Trios Magic

Three different trios, three varied approaches, and all three fascinating to explore! 

It's been over six years since Nicole Mitchell (flutes, electronics), Tomeka Reid (cello), and Mike Reed (drums, percussion) recorded "Artifacts" for 482 Music. The album was a celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the AACM, the Chicago, IL-based organization that all three are members of. The delightful album featured compositions by original members of the organization plus one by later member, guitarist Jeff Parker.  Ms. Mitchell, Ms. Reid, and Mr. Reed have all been very busy in the intervening years with the ladies joining the expanded Art Ensemble of Chicago while the drummer recorded AEC's Roscoe Mitchell.  They have also continued to play in their own various ensembles.

The trio has taken the name "Artifacts". Their new album, "...and then there's this" (Astral Spirits) features seven works by the band members plus one each by Muhal Richard Abrams and Roscoe Mitchell.  The music is, by turns, funky, earthy, improvisational, quiet, devotional, and emotionally rich.  Drummer Reed's "Pleasure Palace" opens the program on a dancing beat and raucous cello before Ms. Mitchell's tears her way through the melody.  "A. F. (dedicated to Alvin Fielder)" is a group piece built off the distorted flute sounds, the rhythm from the cowbell, and the hard-edge cello lines. The track and several others should remind the listener of the 1970s ensemble Air (Henry Threadgill, bassist Fred Hopkins, and drummer Steve McCall).  Ms. Reid shines on Ms. Mitchell's "Blessed", showing the influence of Abdul Wadud on her bluesy pizzicato lines.  

There's a large amount of aural variety on these tracks.  The cellist's "In Response To" swings with abandon featuring hearty solos from the trio while her "Song For Helena" is a stunning ballad, the rich tone of the flute meshing with the full-toned arco cello before the drummer sets a gentle pace with his brushes for Ms. Mitchell's graceful solo.  Muhal's "Soprano Song" jumps out over the solid rhythm section, the flute leaping atop the propulsive rhythms.

The program closes with the "get down funky" rhythms of Roscoe Mitchell's "No Side Effects"  – while Mr. Reed keeps the song the grooving, Ms. Mitchell and Ms. Reid dance around each other. Te music gets pretty "sweaty" in just 2:27.  "...and then there's this" is a delight from start to finish.  In just 39 minutes, Artifacts trio will make smile many times, maybe even get up and dance as well. Kudos to Nicole Mitchell, Tomeka Reid, and Mike Reed for creating one of the finest albums of the past several years!

To hear more and purchase the album, go to https://astralartifacts.bandcamp.com/album/and-then-theres-this.

Here's the opening track:

Here's a link to a live date from earlier in 2021: 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMnbuGVMuFM.

Guitarist Lionel Loueke hails from Benin in West Africa and first came to the United States in the mid-1990s. Since completing his studies at the Berklee College of Music (Boston, MA) and the Thelonious Monk Institute (Los Angeles, CA), he has been one of the busiest musicians on the planet. Not only did he co-found the trio Gilfema but also worked and recorded with Herbie Hancock, Jack DeJohnette, Terence Blanchard, Esperanza Spalding, Dave Holland, and Gretchen Parlato (and many others) plus he's recorded nine albums under his own name.

In 2017, Loueke went into the studio under the auspices of Newville Records to record an album of standards with bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Eric Harland. Released in 2018 as vinyl-only, the recording (with three extra tracks) has now been issued on CD and as a download by Sounderscore.  The label, owned by bassist (and Gilfema member) Massimo Biolcati, hired David Darlington to do the mixing and mastering; the sound quality is suberb! The 11-song program features two tunes each by John Coltrane and Thelonious Monk as well as pieces by Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, Henry Mancini, Hoagy Carmichael, Richard Rodgers, Bernice Peterke ("Close Your Eyes"), and Johnny Green ("Body and Soul"). At times, the music sounds like a tribute to Jim Hall but the unpredictability of many of the arrangements plus the freewheeling rhythm section puts the album in a class by itself.   

Check out the Caribbean-inspired "Skylark", the percussive guitar playing the melody over bass counterpoint and playful percussion; the long fade reminiscent of Charles Lloyd's "Forest Flower".  There's an atmospheric take of "Moon River" with minimal drum backing as well as a lovely reading of "Body and Soul" –– Rogers's resonating bass accompaniment and Harland's hand drumming serve to set off the lyrical guitar playing.  The trio swing the daylights out of the album opener, "Footprints" followed several tracks later with a delightful romp through "Blue Monk". 

Come to "Close Your Eyes" for the strong guitar work of Lionel Loueke but chances are very good you'll really get into the inventive and fun playing of Reuben Rogers and Eric Harland.  O, what sounds await the eager listener –– dig in, dive in, and enjoy!

For more information, go to www.lionelloueke.com.  To purchase the album, go to https://lionelloueke.bandcamp.com/album/close-your-eyes. 

Go ahead, dig you some T. Monk:

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Photo: Matt Marantz

Alto saxophonist and composer Aakash Mittal, born in Texas to a New Delhi native father and Nebraska-born mother, is a busy writer, educator, traveler, and musician.  His journeys has taken him throughout the United States, India, Mexico, and elsewhere. Mittal has won many commissions as well as fellowships, recorded with Amir elSaffar, Dennis Gonzalez, and Ravish Momin plus he has self-released four recordings as a leader.  He leads various groups including a Quartet and now the Awaz Trio. The latter ensemble includes Miles Okazaki (guitars) and Rajna Swaminathan (mrudangam and kinjara).

That trio has just issued its debut album. "Nocturne" (self-released); the program includes the five-part title track, a three-part "Street Music", and an "Opening".  The 82-second "Opening" starts with a lecturer speaking about oral tradition then Ms. Swaminathan enters;  the warbling alto sax line and expressive guitar play a short melody that leads directly into "Nocturne  I" –– the music for the album is based on Mittal's journey to Kolkata, India, to study Hindustani evening and night ragas. One can hear the influence of raga music in Mittal's linear phrasing while both guitar and murdangam (often spelled "mridangam") add the rhythmic base.  After that short piece fades (2:34), a field recording begins with hand-held percussion dancing through the speakers; the musicians do a short interpretation before the street musicians reenter.

As the album sweeps along, one can hear how the sounds of the Indian city influences the music.  While the title suite is more lyrical, it's not a typical Western classical nocturne but certainly a fine illustration of a warm evening in Kolkata or Mumbai.  "Nocturne IV" is a quiet three-way conversation, like three friends walking at 3 a.m. through the city streets.  There are moments of dissonance but, mostly, the piece draws the listener in and leads through unfamiliar yet friendly territory. Okazaki's solo shines while the often-quiet percussion follows the path of the melody. The last section of the suite ("V") jumps from the very start, featuring great accompaniment, powerful interactions, and a rippling saxophone solo that bounces atop the guitar's lower notes and the rapid-fire drumming.  Mittal's playing is alive, swift melodic phrases blended with short fragments.  

The album closes with the high-powered "Street Music III" with just the trio playing the music of the parade band moving through the streets. Mittal's melody is locked in with the percussion and the guitar chords, moving decisively and powerfully to the close.  When you listen to "Nocturne", you need to stow away your "Western Music" ears and surrender to a music that ties with serious roots in an ancient culture and the lively madness of contemporary life. Aakash Mittal has composed a number of pieces about Indian street life for previous albums; yet, these acoustic pieces illustrate how he has grown as composer, interpreter, musician, and human being.  

For more information and to check out his previous work (an earlier version of Awaz Trio featured Rez Abbasi on electric guitar), go to www.aakashmittal.com.  To hear more and to purchase the album, go to https://aakashmittal.bandcamp.com/.  

Here's "Nocturne I":

Music That Moves & Soothes (Trio Edition)

I first heard vibraphonist and composer Chris Dingman when he was a student at Wesleyan University around the turn of the 21st Century. He studied with Anthony Braxton, Jay Hoggard, Pheroan akLaff, and others as well as played in student ensembles.  The California native then attended the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance (now named for Herbie Hancock) where he was exposed to and played with numerous artists such as Jason Moran, Stefon Harris, Jimmy Heath, Vince Mendoza, and many more. In late  2005, he was part of an ensemble that toured Vietnam and the Far East under the auspices of the United States State Department getting to play with Hancock and Wayne Shorter. Since 2007, he's lived in New York City where the vibraphonist has worked and recorded with fellow Wesleyan grad Steve Lehman, trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, John Zorn, Fabian Almazan, Jen Shyu, and Professor Braxton (among many others).  Currently, he's part of the Envisage Collective and has a duo with vocalist Miriam Elhajli plus leads his own Trio.

His third album as a leader, "Embrace" (self-released), features bassist Linda May Han Oh and fellow Wes grad Tim Keiper (drums, percussion). Rest assured, it's one of the most beautiful albums you'll hear this or any year, filled with lovely melodies, splendid interactions, and hypnotic sounds.  In the past few years during which time Dingman's father took ill and subsequently died, the vibraphonist has brought his music into hospitals and a hospice where the sounds became part of therapy. Several of the pieces in this nine-song program come from that (the opening "Inner Child" with its music-box vibes sound, "Ali" and its oh-so-gentle circular melody and backing), and the ethereal "Forgive Embrace") – Dingman has another project filled with pieces he played for his father, a five+ hour collection of improvisations, that will be released as an album later in 2020.

There are also pieces that dance forward with glee. "Hijinks and Wizardry" has a hummable melody played over the melodic bass lines of Ms. Oh and Keiper's splendid brushes strutting on his snare drum and caressing his cymbals. The drummer leads on "Find a Way" creating a skipping beat that the bass supports and that the vibes flow atop. After a handsome bass solo, Dingman and Keiper push each other to a higher level before bringing the song to gentler close.  "Goddess" has a similar feel thanks to the close mics on the drums which, at times, push Keiper to the front (listen below).  The program closes with "Folly of Progress" which jumps from the speakers on the throbbing bass line and martial drumming plus Dingman's powerful solo.(

Listening to "Embrace" reminds one how much fun it can be to get lost then found in a musical experience.  The music that Chris Dingman, Linda May Han Oh, and Tim Keiper create alternately whispers and shouts out to to the listener to loosen the fears and worries that the world piles up on the doorstep, find a friend or group of friends, share these sounds, and celebrate life and community.

For more information, go to www.chrisdingman.com.   The trio, with album producer Keith Witty (also a Wes grad) standing in for Ms. Oh, appears at the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning in Queens, NewYork (514) and at Firehouse 12, 45 Crown Street in New Haven, CT (5/15).

Enjoy this track:

For over three decades, drummer Ben Perowsky has performed with artists from multiple genres, from Rickie Lee Jones to John Cale to James Moody to Iggy Pop to Joan as Policewoman as well as his father's big band (and many more).  He's co-founder of the fusion-jazz ensemble Lost Tribe and hs own big band, the Moodswing Orchestra.  He's been playing with organist John Medeski and saxophonist-clarinetist  Chris Speed for almost 20 years; since his move to Woodstock, NY, the trio gets together to "let off steam", forming a group they call RedCred.  They recorded an album's worth of material of songs in May of 2014 – the album is just being issued by the drummer but, thanks to the great playing of the three musicians and the timeless quality of the material, the music sounds fresh.

"Upstream" is credited to all three musicians with the drummer taking top billing.  The eight-song program includes several originals by the drummer, one Medeski piece written for his main gig (Martin, Medeski, & Wood), and pieces from Jaco Pastorius, Wayne Shorter, and Miles Davis. Pastorius's "Dania" kicks off the album – and I do mean kick – the trio blazing through the melody and into the solo section. Medeski's bass lines really move and Perowsky gooses the music forward.  Speed's tenor solo rocks over the rhythm section and then steps aside while the organist has his own romp.  One does not miss the bassist as both the organ and drums cover the bottom.

Highlights include Perowsky's "Paul"; while the track is written in honor of Paul Motian, one hears melodic excerpts from The Beatles "I Am The Walrus" written for Paul McCartney. "Face on the Barroom Floor" comes from Wayne Shorter who recorded the piece as a duo with the keyboards of Joe Zawinul on Weather Report's 1985 "Sportin' Life" album.  The trio gives the piece a bluesy edge with Speed on clarinet and Perowsky using his brushes to move between the drum set and the cymbals. The music also has an introspective feel, slowly floating to an quiet close.  Medeski's contribution is the frantically paced "Worms" (from MM&W's 1993 album "It's a Jungle In Here") where the piece was taken at a similar pace and equally as zany.

YouTube

"Upstream" closes with a ballad, Perowsky's "Love and the Apocalypse", a composition that dates back to the early 1990s.  It bears a bit of resemblance to John Coltrane's "After the Rain" (from his 1963 "Impressions" Lp) as well as the opening four notes played by Speed sound like lie the opening line of Stephen Sondheim's "Send In The Clowns") – there's a bit more dissonance here but the piece is also played rubato so the music doesn't move as much as the sound swells, peaks, becomes quiet, all the while, Perowsky is raising a percussive storm.  Medeski's majestic organ bring the piece and the album to a close after the drums fade.

Ben Perowsky, John Medeski, and Chris Speed – RedCred – make powerful music together, much of which will make you move with a pair of pieces that offer respite from the powerful jams.  "Upstream" was worth the wait as it is timeless creative music.

For more information, go to www.perowsky.com/redcred/.

Here's the Jaco Pastorius piece:

The trio of Clark Sommers (acoustic bass), Geof Bradfield (tenor and soprano saxophones), and Dana Hall (drums) have worked together in the Chicago area for over two decades, playing with many local and national artists.  Their self-titled debut album as the Clark Sommers' Ba(SH) Trio, was issued by Origin Records in 2013 – the name comes from the first letters of each musicians last name plus the lower case "a" to create a word one could associate with music (it's fine though this trio certainly knows how to create dynamic variation in its sounds).

Ba(SH)'s second album,"Peninsula" (Outside In Music), moves in a similar path to its earlier album. Produced and composed by the bassist (the 2013 date had three pieces by Bradfield plus one each from Thelonious Monk and Billy Higgins), one can sense from the onset here are three musicians who listen, react, interact, and share a vision. Because Chicago has been each man's base for so long, it's hard not to hear the influences of tenor sax great Von Freeman in the post-bop trajectory of pieces such as "Goes Around" and the fiery "Disambiguation" that closes the album. There's a trace of John Coltrane and Coleman Hawkins in Bradfield's sound but his singing tone belongs to him alone. Note the simplicity and power of the melody of "Morning Bell" and how the saxophonist navigates the powerful rhythmic flow from the bass and drums.

YouTube

Hall's sensitive brush work stands alone at the top of "The Forgotten", moving into a bolero rhythm with the addition of the bass before the soprano sax leads the listener on a meditative journey.  There's a touch of a Middle Eastern melody in saxophonist's winding solo phrases while Hall and Sommers push and dance beneath. One gets a sense of intimacy that permeates the music as if we are right there in the room as the trio is playing.  "Maybe Never" starts quietly, increasing in intensity as Hall pummels and phrases behind the powerful tenor sax lines and the foundational bass lines.  "Hope Dance" moves between a blues pattern and rubato to great effect – Bradfield's husky tone, Sommers' counterpoint bass, and Hall's gut-bucket drumming, all combine to draw one in to this   forceful performance.  Pay attention to the skittering drums alongside the melodic and conversational bass solo before the close of the track, with Sommers leading Bradfield back in to join him on a repetitive melodic fragment as the drummer rumbles and...yes...bashes beneath them.

One could put "Peninsula" on repeat and hear something new each time. Clark Sommers' Ba(SH) plays spirited music that refer to its predecessors yet is firmly situated in the here and now.

For more information, go to www.outsideinmusic.com/artistsandreleases/2020/3/4/clark-sommers-bass.

Here's a taste of the album:

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:

Listening to Trios (Part 3)

I have had the opportunity to interview Dr. Denny Zeitlin several times over the past decade. He's had a long career - his first recording was issued in 1963 - not just in acoustic music but also as an experimenter in electronic pieces. The pianist, composer, clinical professor of psychiatry, turned 80 in April of this year and just this past week (5/02-5/05), he, bassist Buster Williams, and drummer Matt Wilson performed at Mezzrow in New York City.  That trio has been together since the early 2000s, recording three albums and doing the occasional tour.  Like the best trios, it's a group of equals: yes, the rhythm section takes its cues from the leader/pianist but their familiarity allows to give as good as they get.  Because of that trust, musicality, and willingness to go were inspiration takes them, the music they create is such a joy to listen to.

The trio's latest sonic adventure, "Wishing On The Moon: Live at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola in New York City" (Sunnyside Records), was recorded in March of 2009 yet sounds fresh and is quite delicious.  The 11-song program is a mix of standards and originals plus a fascinating take on "Put Your Little Foot Right Out", a child's nursery rhyme/traditional folk dance tune that inspired "The Hokey Pokey."  This performance is neither hokey or pokey but a wonderful adventure in melody and improvisation.  Even when the music is up-tempo, the trio makes sure to introduce melody, listening to each other, and pushing (sometimes gently, other times with forcefully) each other to move the music forward.  On pieces such as the title track (a Zeitlin original), listening to Williams's fine counterpoint and Wilson's sparkling brush work under the articulate piano solo is a real treat.

The centerpiece of the recording is the four-part "Slickrock" (the title of this trio's first album on the MaxJazz label) - inspired by composer Zeitlin's mountain-biking trips to Moab, Utah, the music opens with "Dawn; Gathering", a rubato piece features noisy percussion, bowed bass, and "serious" piano chords before the pianist introduces a shimmering melody (even strumming the piano strings) before exploding into "On The Trial" (not the Ferde Grofe piece), an exciting romp powered by the flying bass lines and snappy drumming.  "Recovery" sounds as if the bicyclist has slid off the path, with fiery drumming, throbbing bass, and skittish piano lines. Wilson's martial snare drum gives Zeitlin the opportunity to create a wide-ranging piano solo. The music calms down before before the final section, "On The Trail Again", when the trio moves back into high gear, powered by a thunderous drum solo that leads to a rousing climax.

If you are a fan of these musicians, you will devour this music.  Classy, melodic, rhythmical, often stunning, and great fun, "Wishing On The Moon" will make you wish you were in the audience as well as go back ands listen to the other albums by Denny Zeitlin, Buster Williams, and Matt Wilson - I know I did!

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

(I'll post a track as soon as one is available).

Speaking of great fun, you should take a listen to "Live From San Pedro", the newest CD from the Jeff Hamilton Trio and their first live recording for Capri Records.  The Trio - Hamilton (drums), Christoph Luty (bass), and Tamir Hendleman (piano) - has been together since the turn of the 21st Century, recording a slew of albums by themselves and backing artists such as saxophonists Cory Weeds and Scott Hamilton plus vocalist Wilford Brimley (!) For this album, recorded in January of 2017, the program includes two pieces by one of the drummer's long-time musical partners, bassist John Clayton, one original each from the drummer and the pianist, two from Broadway musicals, Thelonious Monk's "In Walked Bud", a splendid version of "Poinciana", and a  piece each from Hamilton's friends, the late pianist George Robert (1960-2016) and drummer Joe LaBarbera

Again, familiarity breeds excellent results. Hamilton's "Sybille's Day" opens the album on quite the swinging note. It's a bluesy shuffle powered by the thick bass lines and dancing drums. That cushion allows the pianist to really dig in and produce quite the exciting solo.  There are no surprises in the Trio's take of Ahmad Jamal's classic "Poinciana" - yet the loping beat, the circular bass line, and the recognizable piano melody is pleasantly comforting. Luty's elastic bass lines and Hamilton's drums do conjure up Jamal's classy rhythm section of Israel Crosby (b) and Vernel Fournier (d).  It's so easy to get lost in the rhythm section that you miss the splendid playing of Hendelman.  The temptation to press "repeat" is hard to resist.

Photo: Bill King

Several pieces emphasize Hamilton's fine work with brushes.  Robert's "Hammer Tones" and Clayton's "Brush This", with the former being a jaunty showcase for how the ensemble can play a joyful blues and the latter a a sweet re-arrangement of a classy tune from the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra repertoire.  The other Clayton contribution is also an uptempo blues shuffle.  Hendelman really digs in for a funky solo while his partners really provide the propulsion (dig the great cymbal work).
Hamilton's dancing brushes lead the trio into a samba-soaked performance of "Gary, Indiana" (from "The Music Man") while the brushes create a softer environment on the lovely "I Have Dreamed" (from "The King and I"), the one ballad on the program.  Pay close attention on the slow song to the melodic counterpoint Luty creates as well as the soulful musings of the pianist.

"Live From San Pedro" is a flat-out treat from beginning to end.  Three talented musicians who absolutely do not rest on their laurels create a program that is filled with swinging rhythms, splendid solos, and a joie de vivre that is impossible to resist. The Jeff Hamilton Trio shines brightly: like the Denny Zeitlin album above, one imagines it would have been great to have a front-row seat for this playful and play-filled set.

For more information, go to hamiltonjazz.com/artist-category/jeff-hamilton-trio/.

Here's that joyous opening track:



Acoustic guitarist and composer Adam Tully first studied tango music in 1995 Buenos Aires, Argentina, with tango guitarist master Anibal Arias.  Since then, he performed as a soloist on stages throughout the United States.  He has also worked alongside \numerous artists and groups in the U. S. and Latin America, playing with The Zvi Midgal (a group that takes its name from famous Polish prostitution ring that also sent women to Argentina) and Importango (a piano, guitar, and violin trio that was based in Brooklyn). Tully can play Baroque guitar, Latin American music,  and flamenco but has found a home playing and composing tangos.

His debut album as a leader, "La Llegda" ("The Arrival") has just been issued by the Argentinean label Epsa Music: The 11-song program features Tully's guitar alongside the articulate bass work of Pedro Giraudo and the emotionally rich piano of Emilio Teubal. There are several moments when this music is reminiscent of the work of Astor Piazzolla as well as Ralph Towner.  Tully's "Vals Mio" opens the album. The lovely melody is complemented by the subtle bass work (note Giraudo's counterpoint) and stately piano lines. The delicate piano and guitar interactions on Teubal's "Cumbio de Rumbo" are dramatic to be sure but also quite melodic. The grandeur of "Don Andrés" also has a playful side. Again, the brilliant bass counterpoint stands out alongside both the guitar and piano. When the guitarist leads the bass ands piano into the delightful "Andanzas", it's hard not to get up and dance. Yet, the piece can be as delicate as a spring breeze and powerful as a clap of thunder.

Tully goes it alone on "Doce", a lovely tune from contemporary Argentinean composer Fernando Otero.  The blend of various melody and chords move like lines of poetry and Tully's use of silence gives such gravitas to the music. For the final track, "Lluvosia", Felipe Traine adds the voice of his guitarrón (an deep-bodied six-string acoustic bass) to Tully's guitar.  They create quite a mysterious sound; it is fascinating to hear how they wrap their guitar lines around each other and how the lower guitar creates such a fine counterpoint to the higher sound.  

"La Llegada" is quite an attractive album with music that reaches into your mind and soul.  At times joyous, other times melancholy, Adam Tully has created music that reflects and respects the past while illustrating how a trio can also be forward-looking.  The interplay of Tully with Emilio Teubal and Pedro Giraudo (his bowed bass throughout is quite attractive) is so impressive.  Sit down with this album and enjoy the journey.

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

Here's the delightful opening track:

All You Need......

These days, it seems the world is louder than it's ever been. Many people blame the acidic political climate, the acerbic comments from on high and in the various forms of media that crowd our pockets and desktops.

Creative music reflects our times.  "Protest" songs comes from rap artists, from modern country artists;  jazz musicians respond today as Max Roach and Charles Mingus did in the late 1950s and1960s and the song/stories created by Gil Scott-Heron in the 1970s.  Musicians and composers feel the need to live in the present and to connect with as many people as possible. The airwaves are cluttered, the choices are many, yet the messages are often drowned by the collective apathy.

Pledge Music

What to make of "The Subject Tonight is Love"?  It's the new album from the trio of Kate McGarry (vocals), Keith Ganz (guitar, acoustic bass guitar), and Gary Versace (piano, electric piano, organ, accordion). The project, crowd-funded through Pledge Music and self-released on the artists' Binxtown Records, is an intimate project conceived by three friends who have worked together closely over the past decade or so (certainly on the past three albums Ms. McGarry released on Palmetto).  It's my belief that this music is a response to the harsh noises of the past several years, to the rancor one sees in many social interactions, not in the manner of the psychedelic 60s "Peace & Love" but as adult artists finding that true "repair" starts at home and moves outward.

The program is an enchanting, challenging, rewarding, and, in the long run, soul-satisfying experience.  The "Prologue", really the title track, is an original melody by Ganz with lyrics from the 14th Century Persian poet Hafiz (1319-1390?) sets the stage: "The subject tonight is Love/ And for tomorrow night as well,/ As a matter of fact/ I know of no better topic For us to discuss/ Until we all Die!"  All the songs deal with the various forms in which people love and live, from courageous to fleeting to fractured to new love to maternal love and more.  Seven of the 12 tracks are standards. Most of them should be familiar but what the trio does with the music is quite magical.  There's the beauty of "Secret Love", opening with the the whispery vocal over the nylon string guitar and then Versace entering with counterpoint.  The jazzy take of "Gone With The Wind" (from the pen of Allie Wrubel and Herb Magidson) opens nicely into a delightful piano solo with excellent support from Ganz's acoustic bass guitar.  Ms McGarry's playful vocal is a real treat as she moves in and out of melody and "scat" syllables.  "My Funny Valentine" is amazing (listen below), from the arrangement of the guitar, bass, and keyboards to the honesty and vulnerability in the vocal.  Is the singer wistful, hopeful, fretful, pleading, or all of that and more.  All this can be heard as well in the instrumental work. Pay attention to the heartfelt "Fair Weather", composed by Benny Golson and Kenny Dorham, known as well for a brilliant recording by Chet Baker. It's such a handsome melody with lyrics that speak of equality composed at a time - 1958 - when the Civil Rights Movement was beginning to be noticed in the United States. Of course, 60 years later and the message is still poignant and still on point.  There is also is a sweet take of Egberto Gismonti's "Palhaço" - Geraldo Carneiro wrote the original Portuguese lyrics while this version, retitled "Playing Palhaço", has English lyrics by Jo Lawry.  

There are three pieces with original lyrics from Ms McGarry, one of which, "Climb Down", addresses her Irish ancestors and the issues they had on both sides of the Atlantic. The music may remind some of the work of Robbie Robertson and Dick Connette (Last Forever) but with a hefty blues edge.  The vocalist's "Losing Strategy #4" is about lost love and turning the blame away from one's self and how that always fails.  The lovely piano, bass guitar, and accordion accompaniment sets a lonely tone that resonates long after the song fades.  The third original "She Always Will" looks at life, our many decisions that lead us to roads we may never expected to take; yet, this could also be a dream or a reflection the composer had standing by a pond or sitting on the porch by herself.

There are playful moments, songs where Ms. McGarry's voice soars over the organ, piano, and guitar (such as "What a Difference a Day Made") - everyone sound like they are having such fun.  Perhaps it's the freedom that "doing it yourself" brings, that you're making the music you have always wanted to make, taking chances you always wanted to take, and that there is an audience who appreciates what you, will support you and embrace your stories.  Kate McGarry, Keith Ganz, and Gary Versace actually recorded 30 songs as they were preparing "The Subject Tonight is Love", such an exciting prospect that the sessions certainly yielded more delightful musical stories, more aural support, smiles, and, even tears.  

This is music to climb inside of and take to your heart. Really, just give in. It's good to smile!

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

Enjoy this piece!