Chicago: Large Ensemble Dreams

 

Over the past two decades, bassist and composer Clark Sommers seems to have become ubiquitous. He's worked or still works with Kurt Elling, Typical Sister, Chicago Yestet, guitarist Jeff Parker, pianist Darrell Grant, and saxophonist Chris Madsen (among many others). There are really good reasons for his continued employment; not only is he a truly "foundational" bassist but also very melodic.  His composing "chops" are formidable as he has displayed on his two "solo" albums plus his work in the cooperative Ba(SH) Trio (with saxophonist Geof Bradfield and drummer Dana Hall) and with guitarist John McLean in their Quartet.  Like most musicians, the pandemic took him off the road for an extended period of time which gave him the opportunity to work on his composing and arranging skills in the wake of his attending at Master's Program at DePaul University. While there, he attended a Workshop led by the afore-mentioned Dana Hall. That workshop included writing and arranging for a 12-piece band and Sommers created several pieces for that group.

In his time away from touring, Sommers composed numerous pieces for his own 12-member ensemble that would include many of the people the bassist has worked with since moving to Chicago from the West Coast. Scroll down and look at the list of musicians; they are among the "cream of the crop" of the Windy City and the Midwest.  The results of Sommers' work can be heard on "Feast Ephemera" (Phrenology Music/self-released).  Nine songs, 71 minutes of music and not a dull moment to be heard.  Take your time to get into the program. You may notice how delightful the arrangements are or the smart original works that Sommers brought to the sessions. Perhaps it's the impressive solos that stand out for you or the fact that the leader does not take a solo.  On pieces such as "The Rider" and "Pedals", the textures of the horns and reeds as they swirl around the rhythm section as well as the soloists that surprise on first listen.  Also, notice how the section writing makes room for the solos.

Photo: Scott Hesse

Perhaps the most impressive aspect (to my ears) of this program is how the music does not really sound like any other modern large ensemble. The music swings a bit more than that of Maria Schneider and it is not as "spiky" and angular as the music of Darcy James Argue.  Like those two composers (and others like Duke Ellington, Bob Brookmeyer, Miho Hazama, and Jim McNeely), Sommers writes for these friends and musicians, knowing their strengths, their willingness to explore their roles within the music, and to stretch. Listen to "Cave Dweller" below; you'll hear the various voices, including piano, clarinet, flute, and saxophone introduce the opening melody before moving into the theme. Notice the powerful drumming and direction setting of Hall, the powerful bass notes (in step with and counterpoint to the piano accompaniment), all in service of the music.

Dig in to "Feast Ephemera", bask in the brightness of melodies and solos, drink in the sweetness of each performance.  As he showed listeners on 2022's "Intertwine" (Outside In Music) and 2017's "By A Thread" (Phrenology Music), Clark Sommers is an excellent composer, more interested in the arc of the musical stories he and the musicians are telling than in showing how technically fine a player he is.  Sit down and listen, listen deeply!

For more information, go to www.clarksommers.com/about. To hear more and to purchase the album, go to https://clarksommers.bandcamp.com/album/feast-ephemera. 

Explore the "Feast" with "The Cave Dweller":

Personnel:

Clark Sommers-compositions/arrangements & bass, 

Dana Hall-drums, 

Nick Mazzarella-alto saxophone, 

Geof Bradfield-bass clarinet, soprano & tenor saxophones, 

Chris Madsen-tenor saxophone, 

John Wojciechowski-C & alto flutes and alto saxophone,

Tito Carrillo, Russ Johnson-trumpet, 

Joel Adams, Andy Baker-trombone,

Stu Mindeman-piano/keyboards, 

Scott Hesse-guitar 

The Recuperation Playlist (Part Two)

 

Like many top-notch bass players, Chicago-based Clark Sommers is often first-call.  He has done numerous tours with vocalist Kurt Elling, with pianist Darrell Grant, the late tenor sax giant Von Freeman, vocalist Jeff Baker, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the 13-member Chicago Yestet, and guitarist Bobby Bloom (plus many others). For the past decade, the bassist has led the Ba(SH) Trio with saxophonist Geof Bradfield (tenor and soprano saxes plus bass clarinet) and drummer Dana Hall. That group has issued two excellent albums and Sommers' two compatriots are the foundation of the latest version of his Lens quintet. Sommers and Bradfield, along with drummer Kendrick Scott, guitarist Jeff Parker, and pianist/ organist Gary Versace released its first album, the self-titled "Lens", on eyes&ears Records in 2017. The quintet's second album, "Intertwine", is now out on Outside In Music now featuring guitarist Matt Gold, tenor saxophonist Chris Madsen, and drummer Hall.

Replacing the keyboards with the guitar acts to "open up" the sound of the quintet. The new album, which clocks in at nearly 74 minutes, never feels over-stuffed or sounds dull––instead, Sommers has composed music with strong melodies that gives the ensemble plenty of room to create cogent solos and for Hall to experiment underneath the solid foundations the leaders creates.  "Also Tomorrow" opens the 12-song program, the two tenor saxes combining to present the melody while the drums and bass play a skipping rhythm.  "James Marshall" follows and the title is a reference to James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix. You can hear the influence of the great guitarist in the structure of the song but Gold's solo certainly goes its own original way. There's a bluesy solo from Bradfield and exciting statement from Madsen that leads the piece to its powerful close.

Sommers the composer keeps one guessing as to what direction the next track are going to take.. There's the swinging hard-bop of "Second Guess", the lovely and mysterious modalities of "Ancient Voice" (where Bradfield's bass clarinet blends nicely with Madsen's tenor sax), the bluesy funk of "Weeks and Weeks" (where the handsome melody runs counter to the down-home feel of the rhythm section) which leads into "Invisible Arrow" that again has the open play feel of the earlier tracks.  

The up-tempo title tracks closes the program. Again, it's the skipping quality of the drums that gives the handsome melody the room to move and expand. The blend of soprano and tenor over Gold's rippling guitar lines is so attractive. The track also features a melodically rich solo from the leader and rousing call and response by the saxes that leads the piece and album to a gentle finish.

"Intertwine", for this listener, is an album that I start at the beginning, go to the end and start all over again. The bountiful melodies and rhythms wash through the room and, in the long run, are greatly rewarding.  Clark Sommers Lens is an ensemble that begs to be seen live so it can work its musical magic on an attentive and appreciative audience. In the meantime, this album is a true treat! 

To find out more, go to www.clarksommers.com.

Most modern music fans know Elan Mehler as co-producer and Artistic Director of Newvelle Records, the label that has been producing ultra-high quality vinyl albums in a subscription series since 2016.  There's much more than music––each package features impressive art work, informative liner notes, and more.  Most people don't know that Mehler is a fine pianist––the fifth" season featured Mehler in a musical conversation with trumpeter Dave Douglas and, in 2020, his duo album with vocalist Becca Stevens was issued as a "digital-only" release. 

This month, Newvelle issues a new quartet of albums under the name of "The Renewal Collection". Subscribers purchase four vinyl albums including new work from Mehler, saxophonist Michael Blake, saxophonist Dave Liebman, and trumpeter/ flugelhornist Nadje Noordhuis.  All four will be issued digitally one month at a time. The impetus for this collection is how music was able to soothe so many souls during the worst months of the Pandemic.  "There Is a Dance" finds Mehler in a trio conversation with acoustic bassist Tony Scherr and drummer Francisco Mela––if you love piano trios, this is worth your time.  While most people will point to Bill Evans or Keith Jarrett or Bud Powell as the most influential piano trios, this 13-song (the digital release has two more tracks than the vinyl) reminds this listener of the cooperative trio of Geri Allen, Charlie Haden, and Paul Motian that recorded for Soul Note and DIW (Japan) in the late 1980s and 1990s.  

In his liner notes, the pianist writes that "I’ve spent my whole life with this music – listening to this music – practicing this music – relying on this music – struggling with this music – and – when it’s good – welcoming this music’s arrival from the quietest place in my heart." (There's much more to understand about this recording in the notes).  The music ranges from the sweet blues of "East Side Blues" to deep introspection of the title track to lovely gospel sounds of "When You Were Blind" to the Frank Kimbrough influence that permeates "The Shakes" to the lyrical "We Spin" to the Erik Satie gentleness of "Ruby D."  Scherr and Mela are the perfect partners––while neither solos, they listen intently to the pianist either following as Mehler moves through his solos or gently prodding him or just quietly interacting.  One of the aspects of this music that stands out is how articulate and musical Elan Mehler is.  

What might happen to the active listener as he or she goes deeper into "There Is a Dance" is that a sense of calm should spread through the body.  This music is not about technique, about swing, or volume; inevitably, it's about healing, about acceptance, about moving forward into a better state of being.  Power need not be about pushing someone away until they push back; it can also be about pulling one into a hug and giving thanks for being alive.  Elan Mehler may have struggled to bring this music to life but the results are life-affirming.  

For more information, go to www.newvelle-records.com/products/the-renewal-collection.  If you would rather the digital release, go to https://newvellerecords.bandcamp.com/album/there-is-a-dance. 

Enjoy the gospel-blues of "When You Were Blind":

Stepping Out From the Rhythm Section

Bassist and composer Eric Revis (pictured left) has got serious pedigree. He's graduated from the school of Betty Carter, has also worked with Steve Coleman, Jason Moran, Lionel Hampton, Andrew Cyrille, and Orrin Evan and Nasheet Waits in the collective trio Tarbaby.  Revis has spent the past 23 years in the rhythm section of the Branford Marsalis Quartet playing alongside Jeff "Tain" Watts and his successor Jason Faulkner. A prolific composer, he has contributed songs to the Marsalis Quartet repertoire and received several prestigious grants and fellowships.

His eighth album as a leader, "Slipknots Through a Looking Glass", is his first for Kris Davis's Pyroclastic Records label. The recording features Ms. Davis on piano plus his "working" quartet of Chad Taylor (drums, mbira), Darius Jones (alto saxophone), and Bill McHenry (tenor saxophone with afore-mentioned Faulkner on drums for two tracks. The resulting music (nine Revis originals, one each from both the saxophonists, and one credited to the bassist, drummer, and pianist) runs the gamut from funk to fiery blowouts to subtle ballads, and never a dull moment. The program opens with "Baby Renfro" (listen below), a serious slab of funk underscored by Faulkner's drums, Ms. Davis's "rhythm guitar-like" piano, and and the leader's thick bass lines.  The overdubbed saxes play a robotic rhythmic line plus there are several slowdowns but most of the piece romps forward.

Photo: Jati Lindsay

Faulkner also appears on "Earl and the Three-Fifths Compromise", a slinky piece that features a circular (and hypnotic) bass line, impressionistic piano chords, and a lengthy conversation feature the two saxophones.  It's Taylor's drums that set the torrid pace "Shutter" on which both McHenry and Jones tear a hole in the ozone layer with their powerful, frantic, and raucous solos.  Ms. Davis dances all over the keyboard while Revis rips out a thunderous walking bass line. "Vimen" opens with a bass and drums dialogue before the pianist joins the fray laying down a series of angular lines blended before Jones scrambles atop the rhythm section and leaps into action. When it's his turn, McHenry takes a softer approach but slowly builds towards a powerful climax.

The title track is split in three short parts, all of which features the bassist in both speakers, quiet piano in the background, and a high-pitched but barely intelligible squeals as white noise. The "second" "Slipknots..." leads into "House of Leaves" which unfolds over four minutes of jagged, rubato, interaction before dropping into a slow funky groove and turning into a moody, introspective, work.

The most intriguing song "SpÆ", an improvised work for bass, mbira, and treated piano that flows from Revis's opening pattern and quiet piano figures and the percussive mbira into a more steady pace. Also a three-part work, the music flows from section to section seamlessly. The trance-like effect of the overdubbed mbira takes over the final moments slowing down with the bass to the fade.  McHenry's lovely ballad "When I Become Nothing" features the band moving forward together with only Ms. Davis moving around the two saxophones.  While not a conventional ballad, the music has a subtle beauty and a yearning quality.

"Slipknots Through a Looking Glass" continues the impressive body of music that Eric Revis has produced over the past two+ decades.  The sound quality of the recording is quite impressive as you can clearly hear all the voices, even when there is a lot of noise.  This is neither simple music nor "art-for-art's-sake" but true creative Black American Music.

For more information, go to https://ericrevis.com.  To purchase the album, go to https://ericrevispyroclastic.bandcamp.com/album/slipknots-through-a-looking-glass.

Here's the deliciously funky "Baby Renfro":

Braithwaite & Katz · Baby Renfro - Eric Revis

Who better than drummer, composer, educator, and impressive human being Matt Wilson to bring a smile to one's face in the midst of the pandemic.  From a distance––a socially responsible distance––he and his musical cohorts (reed man Jeff Lederer, cornetist Kirk Knuffke, and bassist Chris Lightcap) have conspired to give a musical "Hug!" (Palmetto Records). And, darned if we don't need a big one (hug, that is) plus a reason to smile through our collective fears and worries.

It's been six years since the MWQ released an album of its own––the members all appeared on Wilson's 2016 "Beginnings of a Memory" album as part of his Big Happy Family ensemble. The band's 2014 recording, "Gathering Call", also featured pianist John Medeski but "Hug!" is just the four musicians making their own fun.  The 11-song program opens with Gene Ammon's rollicking "The One Before This", a joyous "blues shout" that features solid bass work, crashing drums and cymbals, and stand-out solos from Lederer (tenor sax), Knuffke, Lightcap, and the leader.  Everybody gets loose so the audience can sit back and rest assured the music will be top-notch!

Off they go into a collection that features pieces by Abdullah Ibrahim ("Jabaloni"), Charlie Haden ("In The Moment"), Dewey Redman ("Joie de Vivre"), five Wilson originals, one riotous collaboration with Sun Ra ("Space Force March/Interplanetary Music"), and a Wilson favorite from his youth, Roger Miller's "King of the Road". If you are a long-time Wilson fan, his choice of material shouldn't surprise but the Miller tune stands out for its delightful....well...."joie de vivre".  Lederer's clarinet leads the way, Knuffke gets a short solo, Lightcap contributes the foundational bass line while Wilson's subtle percussion sets an ambling pace––his "tap dancing solo near the close will are you smile even wider.

Photo: John Abbott

Another surprise is the presence of the voice of President Donald Trump. He's there to announce the Space Force initiative as the band contributes a Charles Ivesian background and then break into the "Space Force March" as the President serves as counterpoint to the musical mayhem. The Quartet then segues into Sun Ra's "Interplanetary Music" (hear the original) and creates a pastiche of bouncy blues riffs with a touch of New Orleans.  They sing Sun Ra's lyrics while the President interjects his "Space Force" words.

There are plenty of other highlights.  Wilson's "Every Day With You" is a lovely ballad, heartfelt, emotional, and richly melodic. "Sunny & Share", also an original, may be a tribute to the 1960s hitmakers but, in reality, it's a raucous and rapid melody line punctuated by short solos from each member of the band.  The title tune (listen below) may just bring Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass to mind. Complete with a string accompaniment (all parts arranged and performed by Matt Combs, a Nashville, TN-based fiddler), the piece is quite sweet and deserving of its title.

Photo: John Abbott

"Hug!" closes with the aptly-titled "Hamba Kahle (Goodbye)"––the title is from the Zulu language and the music hearkens back to the sounds of Abdullah Ibrahim.  The solid drumming, the dancing electric bass line, the sweet melody line (from the drummer), and the gentle fade all serve to close the album on a hopeful note.  Having attended numerous performances by Matt Wilson either in a leadership role or as a sideman, his music and playing are often imbued with joy.  He can be silly, and irrepressibly so at times, but he is always serious about making good music. The music of the Matt Wilson Quartet obliterates borders, ignores genres, and embraces melody and improvisation. You should partake of this bounty!

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

Here's the title track:

Braithwaite & Katz · Matt Wilson - Hug

Art Intimates Art

Trumpeter and composer Jason Palmer continues to go from strength to strength.  Over the past decade, he's produced 10 fine albums for Steeplechase Records with one for Whirlwind Recordings as well.  Palmer has also recorded and performed with tenor saxophonist Noah Preminger for six albums over the five years.  Last year, Giant Step Arts issued "Rhyme and Reason", a splendid quartet session with tenor saxophonist Mark Turner, drummer Kendrick Scott, and bassist Matt Brewer recorded live at The Jazz Gallery in New York City. Both Turner and Scott are longtime associates with the trumpeter having appeared on his second Steeplechase album, 2011's "Here Today."

They are both back for his latest Giant Step Arts venture "The Concert: 12 Musings for Isabella"––joining them are bassist Edward Perez (who appeared on the 2011 CD) and vibraphonist Joel Ross.  The new double-CD pays tribute to 10 paintings and two pieces of ornamental art that were stolen (and have never been recovered) in the March 1990 robbery of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, MA (in fact, the album was released on the 30th anniversary of the event - March 18).  For his blog, Palmer wrote an extensive piece on the program and it's well worth reading even if you do not listen to the music; of course, the writing helps even more if you listen to the pieces.  Like his previous Giant Step album, this was recorded live, this time at the Harold S. Vanderbilt Penthouse at the Intercontinental New York Barclay.

Painting: Rembrandt (1633)

The program begins with "A Lady and Gentleman in Black" (the image to the left); everything that is impressive about the album is laid out within five minutes, from the brilliant drum to the melodic, percussive, bass lines to the crisp, clear, trumpet to the handsome, post-bop tenor sax.  The critical element, besides the excellent writing, is the Joel Ross, the sound of this vibes, how he "colors' the music, his counterpoint, interactions with Scott, and his deceptively inventive solos.  Label owner and co-photographer Jimmy Katz engineered the session and mixed it with Dave Darlington––they expertly capture the quintet's sounds so you can hear all the different voices clearly.  Only one of the 12 tracks is under eight minutes long with seven running more than 11 minutes.  Nevertheless, it's such a pleasure to hear this intelligent music that one finds listening to one disk in one sitting is hardly a chore and to both time well spent.

Painting: Vermeer

Listening to the skittish melody line of "The Concert" (Vermeer painting to the left) and noticing how inventive yet quiet Scott (brushes) and Perez (counterpoint) are during the long vibraphone solo is such a treat.  The slow opening section of "Landscape With an Obelisk" (painted by Govert Flinck in 1638) features a short yet delightful drum solo before the band kicks the piece into a much higher gear. "A French Imperial Eagle Finial" (one of two pieces for ornamental art) has quite the formal opening for trumpet and tenor sax but the body of the piece dances atop impressive bass playing and Scott's inventive drum playing.

Painting: Degas

While the Gardner Museum may still hope to retrieve these stolen masterpieces, this album offers the audience the opportunity to spend two hours+ in the company of five masters.  Jason Palmer was obviously inspired by these paintings to create his own musical canvasses and allow his friends to add their own touches to the works.  If you have had the privilege to hear the trumpeter in concert, you know he never relies on cliches or effects during his solos or his composing.  One could say the same about the playing of Mark Turner and Kendrick Scott plus the intelligent listening and responding of Edward Perez as well as how young Joel Ross (24) is on his way to a long creative career.  "The Concert: 12 Musings for Isabella" is a real delight!

For more information, go to www.jasonpalmermusic.com.  For his blog, go to jasonpalmerjazz.wordpress.com.

Here's one of the "works":

Bassist and composer Peter Slavov already had a busy career as a teenage musician in his native Bulgaria when he came to the United States and the Berklee School of music in 1998.  After graduation, he moved to New York City and within two years, was working with Joe Lovano, Quincy Jones, Kevin Mahogany, and others.  The bassist works in Lovano's Quartet and Nonet plus in US Five band. He's also recorded with saxophonists Patrick Cornelius and Uri Gurvich, pianist Alfredo Rodriguez, and drummer Francisco Mela. Slavov never seemed to have time or the inclination to create his own music; after his father (drummer Peter Slavov Senior) died in 2008, a long period of thinking, composing, and arranging began.  The recording sessions began in early 2017 and continued in its own pace until September 2019.  The results can now be heard on "Little Stories", Slavov Jr.'s self-released album and dedicated to the memory and inspiration of his father.

As you can see by the personnel listed below, there were a lot of people involved in bring the music to life.  Yet, the program feels organic, organized in a sensible fashion so that one can hear all the various influences on the bassist's life and career without imitation. The string quartet intro to "Gone", with the composer's bass lines as counterpoint, opens to a gentle piano melody that pushes forward on the power of the rhythm section and the delicate string arrangement; pianist Nitzan Gavrieli is the focal point and his work is delightful. John Ellis's reed presence is quite impressive on the five tracks on which he plays, none more so than "Bye", a song composed about the last time Slavov's waved goodbye to his son. It's emotional without being sappy while the interplay of Ellis (tenor sax), the bassist, pianist Gavrielli, and drummer Diego Ramirez is lovely. Mi Kim adds her wordless vocals to the Brazilian-inspired "History of Beauty" and "Ghost", her ethereal sound rising in tandem with the acoustic guitar (Marcio Philomena) and then weaving around the active bass lines on the former track. For the latter, her voice sets the mood, picked by Gavrielli's excellent piano solo (note the fine bass counterpoint and active drumming), and joining in with Ellis's alto sax.

Photo: Facebook

There are many different moods on the album.  "Small Little Things" has a funky rhythm and a lively sound darkened a bit by the woody bass clarinet sounds of Mark Small. His interactions with the rhythm section are delightful. Ellis's rich tenor sounds leads the rhythm section into the bluesy "Photos", yet another tune about memories composed right after the bassist moved to the US.  The lovely, medium-tempo, ballad "A.M." features the breathy tenor sax of Matt Marantz (who creates quite a strong solo in the later part of the tune) plus more excellent piano work.

The album closes with "Elegy", a solo bass piece (with overdubbed arco and pizzicato)––composed for a friend who recently died, the music focusses on how melodic a soloist Slavov can be. The piece is not very long but still powerful....and truly hopeful and healing.

"Little Stories" is certainly not small music nor is it loud or annoying. Instead, this program, conceived and composed by Peter Slavov, soothes as much as it excites, makes one think on the stories from our own lives and how being apart from loved ones is never easy. The blend of sounds, of strings and reeds plus piano and vocals, makes for good listening any time.

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

Here's the second track:



Personnel:

Peter Slavov - bass, compositions, arrangements, producer 
John Ellis - saxophone, bass clarinet (on five tracks ) 
Mark Small - bass clarinet ("Small Little Things" only) 
Matt Marantz - tenor saxophone ("A.M." only)
Nitzan Gavrieli - piano
Dan Kaufman - piano (opening track) 
Mark McLean- drums (on two tracks) 
Diego Ramirez - drums 
Marcio Philomena - guitar ("History of Beauty" only) 
Mi Kim - voice (2 tracks) 
Entcho Todorov - violin  (opening track and "Gone") 
Patti Kilroy - cello ("Gone") 
Jen Herman -viola ("Gone") 
Yves Dharamraj - cello ("Gone") 
Adele Stein - cello (opening track) 
Miguel Lagos - executive producer 
Maria Jose Concha - cover art