will take the stage both Friday and Saturday nights at 8:30 p.m. for two sets. For ticket information, go to thesidedoorjazz.com or call 860-434-2600.
To find out more about his music as well as the ongoing Ana Grace Project, go to www.jimmygreene.com.
Here's a funky track from the latest album:
Pianist, composer, and educator Laszlo Gardony is one of the more joyful musician on the contemporary scene. Whenever he sits at the piano, it seems as if the everyday craziness of the world disappears and he plus the audience are transported to a better place. He can ever-so-melodic as well as percussive and pounding, bluesy as well as lyrical. With his trio of bassist John Lockwood and drummer Yoron Israel, that world expands to include creative interpretations of standards and pop songs. When Gardony adds the reeds of Stan Strickland (tenor and soprano saxes, bass clarinet), Don Braden (tenor and soprano saxes, flute), and Bill Pierce (tenor and soprano saxes), the musical universe expands even more with touches of New Orleans and Kansas City blues and jazz, Broadway, and more standards plus more of Gardony's inspiring music.
The Laszlo Gardony Sextet comes to Hartford CT on July 23 to perform as part of the Paul BrownBushnell Park Monday Jazz Series. The free concert opens at 6 p.m. with a set by the Don DePalma Trio with vocalist Linda Ransom. Mr. Gardony and friends take the stage at 7:30. In case of rain, the concert moves indoors to the Asylum Hill Congregational Church, 814 Asylum Avenue, in Hartford. For more information, go to hartfordjazzsociety.com/paul-brown-monday-night-jazz-2018/.
To learn more about Lazslo Gardony and the Sextet, go to www.lgjazz.com.
Here's a track to get you dancing:
On Friday July 27, The Side Door Jazz Club opens its door to New Faces, a sextet of musicians personal chosen by Marc Free, President of Posi-Tone Records for a project of "Straight Forward" music. That's the title of the album as well as the emphasis in the music. Gathering people who have recorded for the label, the ensemble includes vibraphonist Behn Gillece, tenor saxophonist Roxy Coss, trumpeter Josh Lawrence, pianist Theo Hill and the "veteran" rhythm section of bassist Peter Brendler and drummer Vinnie Sperrazza. Several members contribute new arrangements of older pieces plus there are pieces by label mate Jon Davis and one song from back at the company's early days. The front line sounds well matched with trumpeter Lawrence and saxophonist MS Coss easilymatching their sounds. Gillece's vibes blend nicely with Hill's piano throughout. And, this is one fine rhythm section!! The sextet should be dynamite in person, stretching some of the tunes, everyone getting a chance to really dig into their solos. Make no mistake, they are all fine soloists (Lawrence is developing impressively each time he picks up his trumpet and Hill's work is quite a treat). First set starts at 8:30 p.m. To find out more, go to thesidedoorjazz.com.
The plan was for 36 of my favorite CDs including reissues or "historical" releases. The final count for this year is 44! And I missed a few. In the next few weeks, I'll be "catching up" with releases that came out over the past few months and I did not have the time to write about (and there are a number that deserve your attention). As I look at other lists created by friends and other reviewers, critics and musicians, one has to reiterate that 2017 was a major step forward for music. Personal became political became reality and begat artists who felt the need to step up, who could not believe what they were seeing and hearing. Even with several special elections that turned Senate or House seats from red to blue, one cannot see 2018 being any calmer. If anything, life could get "hotter" as politicos and journalists, pundits and prognosticators, feel no compulsion to compromise - "my way or the highway" has certainly replaced "let's work together" as the national mantra.
Into the fray this year came pianist, composer, and educator Vijay Iyer. He put together an amazing Sextet - Steve Lehman (alto saxophone), Mark Shim (tenor saxophone), Graham Haynes (cornet, flugelhorn, electronics), Stephan Crump (bass) and the indefatigable Tyshawn Sorey (drums) - and gave them music to really dig into. There are moments where the fire coming from the rhythm section may overwhelm your speakers but that note how the horns continue to ride those waves. Note the subtle work of Graham Haynes, the occasional forays into Fender Rhodes (few pieces this year funkier than "Nope"), and how the leader pushes, persuades, and often lets loose with torrents of notes that match the intensity of Crump and Sorey. It's not all "sturm and drang" but this album, titled "Far From Over" (ECM Records) grabs ahold of the mind, shakes it, and reminds us to stay involved.
Speaking of grabbing ahold of a tiger. alto saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa self-released his new Indo-Pak Coalition album "Agrima", selling to only as a digital-download from his website. With long-time companions Rez Abbasi (guitar, pedals) and Dan Weiss (tabla, drum kit), the album explores numerous musical motifs that show the influence of nations that give the band its name as well as nodding towards the Mahavishnu Orchestra. The interactions, the stop-on-a-dime and go in a new direction, the amazing work of Weiss, and the sounds that emanate from the guitar and saxophone (the first time Mahanthappa has recorded with synths), all that as well as the wonderfully drawn compositions makes "Agrima" a joy to hear. Try and sit still!
Drummer Weiss is also part of the quartet saxophonist and composer David Binney gathered to record "The Time Verses" (CrissCross Records). Binney has used Weiss, bassist Eivind Opsvik, and pianist Jacob Sacks as his working group in New York City's 55 Bar for a number of years. The narrative of the album is a "day in the life" of a working musician but you do need to know that to really dig into this music. Always a powerful soloist, Binney has quite the ear for melody. There's a poetic feel to pieces such as "Walk", "Seen" (with lovely vocal from guest Jen Shyu), and the episodic "Where Worlds Collide." Spend time with these "verses" and your spirit will be refreshed.
September of this year was quite a month for pianist, composer, and now author Fred Hersch. Jazz at Lincoln Center invited him to perform his "Leaves of Grass" suite, his memoir "Good Things Happen Slowly: A Life In and Out of Jazz" was published to very positive reviews, and his new solo piano album "Open Road" (Palmetto) was released. What made this album stand out in the Hersch repertoire is not just the excellentinterpretations of material by Antonio Carlos Jobim, Benny Golson, Billy Joel (!), and Thelonious Monk (no surprise there) but the three fascinating original pieces. One piece, "Through The Forest", runs nearly 20 minutes and covers so much territory without getting bogged down in cliches or at a loss for a through-line. In fact, what stands out is how outside of genre the music is (a nice way of saying don't pigeonhole the piece by calling it jazz, classical, or whatever.)
I am blessed to know pianist and educator Laszlo Gardony, one of the friendliest and most creative musicians one will ever meet. It makes such good sense to call his new solo piano album "Serious Play" (Sunnyside Records). If you have Professor Gardony in person, you know that he has great technique but never allows that to get in the way of serving the melody or the rhythm (he really knows how to create rhythm in his music). He also understand the blues so pieces such as "Georgia On My Mind" and "Over The Rainbow" are ripe with honest emotions. Each track stands out yet the program feel connected from beginning to end. You can play this album over and over and hear something new each time.
Another person who is a "serious player" is Anat Cohen. If you have ever seen her in person, you know that the clarinetist (she also baritone sax on this CD) is rarely without a smile, that she can make the most "down-home blues" feel like a revival meeting, and she can genres in a heartbeat. This year saw three new releases including two with a Brazilian and one with her new Tentet. Arranged by Oded Lev-Ari, the music ranges from klezmer to Brazil to swing to deep ballads and to African balafon music. Her ensemble - Rubin Kodheli (cello), Nadje Noordhuis (trumpet, flugelhorn), Nick Finzer (trombone), Owen Broder (baritone saxophone, bass clarinet), James Shipp (vibraphone, percussion), Vitor Gonçalves (piano, accordion), Sheryl Bailey (guitar), Tal Mashiach (bass), and Anthony Pinciotti (drums) - is excellent. One can tell this music is for the concert hall and larger clubs yet much of the time one wants to dance ("Kenedougou Foly" closes the program and I dare you to sit still.
Like the Jen Shyu, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Josh Nelson, and Tomas Fujiwara recordings, the second album from the Marta Sánchez Quintet has been sitting on my desktop for months (and playing while I was doing school work). Retaining the front line of alto saxophonist Roman Filiu and tenor saxophonist Jerome Sabbagh from her previous CD but with a new rhythm section of bassist Rick Rosato and drummer Daniel Dor, "Danza Imposible" (Fresh Sound New Talent) builds on the promise of her 2015 date titled "Partenika" (Ms. Sánchez has issued two earlier albums on Spanish labels). There is a "lightness of being" on several tracks where the reeds don't "blow" as much as sing while the rhythm section often has a dancing quality. Meanwhile the leader's piano contains both beauty and muscle - for example, "Flesh" builds off powerful chords yet retains a quiet center, especially in the impressionistic piano solo. The slightly off-kilter saxophones lead the title track and share the melody lines while the piano plays counterpoint with the drums and bass building the tension. Ms. Sánchez has written music for a group, not for soloists and a rhythm section; it's fun to hear how the different voices in the group play off each other. There are moments when the mood and freedom of movement reminds this listener of the classic Miles Davis 1965-68 Quintet and that's a good thing. You can really tell that this group enjoys playing together and that joy is contagious.
It took composer and arranger Ed Neumeister over three years, several grants, and an Indiegogo campaign to bring his new album "Wake Up Call" (Meistero Music) to fruition. Yet, this labor of love is anything but laborious. In fact, much of this music soars. The NeuHat Ensemble is composed of world-class musicians (many of whom have worked or play with the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra and the Maria Schneider Orchestra), it's so enjoyable when the musicians dig in to the well sculpted melodies and intelligent arrangements. There's a touch of Duke Ellington in "Locomotion" (the composer writes that the song is based on John Coltrane's "Dear Lord") while it's possible that "Birds of Prey" has some influence from Ms. Schneider's well-known hobby. This music sparkles with inventiveness, wit, and often has a gentler side that is soothing.
Saxophonists Dave Liebman and Joe Lovano came together in 2007 at the request of BBC Radio to celebrate the 40th anniversary of John Coltrane's passing. With a rhythm section of Phil Markowitz (piano), Ron McClure (bass), and Billy Hart (drums), The results of their musical endeavors can be heard on "Compassion: The Music of John Coltrane", beautifully packaged and mastered by Resonance Records. The six-song program features works for 1958 up until 1967's title track. Both saxophonists play extremely well, never attempting to imitate the muscular sound that Coltrane mastered yet still having great power. The rhythm section also plays with great fire, especially Hart. This quintet succeeds unmaking Coltrane's music sound timeless and fresh.
This year, Resonance Records released two albums from pianist Bill Evans featuring the rhythm section of Eddie Gomez (bass) and Jack DeJohnette (drums). Up until now, the only album with that lineup was Evans's Verve Lp "Bill Evans at The Montreux Jazz Festival." That recording won a GRAMMY in 1969 by which time the drummer was in the Miles Davis Group. "Another Time: The Hilversum Concert" was recorded seven days after Montreux and just two days after "Some Other Time: The Lost Session from the Black Forest", which Resonance released earlier this year. The albums are fairly similar though they have different material. The later recording seems livelier, punchier, as if the trio had a good dinner and were digging each other's company. Bill Evans remains quite popular 37 years after his passing and there are a lot of albums to choose from. The spark of inventiveness can be heard throughout "Another Time" and that makes the music infectious. *************************************** That's a wrap, as they say, for 2017. These albums made me feel good while listening and writing; some even helped my mood get so much better. I was sick and hospitalized in July and early August so music really made my recuperation time move by. Thanks to the promoters and the publicists, thanks to my fellow writers for keeping me honest, and thanks to the artists for taking chances and not settling for just good! Thanks to you for reading and reacting. Be healthy, be safe, and be generous throughout the Holiday and into 2018. Change is all around us. We must be ready and resolute and never, ever, lose your sense of humor and love of music. Richard
The best way for me to help you understand just how attractive and seductive the music on "One Minute Later" is to me, don't read on yet just listen to the opening track.
This is the fifth album by guitarist and composer Diego Barber, the fourth to appear on Sunnyside Records, and each is a revelation. Barber, who hails from the Canary Islands (a Spanish archipelago off the northwestern coast of Africa), puts himself into musical situations that explore his fascination with sound, rhythm, and melody. For his new recording, he is joined in the studio by the rhythm section of Ben Williams (bass) and Eric Harland (drums) plus the amazing young percussionist Alejandro Coello who adds marimba, vibraphone, tympani, gongs, crotales, tam-tam and kalimba to the proceedings.
The clean, clear sound allows the listener to listen to how the musicians interact. Whether it's the "Mrs. Robinson"-like groove of "Dilar River" or the dancing grooves of "Big House", the music invites you in. Even though Barber plays acoustic guitar throughout the album, the intensity with which he leads the band stands out. Harland is such a "joyous" and, yes, "busy" (at times) drummer, his groove infectious that one can't help but smile. Williams is the foundation on the album; at times, he seems buried under the sound but, if you pay attention, his solid work helps push the music forward. There are moments throughout when it seems like the quartet is a percussion ensemble, rumbling along or steaming ahead. There's also pieces such as "Atlas" where the melody dances atop the powerful rhythms supplied by Harland and amplified by Coello's percussion array (one can hear marimba, vibes, crotales, and the tympani as the piece flows forward). Beauty exists here as well. The splendid solo guitar ballad that closes the album, "Elvira Maria", is a sound portrait of love, dedicated to the guitarist's girlfriend.
The music bears the inspiration of the Spanish province of Granada (southern Spain along the Mediterranean sea). Several of the tracks bear the name of mountains ("Mulhacen" and "Veletas's Peak") while the album title refers to a passage from the Federico Garcia Lorca's "Poet in New York." The music also bears witness to Diego Barber's intense search for expression through his music and his interactions. He is the leader of the group but is also a member; he doesn't play over Harland, Williams, and Coello but with them and, in the long run, that's what's so attractive about the recording for this listener. Getting lost in the music, putting aside the day-to-day annoyances as the morning sun streams in the windows, "One Minute Later" lifts the spirit ever-so-sweetly. Diego Barber is a technically impressive guitarist but its the heart in his music that really stands out. For more information and more sound clips, go to sunnysidezone.com/album/one-minute-later. Here's one more track to enjoy:
A glance at the cover of the new album from pianist, composer, and educator Laszlo Gardony tells you all you need to know. "Serious Play (Solo Piano)" is his 13th release as a leader and third solo album. If you have ever met the pianist and seen/heard him play, you know the intensity in which he brings to performance and music. That intense nature has a "fun" side, a leaning towards the blues as well as a powerful percussive attack that can leave listeners breathless, But Laszlo Gardony also has a gentle side, one that also exposes his loved for jazz, blues, and classical music. Sound engineer Paul Wickliffe captures that spirit, that power, wonderfully on this recording.
Opening with a powerful, gospel-inflected, reading of "Georgia On My Mind", the music easily draws one in. The power in the piece is in how Gardony gets to the emotional center of the music, gives the listener time to reflect on that, and then opens up, ever-so-gently. There are a few moments when this listener imagined the pianist hushing a crowd at a "rent party"with the "deep blues" feeling in his playing. Next up is John Coltrane's ballad "Naima" - even as Gardony caresses the melody, one can hear the power building in the chords coming from his left hand. As he enters the solo, one can hear the influence of McCoy Tyner in his performance. The "power" builds,, the rhythm of the music is suspended, the notes cascade from the speakers in torrents; at one point, I had to stop the CD to go answer the phone. I reentered the music at the place where the album stopped and, when it started up again, it felt as if I had been dropped into a Steve Reich performance, the percussive nature of the piano, the static bass notes, and the circular melody lines hinting of the composer's work from the 1970s and 80s. Before the piece comes its close, the pianist returns to the melody bathing it now in sounds not unlike the minimalism of Erik Satie.
Those two tracks take up over 33% of the 39-minute program. The title track comes next, a powerful original composition with chords that remind this listener, at times, of Peter Townsend's "Pinball Wizard" interpreted by Bruce Hornsby. And so, if you enjoy solo piano, I leave you to discover the rest for yourself. Laszlo Gardony is wonderfully imaginative, his music conjuring up images of busy urban thoroughfares, starry nights in the woods of New England, of hushed audiences in a concert hall, and so much more. The program closes with "Over The Rainbow", a song which one could see appealing to a young pianist sitting in a practice room in the Bela Bartok Conservatory in Budapest, Hungary, dreaming of new worlds to explore. "Serious Play" does in essence, in fact, and in deed, describe this lovely album down to its resonating final chord. For more information, go to www.lgjazz.com. Here's the title track:
Despite the snow and ice that attacked Connecticut this week, the concert scene is bursting out like the daffodils. Where to go, what to see, and how adventurous do I want be are the questions one should be asking because the variety listed below is impressive for our fair state.
jazzstl.org
Our list of goodies begins Thursday April 7 when The Side Door Jazz Club presents Dr. Lonnie Smith and his Trio in concert. The good Dr. just released his new album, "Evolution", his return to Blue Note Records after 4 decades. The funky album features his regular guitarist Jonathan Kreisberg plus drummers Jonathan Blake and Joe Dyson sharing the drum duties and a slew of guests including John Ellis (tenor saxophone, bass clarinet, flute), Joe Lovano (tenor saxophone, mezzo soprano saxophone), Robert Glasper (piano), Maurice Brown (trumpet), and Keyon Harrold (trumpet). Smith, a native of Buffalo, NY, spent his youth listening to B-3 masters such as Bill Doggett and Jimmy Smith. His first break came when guitarist George Benson hired him and the band moved to New York City. When he first signed to Blue Note, he also went to work with saxophonist Lou Donaldson. Over the past 30 years as "organ jazz" went in and out of style, Dr. Lonnie Smith played gigs all over the world, recorded for numerous labels (including stints with Kudu, Criss Cross, and Palmetto), and always made audiences feel the groove.
Joining him in Old Lyme will be Kreisberg and drummer Allison Miller. Doors open at 7 p.m. with the first notes at 8 p.m. Call 860-434-0886 for reservations.
Australian-born pianist Matt Baker bring his trio of Darrian Douglas (drums) and bassist Jim Cammack (a mainstay in the Ahmad Jamal since the 1980s) to The Side Door Friday night and they will swing the room with abandon (see the video below). Baker has been in the US since the beginning of the decade and has steadily gained critical notice. His new CD, produced by the very busy Matt Pierson, comes out later this spring. To find out more, go to www.mattbaker.com.au.
The first set begins at 8:30 p.m. Take a closer look and give a closer listen here:
On Saturday, The Side Door welcomes trumpeter and educator Eddie Allen and his excellent Quintet. Allen is a favorite in these parts (the photo on the left comes from the Monday Night Jazz in Bushnell Park) due to his unerring sense of swing and delight in melody. Joining him for the Old Lyme gig will be the youthful Mercedes Beckman (saxophones), Seth Lewis (bass), Jerome Jennings (drums) and the great James Weidman (piano).
They will begin the evening of music at 8:30 p.m. For more information, go to thesidedoorjazz.com.
dmitry mandel photoO
On Friday, Firehouse 12 in New Haven continues its Spring 2016 Concerts Series with OGJB, a new quartet that features Oliver Lake (saxophones), Graham Haynes (cornet), Joe Fonda (bass) and Barry Altschul (drums). Both Mr. Lake and Mr. Altschul are 73 years old but are both playing at the high level they have maintained for the better part of 5 decades. Joe Fonda is everywhere lately, touring with Katie Bull and Michael Musillami while supporting Archie Shepp in his recent NEA Jazz Masters performance. Graham Haynes, the "baby" of the group at 55, has had quite a busy career in the US and overseas combining jazz and electronics, poetry and voice, into fascinating performances and recordings. The band has yet to release an album but just having these 4 musicians in the same room should be quite enjoyable.
OGJB plays 2 sets - 8:30 and 10 p.m. (separate admission to each) - and you can find out more by going to firehouse12.com or calling 203-785-0468.
Composer and arranger Maria Schneider, recently honored with 2 GRAMMYs at this year's ceremony, brings her 19-member Orchestra to the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of the University of Connecticut this Friday evening at 8 p.m. As of this moment, there are tickets still available (I will check after this is posted and keep you up-to-date.) Honestly and arguably, there is no finer large ensemble in the world than the MSO. The writing is brilliant, arrangements are stunning, and the musicianship superb. For ticket information, go to jorgensen.uconn.eduor call 860-486-6707.
Pianist, composer, and educator Laszlo Gardony returns to The Buttonwood Tree in Middletown on Saturday (4/09) to perform a duo concert with his long-time associate, bassist John Lockwood. Both are impressive improvisors as well as being students of the Great American songbook and the history of Jazz. The Buttonwood P.R. says the duo will be playing originals but, no matter whose songs they play, the music will be well worth listening to.
When one attempts to describe saxophonist Jeff Lederer, the words "exuberant", "dynamic", "elemental", and "fun-loving" come to mind. In concert with the Matt Wilson Quartet and the Honey Ear Trio, he can be and often is ebullient, a Puck-ish character whose approach to the tenor sax knows no limits. In his own groups, Lederer's music blends blues, swing, hymns, gospel, and so much more. He has an affinity for the music and sound of saxophonist Albert Ayler (1936-1970) and has recorded a number of his works as well as dedicating several of his original pieces to the fiery musician.
Lederer's latest recorded adventure (and ensemble), titled "Brooklyn Blowhards" (Little (i) Music), blends his love for Ayler's music (5 of the 14 tracks are Ayler tunes) and sea shanteys - an unlikely match, you say, but ,when played by the octet of Petr Cancura (tenor saxophone), Kirk Knuffke (cornet, slide trumpet), Brian Drye (trombone), Art Bailey (accordion) and the percussion trio of Allison Miller, Stephen LaRosa, and Mr. Wilson (trap drums, ship's bell, chum bucket, chain), this music is so alive. Joining the ensemble on 5 tracks is vocalist Mary LaRose (Lederer's wife) and, on 3 tracks, guitarist Gary Lucas. There are moments when the music sounds like an unhinged Salvation Army Band (before and after the Cancura/Lederer duo on "Black Ball Line" and all throughout "Haul Away Joe") and cuts where the ensemble swaggers or romps with such panache (Ayler's "Heavenly Home" and his classic "Bells"). Check out Matt Wilson's "Dancing Waters", a truly lovely ballad with Ms. LaRose's wordless vocals and Lucas's sparkling dobro, underpinned by the swirling reeds and brass, building to an amazing climax on the power of the drummers, beginning and ending with a short chorale that sounds like a prayer. Lederer's "The Language of Resistance" is a stunning work for the octet, a spotlight for the leader's soprano sax and Bailey's fine accordion work.
Inspired playing abounds throughout the program. Solos by Knuffke and Drye enliven the traditional "Haul on the Bowline" while the spiky slide work of Lucas shines on "Shenandoah." Ms. LaRose leads the way on the raucous take of Ayler's "Island Harvest" capturing the humor of the original version without imitating lyricist and vocalist Mary Parks. The multi-tracked voices on "Shallow Brown" blends sweetly with the dobro, the accordion swells, the martial drumming, and the sway of the horns.
"Brooklyn Blowhards" is serious fun, music that reaches back to music of early America while illustrating how Albert Ayler tapped into traditional musics, making it sound new and "free.' Jeff Lederer, who arranged the entire project, was inspired by the brilliant work of artist Matt Kish, who created "Moby Dick in Pictures - One Drawing for Every Page". Play this loud, let the music ring through the house while raising your glass to the ingenuity and vision of this splendid musician and his mighty band.
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