The Sunnyside of the Stream (Pt 1)

Upon graduating from Ohio State University in 1986, pianist and composer Russ Lossing moved to New York City. Over the decades, he has played and recorded with drummer Paul Motian, cornetist Kirk Knuffke, saxophonists Loren Stillman and John O'Gallagher plus many others.  As a leader, he has recorded for HATOLOGY, Clean Feed, Fresh Sound, and Sunnyside Records.  His music, while influenced by Thelonious Monk, Andrew Hill, and the afore-mentioned Motian, is wide open, leaving plenty of room for his collaborators to speak their own piece.

"Metamorphism" (Sunnyside Records), though recorded in 2017, sounds fresh and timeless.  Joined by Stillman (alto and soprano saxophones), John Hébert (bass), and Michael Sarin (drums) –– all long-time associates –– most of Lossing's eight original pieces flow with serenity from one to another. Yet, there is intensity in how the musicians move towards and away from each other, how the solos rise up and make the listener aware that the music is not about technique but has emotional depth.  The program opens with a percussive piano figure leading the rhythm section in with each musician playing elements of the melody.  When the alto sax and piano play the main theme, one hears a Middle Eastern-influenced melody. Notice how the rhythm section stops and starts, how they create a dialogue with the piano and sax, especially during the solos. 

Photo: Clara Pereira

The title track, the longest on the recording at 12:25, is dedicated to Paul Motian.  The sparse opening moments recall Lossing's long relationship to the late drummer-composer, the piano presenting the melody before the bass and drums enter. Stillman plays soprano sax here, his long tones rising above the spare accompaniment.  Slowly, steadily, the intensity ramps up with Lossing and Stillman weaving mini-rhapsodies around each other. Listen below to how the melody is moved back out front in the last moments of the performance.  There are moments that the music reminds this listener of the Keith Jarrett American Quartet on the 1970s - 80s (of which the late Mr. Motian was a member).

Photo: Chris Drukker

Another longer track (9:31), "Blue Horizon", is dedicated to Andrew Hill.  The music moves slowly, has a mysterious feel, yet one feels you can hear the band communicating with each other.  The shortest track (2:35), "Pileatus", serves as a spotlight for Sarin's powerful, melodic, drums.  The melody is percussive with the bass, piano, and soprano sax playing in unison. The funky "June Jig" dances forward on the drums and Hébert's rich bass work.  Lossing sits out during the alto solo so one can really hear how Stillman interacts with Sarin and how the bassist complements them. "Canto 24" closes the album; again all four musicians state the theme before the solo section is a series of encounters, responses, reactions, and counterpoint.  As the music moves forward, the quartet is responding to each other in such an organic fashion.

"Metamorphism" is an adventurous collection of pieces that never boils over nor lapses into cliches.  The listener can hear how comfortable the musicians are with each other, allowing themselves to be continually challenged by the compositions of Russ Lossing.  There's little clutter in the sound, the articulated piano notes stand out as do all the "voices" of the quartet.  This album deserves to be listened all the way through each time to appreciate the beauty and the humanity the music contains. 

For more information, go to www.russlossing.com.  To purchase the album, go to https://russlossing.bandcamp.com/album/metamorphism.

Here's the title track:

Born in France but raised in Brazil, bassist and composer Gui Duvignau has led a fascinating life. His first musical interest was "heavy metal" but he soon discovered the bass work of Ron Carter (with the "classic" Miles Davis Quintet), Jimmy Garrison (with the John Coltrane Quartet), Jaco Pastorious, and Charles Mingus.  He also explored the delights of Brazilian composers and performers.  The bassist moved to the United States to attend the Berklee College of Music and on to Portugal and Paris, France for several years.  While living there, the bassist co-led an ensemble with vocalist Sofia Ribeiro; they released an album, "Porto", is 2010. His debut as a leader, "Fissura", was also recorded in France (2014) and issued on a Brazilian label in 2016.  Duvignau then moved to New York City to study at NYU's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development.  There he met Argentinean-born pianist Santiago Leibson who introduced him to drummer Jeff Hirshfield and they created a trio.  

 

His American debut, "3, 5, 8" (Sunnyside Records),  features Leibson and Hirschfield plus, on several tracks, Billy Drewes (tenor saxophone) and German guitarist Elias Meister.  The nine-song program, all composed by the leader, opens with two trio tracks, "Volta" and "'2'".  The former is a ballad with a folk-like melody, moving forward in the style of the late Paul Motian.  Leibson's rippling piano lines rise above the counterpoint of the bass and the conversational drums.  Duvignau leads the way on the latter tune, also one with a folk-like melody, that turns towards swing especially during the delightful piano solo.  Later in the program, the lovely ballad "Une Pensée Pour Paris", is notable for the melodic bass solo, Leibson's emotional piano phrases, and Hirschfield's artistic brushwork.  The delightful "Vem Logo!" ("Coming Soon") is a sweet romp for the trio. Opening with a strong bass solo, the pianist follows with a solo built on a chordal progression that is continually and melodically mutating.  

Photo: Thibault Della Gaspera

Drewes and Meister first join the trio on the atmospheric ballad "Yerevan".  The piece, composed for the bassist's girlfriend, pushes forward on the insistent bass and piano with both the saxophone and guitar echoing the melody line.  Near the close of the tune, Drewes creates a fiery solo with Meister's distorted guitar and the pianist's flowing lines serving as counterpoint.  "Minas", inspired by Duvignau's first home in Brazil, opens with a handsome bass solo –– after a quiet start, Leibson leads the band into a samba rhythm over which the saxophonist creates a powerful, driving, solo. The bassist composed the dancing "Detuned for Drewes" to tap into the saxophonist's playful side and the quartet get into a sweet groove.  Meister stands out on the raucous, blues-drenched, ballad "Somewhat", showing the influences of Ben Monder and Bill Frisell. His guitar lines sting, roar, and moan opening the door for a hard-edged tenor sax solo.  

"3, 5, 8" serves as a delightful introduction to the musical worlds of bassist and composer Gui Duvignau.  While the music he created for his fellow musicians gives the leader plenty of opportunities to solo, he all also leaves room for everyone else to shine.  And they do!  With music this good, one is excited to see where the bassist goes from here.  

To learn more, go to www.guiduvignau.com.  Go to https://sunnysiderecords.bandcamp.com/album/3-5-8 to hear one track and to purchase this music. 

Sunnyside Stunning Sides (Pt 1)

The Nick Sanders Trio - the leader on piano, bassist Henry Fraser, and drummer Connor Baker - has been a working and recording unit since they came together at the New England Conservatory of Music in 2011.  The trio's debut album on Sunnyside Records, "Nameless Neighbors", was issued in 2013. Produced by Fred Hersch (as was 2015's "You Are A Creature"), the first recording introduced the listener to a group that really listened to each other, with intelligent interactions, and material that challenged and emotionally moved its audience.  Sanders, a native of New Orleans, LA, has been playing piano since he was seven years old going on to study at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts. While his music may not show any outward signs of his hometown, his use of various rhythms, blues riffs, and the fact that his songs "tell stories" links him to musicians such as Dr. John, James Booker, Randy Newman, and Allen Toussaint.

Cover art: Leah Saulnier

The Trio's third Sunnyside release, "Playtime 2050", continues in the tradition of its predecessors and not only because the program contains 13 songs (lucky number perhaps?  The pianist was born on December 13) but also in the way that Sanders continues to challenge his bandmates as well as the listener.   The title track, which has a jaunty feel, reminds this listener of the work of both Herbie Nichols and Andrew Hill. Both of those pianists/composers worked within the "tradition' often turning the rhythm inside out or creating unsuspected chordal shifts.  There's a touch of George Gershwin as well as a hint of the late Mr. Toussaint in "Prepared for the Blues" - notice the fine bass work of Fraser and the subtleties in Baker's fine cymbal and brush work.  The following track, "Still Considering", has the feel of Erik Satie filtered through a thoughtful Fats Waller.

photo: nicksandersmusic.com

Sanders composed "Interlude for S.B" for his mother (who passed in 2005) - the solo piece is a lovely elegy but not a lament. The "memory" is sweet and the music, with classical overtones, has a bittersweet feel.  Later in the program, "Prepared For the Accident" takes on the air of a John Cage piece with prepared piano, rapid-fire bass lines, and splashing cymbals.  The melody does not emerge until 2/3rds of the way into the song - everything feels backwards.  The album ends with the lovely "#2 Longfellow Park" bringing to mind the afore-mentioned Randy Newman, especially in the handsome melody line and the supporting chords.

Leah Saulnier's cover art for "Playtime 2050" acts as a not-so-subtle warning about the changing environmental conditions, an issue not only important to citizens of New Orleans but also many people around the world.  The music of Nick Sanders, the playing of the Trio (and, trust me, they are playing in several senses of the word), and the fine sound quality (the pianist produced this album) all add up to a delight aural experience.  Although a number of the tracks are short, every song feels complete.  Excellent!!

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

Here's the opening track (whose title is good advice for all):

Composer, keyboardist, and arranger Guillermo Klein has created an impressive body of work over the past two+ decades.  Much of his work with the Los Gauchos groups found the composer and his 11-piece ensemble exploring a wide range of music with influences from his native Argentina such as Alberto Ginastera and Astor Piazzolla) as well as his exposure to composer/arrangers such as Duke Ellington and Wayne Shorter plus his teacher at the Berklee School of Music, Herb Pomeroy.  the more you listen to the music Klein has created the less one thinks about his influences. Instead, notice his melodies, his delightful use of rhythms, how he writes for sections, and how play-full his music can be.  After a decade in the United States, Klein and his family first moved to Barcelona, Spain, and several years later, moved home to Buenos Aires when he teaches and performs. He still travels to the US to do workshops.

His latest project and album is simply titled "Swiss Jazz Orchestra & Guillermo Klein" (Sunnyside Records).  The 13-song program is filled with fine melodies, sweet harmonies, great interplay, fascinating rhythms, and excellent solos.  Like his contemporaries Maria Schneider, John Hollenbeck, and Darcy James Argue, Klein does not crowd his songs with plentiful solos. Instead, each track has one or two soloists (with the exception of "Patent Office (Ibernia)" which has three) and the solos rise smartly out of the pieces.  The SJO has been in existence since 2004 and have, over the years, worked with such fine musicians, composers, and arrangers as George Gruntz, Jim McNeely, Paquito D'Rivera, Phil Woods, and Bob Mintzer plus many others.

Listen to the playful strains of "Inside Zytglogge" named for the ancient clocktower in Bern, Switzerland. Zytglogge was built in the early 1200s and, 100 years later, served as women's prison. A fire ended the presence of a jail and the tower has served as a timekeeper and attraction since then.  Note how Klein suggests the mechanisms of a clock in the rhythms on the song and the next track, "Zytglogge II".  The "bottom"of the tune, represented by the tuba, trombones, and bass, gives the music great depth.  The final track, "Lepo", is a funky piece that has musical asides built into each line with the guitar suggesting a mandolin - it's a delightful puzzle yet the pieces fit perfectly.

Actually, a number of the songs suggest clocks in the rhythms or the circular melodies. "Machine & Emile" has that feel but also sounds like a mixture of the Glenn Miller Orchestra with the Carla Bley Big Band, especially in the lines the saxes play. The opening of "Es Infinita" not only could be clock sounds but also has a classical bent.

No matter how you approach the music on "Swiss Jazz Orchestra & Guillermo Klein", whether you are looking for influences or trying to compare it to earlier music of the composer, this is superb music. The more you listen, the more you hear just how the pieces fit together, how well the band plays, how the composer played to the strengths of the musicians, and created a work of often stunning creativity.

For the translated page from the Swiss Jazz Orchestra's website, go to translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=https://swissjazzorchestra.com/&prev=search.

Here's the opening track:



Personnel:

Adrian Pflugshaupt - alto, soprano sax, flute 
Reto Suhner - alto, soprano sax, clarinet, flute 
Cédric Gschwind - tenor sax, clarinet, flute 
Jürg Bucher - tenor sax, clarinet, bass clarinet 
Matthias Tschopp - baritone sax, bass clarinet 
Dave Blaser - trumpet, flugelhorn 
Johannes Walter - trumpet, flugelhorn 
Lukas Thoeni - trumpet, flugelhorn 
Thomas Knuchel - trumpet, flugelhorn 
Vincent Lachat - trombone 
Stefan Schlegel - trombone 
Andreas Tschopp - trombone 
Jan Schreiner - tuba 
Samuel Leipold - guitar 
Philip Henzi - piano 
Lorenz Beyeler - bass 
Rico Baumann - drums 
Guillermo Klein - Fender Rhodes electric piano, composer, arranger

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The Companionship and Intimacy of The Trio

Pianist, composer, and interpreter Russ Lossing has had a fascinating career, one that now spans three + decades. He has worked with so many contemporary musicians, ranging from drummer Billy Hart to saxophonist Dave Liebman to guitarist John Abercrombie to vocalist Kendra Shank to cornetist Kirk Knuffke and beyond.  There are really good reasons for his seemingly steady employment but the most notable is that Lossing is a thoughtful and creative pianist who truly immerses himself in every musical situation and gives his all.  As a leader, he's recorded albums for Hat Art, Fresh Sounds New Talent, Clean Feed, SteepleChase Records, and Sunnyside, many in a trio setting as well as several solo recordings.  

What you might not know is that, as a young man, he studied with the avant-garde composer John Cage and what I did not remember until reading the liner notes of his new recording, "Motian Music" (Sunnyside), was his long and close relationship with drummer and composer Paul Motian. The drummer would invite him up to his New York City apartment to help work on his compositions plus recorded several excellent albums as a sideman with the pianist.  This tribute is a follow-up to Lossing's 2012 solo exploration of the late Motian's music "Drum Music" (also on Sunnyside).  For the new album, Lossing works alongside his rhythm section of the past two decades, bassist Masa Kamaguchi and drummer Billy Mintz.  

If you paid any attention to the music of Paul Motian since his ECM days (his debut as a leader, "Conception Vessel", came out in 1973) is that many of his pieces embraced melody and not always rhythm as one might expect of a drummer.  "Motian Music" opens with "Asia", a lovely ballad first recorded by the drummer in 1978. One can hear the influences of American folk music as well as the melodic explorations of Keith Jarrett who the drummer first started working with in 1966.  This tune stretches out easily, opening and closing with quiet solo piano.

The intimacy of the music is underscored by the fact that the trio recorded in the same room and that each piece was recorded in one take. That can only happen if there is great trust among the participants as well as an intimate knowledge of the material. Listen as the trio wends its way through "Jack of Clubs", swings heartily on "Fiasco" and "Dance", and gently moves through "Introduction" (a piece from 1985's "It Should Have Happened Here", the first trio effort by Motian, guitarist Bill Frisell, and saxophonist Joe Lovano).  Kamaguchi has a deep bass sound and a great melodic sense while Mintz plays in the tradition of Motian, never overdoing anything, at times quiet as can be, and with excellent work on the cymbals.

"Motian Music" closes with the whisper-soft "Psalm" a piece so quiet at the outset one has to lean into the speakers. Soon, you can make out a melody from the piano as the bass plays a slow counter-point. The drums and cymbals color the piece as the music floats forward. The sounds seem to hang in the air, like early morning clouds on a Spring morning awaiting the sunrise.  A glorious ending to a splendid album of music. Russ Lossing's love and respect for Paul Motian the man and composer shines through every track - the listener is the beneficiary and, honestly, in these days of uncertainty and daily unkindness, one needs this music.

For more information, go to www.russlossing.com.  (The album will be released on February 22).

Here's an uptempo track to whet your appetite

Photo: Harvey Tillis

Over the course of four albums, the Joe Policastro Trio - Policastro (bass), Dave Miller (electric guitar), and Mikel Patrick Avery (drums, percussion) - has proven itsefs as adept translators of many different styles of music, from their 2013 debut where the Trio (albeit with a different guitarist and drummer) danced its way through Leonard Bernstein's "West Side Story" to its delightful interpretations of popular music that one can hear on its more recent  efforts.

Album #4 (and the third release by the current trio since June of 2016) is "Nothing Here Belongs" (JeruJazz) - the nine-song program features six Policastro originals and three unique covers including a fascinating remake of "The Wandering Sea", first recorded in 1963 by Santo & Johnny (who are best known for 1959's "Sleep Walk").  Miller, who is also currently working with saxophonist Greg Ward's Rogue Parade, blends a country music feel into his guitar sound while Avery (whose creative music credentials include working alongside cornetist Rob Mazurek and bassist Joshua Abrams) keeps a steady, uncomplicated, yet urgent beat.


I grew up musically in the 1960s when trios such as Cream and the Jimi Hendrix Experience defined the "power trio" (in those days, that meant three musicians and a wall of Marshall amplifiers).  Over the years, I found the trios led by John Abercrombie, Jim Hall, Bill Frisell, Jeff Parker, and several others very appealing. The rhythm section is so integral to the success of the music and the lead guitarist needs to balance melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic duties.  That is also what is so appealing with the JPTrio.  Yes, the leader stands out as the chief composer here yet, without the interaction and intelligence of Miller and Avery, the music would not shine.  What the listeners get on "Nothing Here Belongs" is a band that likes to take chances without blowing your ears off. As they have done on previous recordings, the music moves from "swing" rhythms to blues to folk-influenced pieces to rock to jazz (even a touch of "surf" guitar.) The trio has no fear - they tackle Talking Heads "This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)" and really capture the emotion inherent in the piece.  They also get "down & dirty" on the bassist's "Bloodshot" yet listen to Miller's guitar moving through various styles.   Policastro's "Plain Song" is a fascinating and handsome melody that suggests Frisell's country side with a funky touch.  Yet, there is an intensity that pushes the piece forward, especially when Miller goes into his solo.  The leader solos on most tracks - that's good because he's quite a melodic player. He also enjoys playing counterpoint to Miller on many of the tracks. Avery is so supportive; he rarely steps out but the drums are a force throughout.

The Joe Policastro Trio is blessed with a 3-day-a-week (Sunday through Tuesday) steady gig at Pops for Champagne, North State Street in Chicago.  That regular schedule (3 sets a night) allows the band to continually work on material, tighten it up, revisit older pieces, play with arrangements. "Nothing Here Belongs" is enjoyable from start-to-finish and I recommend you listen several times to understand just how good this music and the JPTrio is.

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

Here's the band in the studio:

Attractive Opposites

Even before one hears the music, there's the fascinating cover of "The Terror End of Beauty" (Sunnyside Records). It's looks like the negative image of a black hole, the phenomenon that occurs throughout the known (and unknown) universes. Then, listen to the music on this recording, the fifth from Harriet Tubman, the trio of Melvin Gibbs (electric bass), J.T. Lewis (drums), and Brandon Ross (guitars). It's a fascinating blend of funk, hard rock, r'n'b, noise, dance music, electronics, the songs hard-edged melodies propelled by the thundering bass and drums that shakes the speakers. Seven of the 10 tracks are credited to the trio plus producer/engineer/sonic shaper Scotty Harding, who takes the often-raucous material and helps to clarify and even muddy the sonic waters.

Listen to "The Green Book Blues", the tune named for "The Negro Motorist's Green Book", a compilation of articles published annually (and then sporadically) in one volume that helped to guide African Americans on vacation trips initially in 1936 for New York State travelers and, one year later, for journeys  throughout the United States. This modern blues tune builds off the rock-hard drums and fundamental bass lines, how Ross's processed guitars rails, rants and roars.

The album opens with the rhythmically charged "Farther Unknown" - one of two songs penned by bassist Gibbs, the piece dances in on delightful and hypnotic drums while Ross rises over the band with searing sounds.  Still, the tune quiets down for a gentle guitar melody over the composer's chordal bass lines. Gibbs also contributed the title track. Opening as a soulful ballad, the music slowly builds upon the bass and quiet drums for the first few minutes until the intensity levels rises; then, in a manner reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix, the thrumming bass, the rampaging drums, and the soaring guitar lines that roar even as they convey the melody, the music careers forward only to suddenly return to the opening melody before the sustained guitar chords fade away.

The album's one song from outside the band is a powerful reading of Bob Marley's "Redemption Song."  The various guitar lines and fuzz bass intro leads to a plaintive reading of the melody, originally recorded as an acoustic ballad. Ross's elongated notes slowly move forward until Lewis's drums (seemingly at the bottom of the sound spectrum) fade in and out threatening to upset the proceedings but never take over.

"The Terror End of Beauty" is Harriet Tubman's third album since signing with Sunnyside Records.  If you listen back to the band's 1998 debut recording "I Am A Man", you can hear that band's vision was fully firmed at that time. Two decades later, that vision has been been expanded while its focus has sharpened. Like the indispensable "...Green Book", Harriet Tubman (The Band) visualizes the pitfalls and dangers of the road ahead without offering panaceas but by being honest, open, and "in your face", all the while the music is in your ears and mind.

For more information about the trio, go to www.mmmusicagency.com/harriet-tubman-the-band.html.

One gander at the cover of "The Stylings of Champian", the new  self-released double-disc set from pianist/vocalist Champian Fulton, and it's summer again.  One listen to this breezy album, decked out with standards and jazz favorites, and you'll be bopping your head. tapping your feet, wishing you were on the beach. She's in the company of her "New York Band" - the rhythm section consists of bassist Hide Tanaka and drummer Fukushi Tainaka with her father Stephen Fulton bringing the dusky sounds of his flugelhorn to many, but not all, of the tracks. Listen to how Dad swings on "I Only Have Eyes For You" and it's easy to hear Ms. Fulton learned how to swing. Thanks to her father, her first paying gig was the 75th Birthday celebration for his friend Clark Terry - she was 10 years old at the time.

Not only can Ms. Fulton play piano but she has a delightful, distinctive, voice. Listen to the vocal-bass duet on "Body and Soul" - she moves through the lyrics like a saxophonist, embellishing the melody like a saxophonist.  The interaction of that voice and the rich tones that Tanaka creates plus the fact that the song is a compact 3:14 and it's a true winner.  Throughout, the musicians create an intimate feeling on every song. Even when there's swinging with a purpose, the focus is on playing together and making older songs sound fresh and ones that the listener may not remember or even know (such as "Martha's Prize" from the pen of Cedar Walton) fascinating adventures.

One can hear echoes of Fred Astaire on Irving Berlin's "It's a Lovely Day" - the great dancer was also a delightful interpreter of popular songs.  Father Fulton's flugelhorn dances along gracefully leading to a sly and sweet romp by his daughter. Her vocal on "I Didn't Know What Time It Was" (from the team of Rodgers and Hart) is supported by the dancing drums and highly melodic bass. When Ms. Fulton moves into her solo, the three musicians move as one. Her reading of "Lonesome and Sorry" (first recorded in 1926 by Jean Goldkette's Orchestra as well as Ruth Etting) leans a bit closer to the 1962 version by Nat "King" Cole yet still has a playful "swing" to it.

The album closes with a quartet reading of "All the Things You Are", an energetic reading that opens with a high-powered flugelhorn solo as the rhythm sections dances underneath. Ms. Fulton with an understated romp before the bassist struts her stuff. The song also features drummer Tainaka trading fours with father and daughter before the song closes on a coda that suggests the opening.

"The Stylings of Champian" is a treat from start-to-finish, filled with strong songs and excellent musicianship.  Champian Fulton is both a delightful pianist and an evocative, assured, singer, never just "going through the motions" to show off her "chops" but making each song her own.  This, her 10th album, is well worth exploring and enjoying!

For more information, go to www.champian.net.

Here's her take on the Irving Berlin tune:

Way North is a quartet (three Canadians, one American) who organized in Brooklyn NY, in 2014. Composed of Rebecca Hennessy (trumpet), Petr Cancura (tenor saxophone, clarinet), Michael Herring (acoustic bass), and Richie Barshay (drums), they are each so busy as musicians, teachers, and festival organizers (Cancura is the Programming Director of the Ottawa International Jazz Festival) that they only get together sporadically to play. When they do, the music they create is a delightful amalgam of early jazz, gospel, and blues influences played with a sweetness and dedication that is truly "soul-deep".  The member's choice of material, original songs to interpretations of early jazz classics, will remind some of the classic Chicago trio Air; especially because the two "classic tunes" are Jelly Roll Morton's "Buddy Bolden's Blues" and "King Porter's Stomp", both of which appeared on the 1979 album "Air Lore." 

"Fearless and Kind" (self-released) is the band's second release and the connection to Air's (Henry Threadgill, Fred Hopkins, and Steve McCall) classic work cannot be denied. The lack of a chordal instrument (although, like Hopkins, Herring is a melodic bassist), the active yet sensitive drummer, and the desire to show jazz is an ever-changing river of sounds are what connects them. It's such a treat to hear tunes such as "You Know A Song" and how Hennessy wraps her brash trumpet sounds around the buttery, bluesy, tones of Cancura's tenor while Herring and Barshay dance beneath them. Dance is a major component of many of the songs. "Boll Weevil" opens the proceedings - with its "second-line" drums and bouncing bass, the songs jumps forward with powerful solos from both tenor sax and trumpet. I dare you to sit still.  The muted trumpet introduces the title track, a ballad that moves ever-so-slowly. Listen to how Ms. Hennessy interacts with the bass and drums during her sweet solo. Then, the tenor sax rises up "testifyin'" as the rhythm section "drags" the beat.  

The quartet is not stuck "in the tradition" but expands upon the various possibilities. The raucous and highly-charged "Airport to Knowhere" barrels forward on a head of percussive steam while "Birds for Free" has a sweet Caribbean feel in its rhythmic drive yet moves in numerous directions throughout the hardy tenor solo and high-powered trumpet spot.  Kudos to Mr. Barshay - his "stop on a dime" reflexes give the piece such its playful feel (with a subtle nod to the classic Atlantic Records Ornette Coleman Quartet).  The sweetness of the melody on the closing track,"The River's Flow", the intelligent interactions (such fine counterpoint throughout from Herring), and the splendid musicianship fills this observer with wonder. The four musicians try listen to each other. This music is not about "showing off" but about communal creativity.  The little touches on the track - the saxophone and trumpet without the rhythm section for 30 seconds, Barshay's "dancing hands" that support the bass solo - is so joyous.

I know consumers want music that fits their expectations but "Fearless and Kind" with its endless possibilities, really should opens one's ears to the delight of creative interactions. Yes, there's plenty of rhythmic fun,  numerous strong solos, but Way North is a true band, a honest collaboration of like minds, whose spirit and musicianship brings this listener such bliss.

For more information, go to waynorthband.com.  

Here's a cut to savor:

The Power of Memory, of Collaboration, & Ideas

Pianist and composer Art Hirahara is a very busy musician. He's played with dozens of creative musicians over the past two decades, from the late baritone saxophonist Fred Ho to drummer royal hartigan to Dave Douglas to drummer Akira Tana and many more.  With the release of "Sunward Bound", he's now has four albums since 2010 on Posi-Tone Records: each one displays his splendid playing, arranging skills, and ability to choose like-minded companions on the journey. This is the third CD to feature bassist Linda May Han Oh and the second that has been graced by the  splendid drumming of Rudy Royston.  Special guest on four of the 11 cuts, for the second album in a row, is tenor saxophonist Donny McCaslin.

Photo: Sara Pettinella

Because of the obvious chemistry among the musicians, the music never sounds forced or trite.  From the opening track, the Thelonious Monk-inspired "Ruse for Blue Shoes", this program dances, soars, flows, caresses, and often has an irresistible forward motion.  The trio tracks, such as the one above, illustrates how the musicians listen, push, and follow each other through the songs.  Even on the more challenging pieces, such as "Beyond Right and Wrong" with its tumultuous rubato, shaken percussion, and tinkling piano, the music has a positivity that gives the listener pleasure. Check the smashing cover of "Ringo Oiwake, a  piece by Japanese composer Masao Yoneyama first recorded in 1952 by Hibari Misora.  This arrangement sounds influenced by mid-1970s McCoy Tyner.

Photo: Sara Pettinella

The high energy level gets kicked up even higher when McCaslin enters the music.  The sweet melody and performances on "Brooklyn Express" bring to mind Dexter Gordon while the title track has the feel of John Coltrane's "Central Park West." "Unbound" truly lives up to its name - when the saxophonist take off on his solo, listen to what everyone else is doing and you'll understand the power of creative music! His final appearance comes on "Points of View", in which his higher notes have the feel of a soprano sax. Again, pay attention to the work of the bass and drums as well as the leader's delightful countermelodies and support.

Photo: Sara Pettinella

I have listened to "Sunward Bound" numerous timea snd always find something I haven't heard before.  If you allow this music to soak in, you can not help but be pleased. Really good modern music and contemporary musicians always keep its mind on the past and its ears in the present.  Art Hirahira can and does play all kinds of music - his art keeps growing and maturing.  Enjoy!

For more information, go to arthirahara.com.

Here's a quartet track:

Over the past three decades or so, I have come to appreciate the work, the work ethic, and approach of saxophonist/composer Rich Halley. Based in Oregon, Halley has created his own music on small labels as well as his own (for the last eight years), and rarely tours beyond the West Coast.  Still, his recordings are filled with life, with powerful meditations on the creative process, and impressive musicianship.

"The Literature" (Pine Eagle Records), credited to the Rich Halley 3, is the first time the saxophonist has recorded an album of non-originals. This is not just any random group of pieces but, as you should be able to tell from the title, Halley is exploring "classics": not literature but music from artists such as Thelonious Monk, Ornette Coleman, Jimmie Rodgers, Hank Williams, Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, Sun Ra, Miles Davis, and the Carter Family.  Eclectic to be sure Halley was exposed to all of this different music in his formative years.

Joined here by bassist Clyde Reed and drummer Carson Halley (his son), the 3 take this pastiche of music and make it their own.  With the thick bass lines and robust (sometimes gentle) drumming, the music often dances.  Listen to the opening "Little Willie Leaps" (M. Davis) - the trio jumps right, Halley leading the way with a tone that suggests Sonny Rollins yet an approach all his own.  Because these 3 have worked together for a number of years, each musician can chart his own course. Reed's counterpoint bass and young Halley's splendid drum work, the music swirls and whirls but never loses its way. Monk's "Misterioso" follows and, again, note how the rhythm section does not confirm to the original rhythm section approach.  Here, they sound like trio Air (Henry Threadgill, Steve McCall, and Fred Hopkins), respectful of the composition but definitely making the piece their own. "Mood Indigo" has a smilier feel, with a bluesy Coleman Hawkins-like tenor sax sound on the melody line. Note how Halley and Reed work in and around each other during the solo section.

Photos: Daniel Sheehan 

Pieces such as Jimmie Rodgers' "High Powered Mama" and Hank Willams's "Someday You'll Call My Name" (composed by Jean Branch and Eddie Hill) hit a fine balance between country music and the blues.  Halley does get a frisky during his solo on the latter track: still, the melodies of both come shining through.  Dig the funky opening of Monk's "Brilliant Corners" and then see how the trio explodes outwards for a delightful three-way conversation.  The transformation of Mongo Santamaria's "Chano Pozo" is an excellent spotlight for the drummer. His thunderous beat supports the dancing bass lines and the saxophonist's sympathetic reading of the melody line as well as his reflective solo.

"The Literature" is no dusty collection of old tracks but a living, breathing, reminder that creative music has a great tradition continually worth exploring. The Rich Halley 3 does that and more.  This is an hour well-spent!

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

Here's the opening track:

"Science Fair" (Sunnyside Records) brings together drummer Allison Miller and pianist Carmen Staff for an enjoyable adventure in modern music.  With bassist Matt Penman making sure throughout that the foundation is sturdy, the co-leaders both supplied the material (Ms. Miller five, Ms. Staaf four).  The "science" involved in this project includes chemistry, certainly mathematics and physics, but also a bit of magic.  With two well-placed guests (tenor saxophonist Dayna Stephens on four tracks and trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire on two), the music goes in various directions and never gets lost.

The program opens with a whoosh of sounds. All five of the musicians push their way into "What?!" until Ms. Miller puts down the most delicious of beats, Ms. Staaf colors the foreground with lovely piano figures, all leading up to Stephens and Akinmusire introducing the melody.  The mood shifts for the powerful  trumpet and drum conversation which leads to a tenor sax solo that starts off in a meditative manner before the drummer pushes Stephens a bit harder.  Go back and pay attention at the piano often in the background. The lush figures and occasional rhythmic pulses stand out.

The piano is front-and-center on the next track, "Symmetry."  After a soft introduction highlighted by Stephen's breathy reading of the melody, Ms. Staaf moves into the spotlight and her far-ranging solo is a highlight of the melody. Listen to Ms. Miller responds - this is chemistry of the highest order. The sax and trumpet return for Ms. Miller's "Weightless", the longest track (10:08), the episodic performance giving everyone her and his moment in the solo spotlight (save for the drummer who is the motor through most of it). Best of all, because of the crystal-clear recording, the mix by bassist Todd Sickafoose, and Dave Darlington's excellent mastering, you can hear everyone quite well. Make sure to hang around for the last few minutes and hear the emotional trumpet-piano duo.

Photo: Shervin Lainez

The trio tracks stand out as well.  From Ms. Miller's folky ballad "Ready Steady" (that opens with an enjoyable bass solo) to the lovely two-part ballad "Skyway" (also composed by Ms. Miller), the three musicians hold your attention. The latter track closes the album: infused with a gospel feel, it's a feature for Penman's fine solo at the beginning and also in the middle.  Ms. Staaf's bouncy "MLW" rides in on Ms. Miller's exotic hand drumming. The pianist also dances here, the rhythmic pulse from her left hand providing the bottom (Penman sits this one out) while her right goes on a jaunty melodic adventure.  "West of the Moon" (also from the pen of the pianist) takes its name from the standard "East of the Sun (and West of the Moon") and one can hear similarities in the chords and fragments of the melody.  It's a tour-de-force for the trio.

"Science Fair" is very good music and great fun. If you're a big fan of Allison Miller, her playing here is superb. Carmen Staaf is music director for Dee Dee Bridgewater aa well as an excellent music educator.  She's also a member of Ms. Miller's Boom Tic Boom and has worked with young vocalist Allegra Levy. Together, the two make impressive that goes beyond the mundane and take into accounts the myriad influences on the leaders and their collaborators.  Give it a close listen.

For more information, go to allisonmiller.com and/or www.carmenstaaf.com.  

The album will be released on September 18, 2018.

Here's that jaunty "MLW":

Spirited & Spiritual New Music

If you allow it to happen, music can come at you from all directions, with many different styles and intents.  So much of it rolls through through your head and you may only notice it when the sounds are raucous or a melody catches your attention.  Then, there are those albums that grab you from the opening seconds snd do not let go.  Hours, days, weeks later, you return and are seduced again.

"Light In The Darkness" (self-released) is the first album from trumpeter, flugelhornist, composer, and educator Benje Daneman. His sextet is called SearchParty and features a quartet of Chicago-based musicians including Greg Ward (alto saxophone), Rob Clearfield (piano), Andrew Vogt (electric bass), and Jon Deitemyer (drums) plus the leader's wife Ashley (voice, vocals).  The program blends ancient texts, fiery instrumentals, mediative solo and duo improvisations, into a story that resonates with spirituality, railing against the daily forces of negativity by creating positive music.

Overneath Creative Collective

The album is bookended by two long tracks, the opening "The Light" and the closing "You Are The Light": both episodic compositions start quietly, the former being all instrumental while the latter has vocals, and build to powerful crescendoes thanks to the pulsating rhythm section and the forceful piano. Greg Ward's solo on the opening cut flies upwards propelled by Deitemyer's splendid drumming.  Clearfield, who has emerged as one of the finer and most melodic of pianists on the creative scene, follows, pushing the music with an energetic two-handed solo rippling with handsome phrases.  "You Are The Light" certainly has the feeling of a prayer, with Ms. Daneman's soulful vocal leading the way. As the band enters, echoing her melody line, the intensity level rises. Still, the following section has the alto sax, trumpet, and piano sharing short solo lines before the intensity once again rises and the voices begin to coalesce. The album powers it way to the finish with the drummer leading the way and the voices coming back in before the eventual fade to solo piano.

In between, there are several tracks such as "Lamps", "(Our Fear of) Exposure", and the title track that ask the listener to surrender, to listen closely, to contemplate, and to reflect. The world whirls around us, every day events transpire to tamp down our spirits, to turn us against our neighbors, to actively distrust the "other".  The Danemans and SearchParty implore us to trust again, trust in friendship that leads to collaboration, to fight for equality for all. The band does so without polemic, with music that easily glides across borders and that illustrates how words and musicians can heal.

Photo: Grant Beachy

"Light In The Darkness" has rocked my world since the album arrived a while back. Because I want to believe that we can change this world for the better and that must can do that.  Yes, it is true music can also build walls, stoke anger, separate generations but there is also music that can heal, can (if only for a few precious minutes) restore memory, and can create new memories.  Are the messages that Benje Daneman's SearchParty creates new ones?  Not truly (some of the lyrics come from Biblical Psalms), but we need to listen with fresh ears and open minds.  I needed this music at this time. Hopefully, you will find the joy in it as well.

The album will be released to the world on August 31, 2018.  For more information, go to www.benjedaneman.com.

Give a listen to the opening cut:

Pianist and composer Stu Mindeman may be best known for his current role as pianist for Kurt Elling. His father, a musician, moved his family to Santiago, Chile when Mindeman was quite young and the sounds and songs of post-Pinochet years infused him with love  for folk music of the country. They then moved to Chicago, IL. where he began a career that has seen him work with Branford Marsalis,  Antonio Sanchez, Gloria Estefan, Kendrick Scott and many more.  He has also been music director for the Second City comedy troupe.  His 2014 self-released debut album, "In Your Waking Eyes: Poems by Langston Hughes" stands out for the power of Sarah Marie Young's and the imaginative music that accompany the poems.

In 2017, Mindeman returned to Chile where he began to collaborate with vocalist Francesca Ancarola, bassist Milton Russell, and drummer Carlos Cortes Diaz.  All three appear on "Woven Threads", the pianist's new Sunnyside album. The music is a tribute to Victor Jara and Violeta Parra, both poets, singers, and activists whose lives were crushed by the Pinochet regime in the mid-1970s. When Mindeman returned to Chicago, he gathered a number of friends to help him flesh out the music.  People such as bassist Matt Ulery, drummer Juan Pastor (whose group Chinchano Mindeman works with), percussionist Yuri Hevia, violinist Victoria Moreira, drummer Makaya McCraven, saxophonists Geoff Bradfield and Greg Ward, trumpeters Marquis Hill, Victor Garcia, and Quentin Coaxum, guitarist Matt Gold, and several special guests appears throughout the program.

The music? It's quite a delight. The various percussionists create a lovely rhythmic cushion and the splendid vocals of Ms. Ancarola enliven four of the tracks.  (What's missing is the English translation of the lyrics - that's a minor complaint).  One does not miss the emotion in the opening traditional Chilean tune "Casi, Casi". The pianist does not jettison the original melody or rhythms but adds overdubbed vocals, horns, and strings as well as his expressive piano - yet, it is the powerful vocal that draws the listener in.  The vocalist digs into Jara's "El Aparecido" infusing it with love and empathy yet note the powerful string work of Ms. Moreira and Gold's equally powerful guitar. Jara's "No Puedes Volver Atrás (You Can Not Go Back)" closes the program and, even if you do not understand what she is singing, you can't help but feel the pain and sorrow.

Kurt Elling appears on two tracks inspired by songs composed by Ms. Parra.  For both, lyricist Tim Stiles and the pianist remade the originals. "What Words" is a stunning ballad that also features the expressive alto saxophone work of Miguel Zenón. The handsome melody, supported by the quiet percussion of McCraven and Pastor and the thick bass tones of Russell, allows Elling to softly work through the lyrics - his voice rising out of Zenón's solo is otherworldly.  "A Thousand Stars" blends the fine trumpet work of Coaxum, the sweet backing vocals of Sarah Marie Young, and the leader's articulate piano: still, it is Elling's vocal genius (eschewing technical displays) in caressing the lyrics, giving them power in their beauty.

Other highlights include Miguel Zenón's delightful turn on the instrumental "La Rueda".  Mindeman's powerful piano lines atop the percussion of Pastor and excellent bass work of Ulery really propels the tune forward.  When the alto saxophonist steps out in front, the music takes on a dancing quality that is irresistible. French-Chilean rapper Ana Tijoux shines on "Sin Sentido (Without Sense)", her alto voice surrounded by trumpeter Hill and the overdubbed vocal wash of Ms. Young.  McCraven and Pastor really make the music dance and Mindeman's piano solo has a touch of Herbie Hancock's funkier work.

"Woven Threads' shines from beginning to end. Stu Mindeman makes this music accessible without losing its heart and soul.  The message that Victor Jara and Violetta Parra imparted to their native Chile and, several decades later, to the young pianist, is that music has power to make the world better. Just don't be silent.

The album will be released on September 14, 2018.  For more information, go to www.stumindeman.com.

Here's the opening track: