CD Review: Josh Rzepka - "Into The Night"

Year: 2012

Style: Jazz

Label: Self Produced

Musicians: Josh Rzepka - trumpet, flugelhorn; Andy Hunter - trombone; Steve Kortyka - alto/tenor saxophones; Jackie Warren - piano; Peter Dominguez - bass; Ron Godale - drums.

CD Review: The instant Ron Godale's drums explodes out of the multi Grammy-Award winning recording and production company, 5/4 productions Direct to Stereo technology, on to the opening track (Into The Night), it becomes clear that energy, drive, confidence and definitely bold swing are not mission critical elements missing from this date. With regard to energy and drive, leader and trumpeter Josh Rzepka and the band show lots of both, seamlessly mixed with a honeycomb of melody and textural intensity that is alluring in its motion. But there's more to this brassy, swinging opener as Rzepka uncorked his first melodic, flawless trumpet solo, and interchange with the front line, then stepped back for Steve Kortyka's  seductively burnished alto saxophone and Andy Hunter's smoothly gliding trombone sound to do a 'control burn' that created space for the rhythm section of pianist Jackie Warren, bassist Peter Dominguez, and drummer Godale to ignite a few hot spots, with some 'grit and gravy' of their own.

In the wake of such a sizzling opening assault, taking a gander at the profiles of the band's personnel seemed like the right thing to do. Trumpeter/composer Josh Rzepka is a graduate of the world-renowned Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio where he majored in classical and jazz performance. He also has a Masters Degree from Boston University's College of Fine Arts. "Into The Night" is his second jazz album. His debut jazz CD, "Midwest Coast" (2009), received critical acclaim and significant airplay in every major market in the US. His other recording credits include the release of his debut classical CD, Josh Rzepka: Baroque Music for Trumpet. Rzepka has performed throughout the US, including Boston's Symphony Hall, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the Knitting Factory in NYC. His radio and TV appearances have garnered him a growing international audience. As far as is known, his major trumpet influences are John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie, Maynard Ferguson, and on flugelhorn, his Oberlin jazz teacher, Kenny Davis and Clark Terry, whose jazz influence has touched also, just about every other trumpet player on the planet, including Miles Davis and Quincy Jones.

Tenor/alto saxophonist
Steve Kortyka
Photo courtesy soulsomatik.com

Ohio born, NY-based alto/tenor saxophonist Steve Kortyka majored in classical performance and music education at the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music, and like Rzepka, has an affinity for the baroque style of classical music. He credits saxophonist John Coltrane's "Blue Train" as the recording that emphatically bound him to the orbit of the gravitational pull into the jazz idiom:  "The amount of soul and expression conveyed in the first solo on the first track alone was enough to make me want to spend the rest of my life wanting to do that." (Kortyka: Bio). Kortyka has appeared with clarinetist Eddie Daniels, Grammy Award-winning saxophonist/flautist Kenny Garrett, saxophonists/composers Joshua Redman & Greg Abate, trumpeters Brad Goode & John McNeil, and legendary trombonist Curtis Fuller among others. He has had the outrageously good fortune of working on cruise ships for four years (2005-2009), as a musician and musical director, and to travel the world over to more than twenty countries. Anyone making the vibrant NYC jazz scene may run into him at the Oak Room, Cleo's, The Garage, Duane Park, Fat Cat, or Smalls Jazz Club.

Trombonist Andy Hunter
Photo courtesy:
miguelgarciamusic.net

Michigan born trombonist Andy Hunter is described as "an exciting, bold musician deeply entrenched in the New York music scene."  Hunter has enjoyed a wealth of high-profile big band experience playing  world wide with the 2010 Grammy Award-winners Mingus Big Band/Dynasty & Spanish Harlem Band, the 2005 Grammy Award-winning Dave Holland Big Band, and the Toshiko Akioshi/Lew Tabackin Big Band. He brings impeccable credentials and terrific excitement to this date.

Pianist Jackie Warren
Photo courtesy:
martyconnentertainment.com

Pianist Jackie Warren has been a one woman institution on the Cleveland jazz music scene for more than a decade. An alumnus of Oberlin Conservatory of Music, with a master's degree in classical piano from Cleveland State University, Warren has developed very eclectic musical tastes, and offers great versatility in her playing repertoire. "She has gigged with everyone from soul singer Solomon Burke to bandleader Gerald Wilson, from Clark Terry to the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra." (Liner notes by Carlo Wolff from the CD "Near You").  She teaches classical, jazz piano and Latin jazz ensemble at the metro campus of Cuyahoga Community College when she is not at Cleveland's House of Swing Jazz Club appearing with the Afro-Cleveland Orchestra.

Double bassist Peter Dominguez
Photo courtesy:
notreble.com

Double bassist Peter Dominguez is Professor of Jazz Studies and Double Bass at Oberlin Conservatory of Music. He is also director of the Oberlin Jazz Septet, an ensemble that represents the most outstanding student performers, composers and arrangers who have been hand picked by the Oberlin Conservatory of Music's esteemed faculty. Dominguez earned his Bachelor of Arts and Master's Degrees in double bass from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dominguez went on to complete his doctorate in musical arts at the University of Miami-Coral Gables.

NE Ohio born drummer Ron Godale is generally regarded as an exceptionally accomplished and resourceful practitioner of his craft, and knows how propel the rhythm section with energy and drive built into the architecture of a technique that starts from the ground and rises like a thermal air current.

Serious drums

Obviously, this is not a gaggle of artists with pedestrian endowments; the sum of the artistic component parts compressed  "Into The Night" reveals a juggernaut of talent that drives the anticipation of performance into the stratosphere. In the mind's eye, this ensemble takes on a lighthouse-tall personality suited for exquisite tonal color, and dazzling entertainment. Anything else is passe. Displaying infectious wit and a sense of harmonic sophistication from which it never veers over the length of the CD, the band outfits the age-old "Happy Birthday Song" with some hard-hitting vines of 'fresh' matching colors (Twenty-Five), augmented by an unblemished Josh Rzepka flugelhorn solo, that sets up Kortyka's naturally swinging tenor to synergize with Jackie Warren's lilting, Latin-flavored piano condiment, easing the mood down to a sweet, simmering boil.

Showcasing beauty, elegance and a limpid composing mind, Rzepka unfurls the delicate and romantic (Stasis); but there is another feature to this piece of music that is intimately striking; it is heard in the clarity and full-body sound of the instruments; the resonance from Jackie Warren's sensitive piano is stunning, with the highs and lows emerging from her keyboard with the sparkling lucidity of diamonds. Rzepka's lilting trumpet, and Andy Hunter's warm, mellow, trombone paint the emotional colors of a receding sunset of indescribable hue; easily making this the most melodically memorable tune on the date.

Versatility is a touchstone of this ensemble, and with it comes the obvious question: How do these classically trained musicians handle the stylistic differences of sound, tone color and method of attack required to master navigating genres so effortlessly as to deliver (Salsa Queen) with such convincing Afro-Cuban rhythmic pungency, that scrutinizing their ancestry becomes tempting? A lengthy query; with a short answer: "They play from their hearts!" To leave absolutely no doubt about versatility, Rzepka turns his sights and trumpet to the blues (Blues For C. T.) in a tribute to the trumpet master Clark Terry; allowing Jackie Warren to echo the dexterity and lyricism of iconic pianist, Oscar Peterson (her first influence), aided by Peter Dominguez's soulful walking bass; reaching all the way down to the deepest recesses of the tune's dense groove; wringing out every drop of sweet, funky blues. The fervor of the blues is less palpable (Liam's Leaving) during passionate, witty exchanges between Dominguez and Rzepka, that highlight in-the-moment, creative, thought-composing strengths materializing out of speed of light ideas from both artists. Dominguez's responses are especially imaginative and flexible, with a rock-steady, on-the-beat pulse that embodies a silk-like smoothness which has carried his signature throughout the date.

That Josh Rzepka composed and arranged all the selections on the exciting CD certainly adds considerable luster to his oeuvre, along with his flugelhorn ballad work on (When I'm With You), and his warm, vulnerable approach on (Con Ti) as he turns and bows gracefully in the direction Clark Terry, who loved "that old mellow sound" so much that he had the Selmer Company and The Olds Company custom build his flugelhorns. The Olds Company eventually made the special CT Model before going out of business. Here Rzepka effectively appreciates his artistic currency with an aromatic mint of swelling maturity and professionalism that makes Rzepka and the ensemble, artists to follow and watch for in the future; Rzepka having expressed the desire to tour and present classical and jazz concerts all across the country.

Track Listing: Into The Night, Twenty-Five; Stasis; Salsa Queen; Blues For C. T.; When I'm With You; Sarah's Samba; Liam's Leaving; Con Ti.

This CD is remarkable also for its cutting edge recording technology and superb sound quality. For the audiophiles in the audience, here are the specifications and state-of-the-art equipment utilized to make this recording:

Console: Rupert Neve Designs 5088

Microphones: AEA R84 and R88: DPA 4023; Neumann U47; Royer R122 and SF24; Sennheiser MKH8020; MKH40

Microphone Preamplifiers: AEA TRP: Grace Design M802; Millennia Media HV-3D; Neve 5088 Interconnecting Cables:

Monster Cable Studio Pro1000, Music Interface

Technologies Proline with Balanced Terminators, Morgami Neglex

Digital Recording System: Sonoma DSD with EMM Labs MKIV ADC8 and DAC8 Converters

Monitored through: EMM Labs Switchman MK2
Monitor Speakers: ATC SCM 50 and ATC SCM 150
Digital Editors: Sonoma DSD and SADiE 5

Recorded, Edited and Mastered by Robert Freidrich

Recorded at Five/Four Productions, Ltd., Clonick Studio, Oberlin, Ohio

Produced by Thomas C. Moore, Five/Four Productions, Ltd.

CD Review: Noah Kaplan Quartet - "Descendants"

Year: 2011

Style: Jazz/Free Improvisaton

Label: hatOLOGY

Musicians: Noah Kaplan - tenor and soprano saxophones; Joe Morris - guitar; Giacomo Merega - electric bass; Jason Nazary - drums

CD Review: There is no doubt that an almost telepathic chemistry exists between the members of the Noah Kaplan Quartet as they pursue the knotty, detailed, idiosyncratic free flight descents into total spontaneous, innovative, paroxysmal nirvana represented on "Descendants."  Strangely remarkable is the realization that this group retains its own "sound" out of the articulated chaos and "wild tenderness" (New York City Jazz Record) that attends them. But this is no coincidence, judging by their collective professional histories and the musical paths taken. They all have strong artistic and educational associations common to the Boston area. Tenor/soprano saxophonist Kaplan, electric bassist Giacomo Merega and drummer Jason Nazary were all 'schooled' in Boston. Guitarist Joe Morris was 'self taught' but migrated to the Boston area in 1975. The all made effective use of the significant colony of mentors and fertile influences available in the city's music scene, and each one eventually succumbed to the uncompromising wanderlust magnetically applied by the dynamic jazz music emporium that is New York City.

Saxophonist Noah Kaplan

Without a moment's hesitation the quartet strikes out into urgent, no-boundaries angularity (Pendulum Music), fluttering with jagged momentum supplied by Nazary's antic, naturally uncooked percussion and Merega's avant-garde improv bass, meanwhile Kaplan's tenor avails itself of unencumbered space to recite a prolonged lamenting cry, accompanied by a sympathetic urgency from Joe Morris' eclectic fret.

At a superficial glance, it seems natural to become victim of the sorrowful substrate evident in Kaplan's sax, (Descent; Esther) but closer listening to his articulations lays open a constant renewal of compelling ideas that positions his soloing not out of reach of the underlying rhythmic accompaniment, but offers challenges and openings for unplanned, unexpected innovative forays that imbue the compositions with unconstrained excitement; stimulating tension and unexpected surprising twists and turns.

Electric bssist Giacomo Merega

A range of influences are reflected throughout (Rat Man); heard first is the free jazz, complex, improv Cecil Taylor influence with some Monkish dissonance out of Morris' guitar. Saxophonist Kaplan digs deep into his Joe Maneri/Jerry Bergonzi influenced improvisational bag, while the eclectic, soul/R&B flavored Billy Hart drumming influence punctuates Nazary's complex percussion. In the case of Giacomo Merega, he makes his presence felt with strong references to collaborations with pianist Anthony Coleman, slide guitarist David Tronzo, drummer, percussionist, arranger Satoshi Takeishi and others.

Drummer Jason Nazary

Although most of Kaplan's compositions are unambiguously innovative, spontaneous, free jazz, they maintain an energetic emotional character that eschews bizarre abstraction, that is, until (Wolves) appear with Kaplan turning to a piercing, querulous, soprano saxophone that is unsettlingly elegiac in color, and which Nazary's drums cleverly endeavour to unhinge without resolution.



Guitarist Joe Moris



Darkness descends ending the date under a thick cloak of smouldering mournfulness (Untitled) heard in the death throes from Kaplan's somber tenor, and Nazary's imaginative, exciting drumming rises to the occasion one more time, displaying the improvisational genius and timing that has marked him as "a drummer to watch in the coming years." 

Noah Kaplan Quartet "Descendants" is a tour de force of naked, off the hook, formidable free jazz. Those who are in tune with this music and understand the talent, imaginative horse power and commitment required to play it, will never get enough of this CD.

Track Listing: Pendulum Music; Descent; Esther; Rat Man; Wolves; Untitled.

Recorded by Nick LLoyd at Firehouse 12, New Haven CT
Mixed by Nick Lloyd
Mastered by Peter Pfister

Produced by Noah Kaplan; Co-production by Giacomo Merega
Exectutive producer: Werner X. Uehlinger

Giacomo Merega plays First Act bass guitars

To the Hallowed Memory of Joe Maneri.

http://www.hathut.com/     

CD Review: Noah Preminger - "Before The Rain"

Year: 2012

Style: Jazz

Label: Palmetto Records

Musicians: Noah Preminger - tenor saxophone; Frank Kimbrough - piano; John Hebert - bass; Matt Wilson - drums.

CD Review: In contemporary music circles the adjective "beautiful" is used ad nauseam to describe any new music being served up. Now here comes an album of jazz music to which "beautiful" can be firmly attached without reservation, or hint of over kill: it's Noah Preminger's new release on Palmetto Records, "Before The Rain." It seems to apply even more honestly since, as Preminger reveals, "I like pretty melodies, so I decided to make an album of ballads." Preminger has as a main ingredient; an embracing, lyrical, almost sympathetic tenor saxophone voice that puts him on firm ground to find a trajectory that ultimately reaches his goal. Displaying a sense of good taste and maturity beyond his years, the twenty-four year old Preminger has assembled an enjoyable mix of familiar standards with original compositions that add freshness and accessibility to a date further enhanced by a complementary rhythm section that includes, pianist Frank Kimbrough, bassist John Hebert and drummer Matt Wilson. 

Pianist Frank Kimbrough

Striking out early for the stars, Preminger's tenor reprises an emotional version of Rogers and Hart's 1937 show tune (Where or When), infusing poignant passion in with the tune's inherent sense of bewilderment. Turning next to a composition (Quickening) by pianist Frank Kimbrough, written in dedication to the late tenor saxophonist Dewey Redman, Preminger shows good maturity, patience and commitment to his objective of the ballad-tempo in his reading of Kimbrough's chart, especially in light of the 'quickening' interplay of the rhythm section.

Preminger, as composer, shows an amazing depth of understanding of the nuances of the ballad (Before the Rain), and also in his beautiful (there's that word again) interpretation of the feeling and emotion embodied in the piece. But it is on Sammy Cahn and Saul Chaplin's lush (Until The Real Thing Comes Along) that Preminger's ballad artistry comes of age out of a fertile imagination reflecting poise, judicious timing and sober sophistication.

Bassist John Hebert

Even juxtaposed against Matt Wilson's busy percussion, John Hebert's vigorous bass line and Frank Kimbrough's piano circles adding to the angularity (K), Preminger somehow remains in touch with the melody, maintaining a conscious semblance of structure, remarkably never losing form or emotional bearing; cementing the ballad's design to the underlying rhythmic movement with the facility of a seasoned professional.

Preminger's desire to work with some of his favorite musicians, "guys I felt comfortable with and who I knew could really make strong musical statements on the material" reveals an easily overlooked aspect of beauty about this CD: his focused pursuit of the ballad does not restrict or stultify the band's active imagination or innovative freedom. The rhythm section's concomitant richness of expression  and exciting give and take effectively casts Preminger in the light of a transformational figure; fully informed by post-bop, off the floor, free flow rhythmic complexity (Abreaction; Toy Dance); and the attention to coherent detail in a melody as the ensemble coalesces around the harmonic subtleties of (November). If there is a "pretty melody" on the CD, it is undoubtedly (Jamie), which ends this CD with its achingly beautiful lyricism and deep indigo hue, painted in an exquisitely burnished timbre from Preminer's sentimental tenor saxophone.


Drummer Matt Wilson



"Before The Rain" taken in context with the prevailing wisdom that, 'if you can play the ballad, you can play anything' establishes Preminger's sublime professional bona fides, which when combined with the critical acclaim of his debut release "Dry Bridge Road" (Nowt Records), positions him and his career in the enviable circumstance of an emerging talent with only the sky as the limit to future success.  

Track Listing: Where or When; Quickening; Before The Rain; Abreaction; Until The Real Thing Comes Along; K; Toy Dance; November; Jamie.

Recorded by Matt Balitsaris at Maggie's Farm
Mastered by Gene Paul at G and J Audio

Produced by Matt Balitsaris and Noah Preminger
Noah Preminger plays JodyJazz mouthpieces

http://www.orangegroveartists.com/

CD Review: Joanna Weinberg - "The Piano Diaries"

Year: 2012

Style: Vocal

Label: MASTERTOUCH  Roll

Musicians: Joanna Weinberg - vocals; Rafael A. Nazario - piano, keyboards; Kate Adams - cello; Mark Ginsburg - tenor/soprano saxophones, flute; Martijn Hadders - guitar; Jonathan Zwartz - bass; Simon Fishburn - drums; Blair Greenberg - African drums.

Actress/singer/songwriter
Joanna Weinberg

CD Review: Joanna Weinberg - "The Piano Diaries" glows with the emotional character of a bright smile. This songwriter/vocalist/actress paints a kaleidoscope of rich imagery in her songs that transcends genres with perfect pitch and flawless intonation. She possesses the rare ability to interpret and personalize her own lyrics through a full range of emotions, imbuing her songs with the experiential conviction of a Joni Mitchell; effortlessly cohering Maria Muldaur's whimsical innocence and the limpid vocal clarity of Judy Collins with an averment that attaches convincing, memorable familiarity to the lyric. 

Weinberg and her exceptional band of musicians romp through a 12-song sojourn marked by sweet innocence, sensual irreverence, stinging social commentary, coming-of-age love and the winds of fear; dancing and swaying to a background of jazz/rock/folk/Latin/funk rhythms. "Nothing is as sweet as moonlight on your skin and living for now" (Freckled Angels); "Now that we've lost our innocence/we've nothing left to lose" (Innocence); "He wore his hat at an angle/ kept his old hand light on my spine/he spun me left and he spun me right/his rhythm made me shine/his gums were cracked and toothless/he was too shy to look up at me/...but me ain't spoka no spanish and I aint got a shoe on my feet/but I no wanted it to stop, that Cuban dance with me/'cause he was beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful old man" (Beautiful Old Man): a wealth of images that make this a CD to return to over and over again.

Weinberg's breadth of talent extends itself (Benjamin And Penelope) and leaps forward with breezy, appealing Lennon/McCartney lyrical panache enhanced by her sparkling, precise piano playing. But it's the verve in Weinberg's personality that comes through in her voice and gives her a freshness and flair that permeate the date. The band's accompanying attitude is complementary; its dynamic range does not overwhelm Weinberg's voice, leaving her vocal nuances and elocution intact and distinct. Mark Ginsburg's saxophone playing is especially sensitive and augmentable through Weinberg's lilting (Daughters of the Empire; The Winds of Fear) and the funky, infectious Latin groove, perfectly arranged for Blair Greenberg's African drums (Beautiful Old Man), without sacrificing form, tone or rhythm.

Weinberg is devastatingly effective with pensive, introspective lyrics (Innocence; Witness; Wide Open Eyes) during which she is treated to ineffable harmony and near-perfect tonal balance from Rafael Nazario's piano and Kate Adams' cello. She also proves that she is comfortable and convincing working with her rhythm section of guitarist Martijn Hadders, pianist Rafael Nazario, bassist Jonathan Zwartz and drummer Simon Fishburn to paint a very compelling portrait of a (Trophy Wife), "living in trophy town."

Joanna Weinberg and the band select the genre-hopping (The Piano At The Cabaret) to end this outstanding CD with a swinging post-bop feel, punctuated with cool Manhattan Transfer harmonies and an impressive revival of her stellar career in acting, comedy and cabaret which she studied at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. She's got that unmistakable"thang" in her voice that makes you see Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl" while you slow down your flatbed Ford to take a second look at this awesome redhead.  

Track Listing: Freckled Angels; Innocence; Daughters of the Empire; The Artists are Leaving; Benjamin and Penelope; The Winds of Fear; Wide Open Eyes; Beautiful Old Man; Witness; Mama Buy Your Baby a Piano; Trophy Wife; The Piano at the Cabaret.

Recorded by Reyne House and Michelle Barry at Alberta Studio, Sydney, Australia
Mixed and Mastered by Kathy Naunton at DB Mastering

Arranged and produced by Rafael A. Nazario http://www.rafnazario.com/

All songs written and composed by Joanna Weinberg http://www.thepianodiaries.com/

CD Review: Harry Allen - "Rhythm On The River"

Year: 2012

Style: Jazz

Label: Challenge Records

Musicians: Harry Allen - tenor saxophone; Rossano Sportiello - piano; Joel Forbes - bass; Chuck Riggs - drums; Warren Vache (Vah-shay) - cornet on  tracks 1, 4, 8, 11

CD Review: Rivers have always had a mystical way of capturing the imagination of poets, writers, composers and musicians. Their secrets, stories and memories create a unique flowing rhythm; a rhythm presciently described in the graceful, enlivening cadence of poet laureate Langston Hughes' 1920 immortal poem, "I've Known Rivers"; the written/spoken word trapping the grandeur, majesty and lasting effects of some of the world's great rivers; etching nature's aqueous magic indelibly into our collective consciousness for the ages. Jazz music is the perfect genre for exploring and extending the vibrant life force still found in the "secrets, songs, stories and memories" of rivers, and tenor saxophonist Harry Allen, along with a group of master musicians  give 'voice' to this reality with their inspiring musical offering: "Rhythm On The River."

The idea that gave birth to the concept of "Rhythm On The River" was sublime; but it is the experience, commitment and peerless artistry of the musicians that make it live. These musicians bring a very refined level of professionalism to the date and have produced a vintage recording of styles, moods and intimate feeling. In their collective backgrounds is chronicled an impressive accounting of the history of jazz spanning over seven decades. From Hoagy Carmichael's traditionally accented opening track (Riverboat Shuffle) to Grant Clark and Louis Silver's poignant lullaby (Sleepy River), nothing stands in the way of this date producing one of the most artistically satisfying, genre-consequential  CD's of 2012.  

Tenor saxophonist Harry Allen

A 'keen interpretive' sense is usually reserved for describing a vocalist's singular stylistic strength, but in the case of this group, it is apropos to apply the term to their collective sensitivity to the various composers' intent and mission as expressed in the lyrics. Tenor saxophonist Harry Allen displays an uncanny interpretive poignancy on Arthur Hamilton's bittersweet classic (Cry Me A River), reprising Julie London's benchmark luscious sultriness with Coleman Hawkins-throated, full-bodied, breathy elegance. Allen is a tenor saxophonist for all seasons, he can swing with abandon as he does on the title track (Rhythm On The River) by Johnny Burke and James Monaco, matching stinging soloing wits with cornetist Warren Vache (Riverboat Shuffle) or driving the melody until it sweats with post-bop fever (Roll  On, Mississippi, Roll On), then in the fluid, eloquent tradition of Lester Young and Ben Webster, he engages his precise rhythm section, featuring Sportiello's nimble pianism, and serves up the soul-drenched Rogers and Hart evergreen (Down By The River) and the easy-swinging Robert Sour/ Una Mae Carlisle (Walking By The River).

Cornetist Warren Vache

A important tine in the ensemble's musical fork is Cornetist Warren Vache, who is described by his peers as "a swinging stylist, whose performances are beautiful, emotional and surprising." He counts among his seminal influences, trumpeters/cornetists Louis Armstrong, Roy Eldridge, Bobby Hackett, Fats Navarro, Tom Harrell and Ruby Braff. The 'Creme de la Creme' of twentieth century horn players. He boasts a variety of playing experience from polka and dixieland bands to jazz groups and large combos, buttressing the band with a stellar world-wide reputation as a free improvising large ensemble player. He has literally toured the world playing music, and has appeared in most major performance halls in the US. He plays with great imagination and enthusiasm on this CD; with the fiery brilliance and melodic clarity heard in Louis Armstrong's Hot Five/ Hot Seven canon coloring his playing on (Riverboat Shuffle). He leans towards Bobby Hackett's distinctive lyrical clarity (Lazy River; River Stay Away From My Door); but he instinctively peppers his phrases with beautiful, signature Armstrong flair and flight that make him the perfect fit for contrapuntal runs and searing exchanges with tenor saxophonist Harry Allen. But it is (Old Folks At Home (Swanee River)) that he reserves for a brief, touching, sensuously seductive appearance with Allen's equally emotional tenor saxophone. Regrettably it is the shortest track on the disc.

Pianist Rossano Sportiello

Pianist Rossano Sportiello's attack is cat's paw light (Cry Me A River), his solos cavort with the glittering, piercing, simplicity of shiny coins in a fountain (Rhythm On The River; Roll On, Mississippi, Roll On), effulgent with excellent backing from bassist Joel Forbes on Hoagy Carmichael's (Lazy River), each solo a testament to some special emotion or memory; each in its own way recording the passage of time with a patent weathered patina; collectively assembling a living montage made from dreams, desires and secret wishes; played by a pianist whose stated goal is "to play jazz and make it understandable to everybody. Most of all, I want to see people smiling and having fun." He makes an unambiguously eloquent case in this instance. Sportiello is a pianist that jazz pianist/educator Barry Harris extols as "the best stride piano player" he has ever heard. This is saying quite a lot, since it is certain the Mr. Harris also must have heard the recognized giant stride players: James P. Johnson, Willie "The Lion" Smith, Fats Waller and Eubie Blake. After listening to Sportiello's playing on this date, it is easier to understand Barry Harris' assessment of his keyboard skills, especially when he strides and swings (Ready For The River).

Bassist Joel Forbes

The unsung heroes on the date are definitely, the internationally recognized master of the acoustic bass, Joel Forbes, and the highly regarded jazz drummer Chuck Riggs; both with profound understanding of the traditions of the idiom. Forbes is accredited with a number of recordings: Nicole Pasternak/ Ralph Lalama (1992); Dan Barrett: Moon Song (1995); Bryan Shaw: Night Owl (1995); The Joel Forbes Song Book (1996); Dan Barrett/Blue Swing: Blue Swing (1999); Dan Barrett: International Swing Party (2000); Wayne Escoffery Times Change (2001).

Drummer Chuck Riggs

Chuck Riggs has worked extensively with tenor saxophonist Scott Hamilton going back as far as 1972. Riggs has appeared on over 30 albums for various labels and has appeared with trumpeters/cornetists Clark Terry and Ruby Braff, vocalists Maxine Sullivan and Roesmary Clooney, arranger/composer/saxophonist Al Cohn, guitarist Herb Ellis, clarinetist/bandleader Benny Goodman, double bassist Milt Hinton, pianist/bandleader Jay McShann, tenor saxophonists/clarinetists Flip Phillips and Buddy Tate along with many others. Both Riggs and Forbes bring tremendous talent and experience to the date and have performed with consummate professionalism, poise and patience. They have provided unobtrusive support and an indispensable, bedrock, rhythmic underpinning that enhance the high quality of the music.

The CD ends with Eric Ansell's charming lullaby (Sleepy River) played poignantly by Allen and Sportiello. It seems like the perfect mood to conjure up at the end of an exciting, enervating musical journey; walking alongside rivers; crying rivers of tears; listening to rivers roll on; begging rivers to stay away; and wondering what other 'secrets, stories, memories, songs and rhythms', they still hold.

Track Listing: Riverboat Shuffle; Cry Me A River; Rhythm On The River; Lazy River; Roll On, Mississippi, Roll On; Down By The River; Walking The River; River, Stay 'Way From My Door; Blue River; Weary River; Old Folks At Home (Swanee River); Ready For The River; Sleepy River.

Recorded engineer: Manfred Knoop
Assistant engineer: Chris Sulit
Mixed by Manfred Knoop & Chris Sulit

Executive Producer: Chris Ellis

A&R Challenge Records by Anne de Jong

http://www.harryallenjazz.com/
http://www.challengerecords.com/

CD Review: Talking Cows - "Almost Human"

Year: 2012

Style: Improvisational Jazz

Label: STEMRA

Musicians: Frans Vermeerssen - tenor saxophone; Robert Vermeulen - piano; Dion Nijland - double bass; Yonga Sun - drums.

CD Review: There is an inescapable richness of sound, amidst the well-read, post-bop vocabulary employed by tenor saxophonist Frans Vermeerssen, contrasted with cool Monkish dissonant shadings from pianist Robert Vermeulen, that are immediately discernible from the opening track (Hurdles In Three) of Talking Cows "Almost Human." Putting aside the group's bovine reference to their rich Dutch heritage proudly tucked away in their name, they ably demonstrate an engaging proclivity for delving into an inspiring mixture of progressive jazz within a bag of ever expanding styles while utilizing surprising astuteness in their ability to deliver, fresh, modern, original, improvised jazz music.

But richness of sound and technique are just a couple of the interesting qualities to be enjoyed: there is also the classic, contrasting influences of pianists/composers Thelonious Monk and Mischa Mengelberg on tenor saxophonist Frans Vermeerssen and pianist Robert Vermeulen to anticipate; no doubt informing the vitality, levity and creativity honed into the quartet's musical styles; stamping them as 'serious' artists, and demanding a clear look into their backgrounds.

Tenor saxophonist
Frans Vermeerssen

Saxophonist, composer, arranger, Frans Vermeerssen, based in the Netherlands has been playing the saxophone for almost four decades, has studied classical saxophone at the Gemeentelijk Conservatorium Groningen under the tutelage of Andri van Velsen, then continuing on at the Sweelinck Conseratorium in Amsterdam to pursue the Improvising Musician study with Paul Stocker. He has developed a formidable set of 'chops' playing in such bands as Noodband, Artisnt, Tam TamFanfare, Baritone Madness, Gerard Ammerlaan Orchestra, and several other groups around Groningen. He has traveled to, and performed extensively on the international scene, notably Germany,France, Poland, Russia, England, Italy, Japan, USA, Canada, Bolivia, Chile and many other Nordic and European countries. Currently he is the Artistic Director/Arranger of The Fries Project Orkest.

Pianist Robert Vermeulen studied at Konninklijk Conservatorium Den Haag, and jazz piano at Uitvoerend Musicus. He is a teacher of Piano at Artez Jazz & Pop, Nijmegan Area, Netherlands, he has played in bands with alto/tenor saxophonist Sal Nistico, trumpeters Chet Baker and Tom Harrell, alto saxophonist Jim Snidero and drummer Jo Krause. He was a member of  "Ugly Beauty," a band that specialized in the music of Thelonious Monk and Misha Mengelberg. He has been with "Talking Cows" since 2004.



Bassist Dion Nijland



Bassist Dion Nijland also studied at the Sweelinck Conservatorium in Amsterdam, he was a member of "East of the Sun," a group that included, violist Freidmar Hitzer and guitarist Peter Klaassen, and "Dimami" with drummer Makki van Engelen and saxophonist Miguel Boelens. In addition he has logged time in such eclectic bands as the improvisational "De Bende van Drie," the classical/pop ensemble "Biyuya" and has toured with the "Limburger Ge Reinders" and the "Portuguese Monica Tringa" theatre groups.

Drummer Yonga Sun was the winner of the solo prize in the "Robinson/Freitag/Caruso Trio" that also won the 2005 Dutch Jazz Competition. He has wide big band experience, is a much sought-after drummer by dancers and poets for improvisational work; has worked in a duo setting with singer/pianist Marielle Woltringh and still finds time to head his own groups: "Veednedaal/Kneer/Sun"; "van den Broek/Nendza/Sun and Yacusy."

A band with such varied experience, talent and musical backgrounds promises excitement and absorbing creativity. As mentioned earlier, tenor saxophonist Frans Vermeerssen and pianist Robert Vermeulen have both been influenced, and their styles informed by the nimbly idiosyncratic, improvisational expressions of Thelonious Monk and Mischa Mengelberg; while Mengelberg himself had as early influences Thelonious Monk and Duke Ellington: a serendipitous circle of access that endows the quartet with ethereal consequence and intriguing expectancy. With this in mind, Vermeeressen's thoughtful, masterful, tenor saxophone treatment of (A Serious Lack of Humour) seems quite natural with its deep, bluesy Gene Ammons-like lexicon and coloring.

Drummer Yonga Sun

A free, flexible, original, improvisational form is a staple commodity inside "Almost Human," and (A Stroll For Gonzo) finds pianist Robert Vermeulen and bassist Dion Nijland locked in an uptempo sonic flirtation, inviting Vermeerssen's tenor to 'double-dutch' harmonically with Nijland's fleetness of fingers on the keyboard. The quartet also improvises freely with very dark, brooding, somber colors, using Vermeulen's dissonant pianism and Yonga Sun's precise percussion to create a rhythmic weave for Vermeerssen's tenor and Nijland's bass to coherently stitch together (Most Def!). 

Making a case for unrestricted stylistic range and tightness as a unit, the quartet flies high on (Hang Glider), a challenging, genre-archetypal leap containing chord structures from tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter's classic composition "Nefertiti" which appeared on Miles Davis' 1967 album of the same name, and around which the ensemble improvises with spectacular efficiency. A quick, fluid, shift in gears accelerates the band into rampant, post-bop, modernity (Mooing Around) fueled by a sustained attack from the flank by Vermeerssen's tenor delivering spontaneous sonic salvos with Sonny Rollins-peppered pungency.

Extending its appeal and demonstrating a collective deftness at adjusting styles, "Talking Cows" end the date with two very danceable tracks (Two  Guys And  Beer;  Hop On, Hop Off); sweating with R&B pop-funk, highlighting the rhythm section's solid resiliency, the anchoring super 'chops' of tenor saxophonist Frans Vermeerssen; and establishing irrefutably that Talking Cows - "Almost Human" is not a tome of nursery rhymes, but rather top-shelf, aged, prime cut, rawhide-tough jazz music, played by a very serious, talented, committed, professional quartet of musicians.

Track Listing: Hurdles In Three; A Serious Lack Of Humour; A Stroll For Gonzo; Dinner Is Served; Not Yet; Most Def!; Hang Glider; Mooing Around; Two Guys And Beer; Hop On, Hop Off.

Recorded at Studio Wijnbergen, Harlingen: Tracks 4 & 10 recorded at SJU Jazzpodium, Utrecht.
Engineer: Hans Wijnbergen (http://www.hanswijnbergen.nl/)

Produced by Talking Cows (http://www.talkingcows.nl/)

Frans Vermeerssen plays Cannonball saxophones

Trumpeter Roy Hargrove - "The Night of the Jewel-Studded Glove"

I can't quite recall if I read somewhere, or heard it said, that trumpeter Roy Hargrove was the 21st Century incarnation of Miles Dewey Davis III. So, to satisfy my own curiosity, I went to see him perform at Yoshi's Jazz Club in San Francisco on Sunday, January 15, 2012.


Jazz Trumpeter Roy Hargrove

He does have a similar, young Davis, chiseled, welterweight, physical build. He visibly exudes cool Milesian confidence and authority in his playing; and the signature Davis mannerism - though not as overtly as Miles -of turning away from the audience, but not his back, when he is not playing his trumpet. He does however, acknowledge applause. His soloing technique is smooth, thoughtful and crisply coherent. Like Davis, he builds his solos with a keen sense of force, logical lyricism and searching clarity; not ending them unimaginatively by prematurely finishing his phrases. But...he eschews the early ultra-conservative Davis' riveting, consistent, 'on stage', sartorial elegance, though on this night, he managed to demonstrate enough sparkling theatre to upstage both "The Prince of Darkness,"and "The King of Pop," when he emerged on the bandstand wearing a single, jewel-studded glove, with flashing multi-color lighted fingertips on his right hand. His suit was exquisitely tailored to fit his svelte frame, and his wrap-around sunglasses were vintage Miles.

The band for this appearance - a quintet - consisted of Justin Robinson - alto saxophone; Sullivan Fortner - piano; Ameen Saleem - bass; Quincy Phillips - drums; Roy Hargrove - trumpet/flugelhorn.

Alto saxophonist Justin Robinson

Hargrove managed to attract a full house for his Sunday Night show, mainly because he is such a draw in the San Francisco Bay Area, and on this occasion, probably because the following day, Monday, January 16, was Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. He opened the 8pm show with Peter de Rose and Bert Shefter's beautiful ballad (The Lamp Is Low). Hargrove took the first solo on open trumpet, blowing carefully and eloquently as blue lights on the fingertips of his bejeweled right hand glove undulated eerily in the club's dim light as he manipulated the valves on the horn. I am not sure if I would describe the effect as distracting or a spectacle, however seeing it for the first time, it seemed, well...strange! Hargrove soon turned the stage over to alto saxophonist Justin Robinson, walked over the the right end of the stage and was seen transfixed, sequencing the glove's fingertip lights through a series of red/green/blue colors...uummm interesting, but still strange!

Anyway, I turned my attention over to Robinson's alto saxophone, and I became transfixed by his speed and dexterity moving through the registers. Though impressed by his playing, my personal opinion then, and throughout the remainder of the program during solos, and duets with Hargrove, was that the tenor saxophone would have been a better tonal fit, because the tenor's burnished sound hangs better in a large room, and in this instance, I thought the tenor saxophone combined with Hargrove's rounded, smooth flugelhorn would produce a deeper, more intimate sound and feel: but I do admit a strong bias towards the tenor and tenor players!

Pianist Sullivan Fortner

The quintet continued its tune-up on Duke Pearson's (Is That So), which featured an excellent duet between Hargrove and Robinson, leading into pianist Cedar Walton's hard-bop (Hindsight), with Hargrove now showing great confidence in his dynamite rhythm section, as they took off into the night like worked up kids at a Saturday night fish fry. The other significant events in this set saw Hargrove finally dispensing with the now 'famous jeweled glove,' and settling the audience into a new zone of wonderment and comfort by changing to his flugelhorn, on which he is nakedly stellar. The quintet hit its stride, shifted its focus, and fired up James Williams' (Alter Ego), with Hargrove becoming more daring in his approach, creating more space for Robinson's alto, letting him go as far out as he wanted, but not hesitating to ease him back from the ledge with cool, coherent lyrical oversight. Bassist Ameen Saleem, reacting with a deep understanding of the conversations taking place within the group, became a dominant force during this segment reaching down deep, for a well-rounded, melodic beat that accommodated a particularly energized polyrhythmic exchange between drummer Quincy Phillips and pianist Sullivan Fortner, punctuated and accented by Fortner's marvelously understated, harmonic vignettes that stilled the capacity crowd and resulted in one of the most sustained applause moments of the evening.

Pivoting perfectly from hard-bop to Jimmy Dorsey's lush standard (I'm So Glad There Is You, (In This World of Ordinary People)) showing the quintet's collective mastery at changing moods, or tempos, without anxiety or sacrificing form, and simultaneously providing a window for an intimate look into the artistic and professional relationship between Hargrove and his exceptional pianist Sullivan Fortner : two consummate performers joined at the heart, relating through a magical ether; communicating by subtle nuance with clarity and unambiguous dedication; and harvesting a vast crop of musical ideas planted during their youth.

Bassist Ameen Saleem

Turning back to the awesome alto 'chops' of Justin Robinson for his take on an uptempo version of Bronislau Kaper's (Invitation), developed into a serious rhythmic chase between him and drummer Quincy Phillips. Phillips is best appreciated as a very efficient, supporting element within the context of the rhythm section as a unit. Though not as rhythmically complex or sonically overpowering in his playing, as say, Blakey, or Elvin Jones, he does have blurring hand speed and a propulsive drive that was licking hungrily at the flames from Robinson's alto saxophone, until Hargrove, displaying an uncanny sense of timing and cool, took control, and saw everyone home safely and soundly. (Invitation) turned in to the most sizzling tune of the show, and everyone felt its heat.



Drummer Quincy Phillips



To end the evening, Hargrove and the group treated the audience to an extended groove of blues, funk and gospel, laced with subtle humor and a dizzying array of quotes with an agility that made them difficult to categorize or identify. Hargrove is without doubt one of the most important, young jazz trumpeters on the contemporary jazz scene. He shares some common traits with Miles Davis, not Davis' 'Harmon mute, Heim mouthpiece, close to the microphone voice,' but some of his style. He is electrifying, exciting, well trained, traveled, and super accomplished on both trumpet and flugelhorn, his repertoire is vast, he respects his musicians, gives them all the space they need (Like Miles gave Coltrane) and knows a thing or two about dressing.

There is a certain urbane cachet that informs Hargrove's performances in the choices he makes of music, musicians, and composers. Simply put, he has a knack for selecting winners and gems. The guy has class, no doubt: he closed out the evening by descending from the stage, and strolling among the audience as he and Justin Robinson blew their horns until they reached the exit; the rhythm section remained on the stage playing; after a few moments, the drummer put away his sticks and quietly departed; seconds later, the bassist carefully laid his instrument down, leaving the pianist with the honor of playing the definitive note of the evening that cleared the deck, and the room. This was the cleanest, most orderly exit of a group of musicians from a bandstand I have witnessed.

No one asked for an encore! It was that cool! 

Watch Roy Hargrove play "Invitation"

CD Review: Mikko Innanen & Innkvisitio - "Clustrophy"

Year: 2011

Style: Free Jazz (Retro-Futuristic)

Label: TUM Records

Musicians: Mikko Innanen - alto, baritone and soprano saxophones, Indian wooden clarinet, percussion, whistles, toy instruments (01 - 08, 10 - 11); Fredrik Ljungkvist - tenor, sopranino saxophones, clarinet (02 - 04, 06 - 08, 10 - 11); Daniel Erdmann - tenor, baritone and soprano saxophones, toy clarinet (02 - 04, 06 - 08, 10 - 11); Seppo Kantonen - synthesizers (01 - 04, 06 - 11); Joonas Riippa - drums, percussion, pocket trumpet (01 - 04, 06 - 08, 10 - 11)



Saxophonist Mikko Innanen

CD Review: When a group of musicians sets out to play jazz music that they categorize as "...totally contemporary and futuristic," or "retro-futuristic," but still "strongly routed in history," the listener is put on notice that musically anything is liable to occur; and Duke Ellington's immortal quote: "there are two kinds of music. Good music and the other kind," rushes to the memory with geyser force; but another jazz icon, bassist Charles Mingus also opined: "anyone can make the simple complicated. Creativity is making the complicated simple."  So, as far as Mikko Innanen & Innkvisitio - "Clustrophy" and their retro-futuristic music are concerned, we are left to our own devices, because "Any Number Can Win," (James Oscar Smith; Jazz Organist).

This ensemble is made up of extremely talented, well trained, traveled, and respected musicians on the Nordic, European and International music scenes. This serendipity effectively dulls any apprehension or deliberate reservations about the players, and illuminates the date with a cool glow of excitement and expectancy. An added feature, and great aid in understanding the compositions on the disc, are the liner notes which include a section: The Music: that summarizes the content of each track, so that any musician/listener can understand what's happening inside the music and the band. TUM Records makes this information standard on their CDs, and they are to be commended for this wonderful marketing concept.

Keyboardist Seppo Kantonen

The CD opens with the surrealistic, ultra-angular, intensely cosmic, abstract mass of improvisation (Earth's Second Moon), collectively composed by synthesizer player Seppo Kantonen, drummer Joonas Riippa and bandleader Mikko Innanen; as Innanen explains, it "launched us into parallel orbit." It is also the jagged starting point of a free-associative, spontaneous improvising,  performing arc that is intense, dramatic, sonically sophisticated, ascending through a prism of sound-colors mixed expertly with mainstream jazz and intricate, 'speed of light,' thought-composing.

Riippa's ominous, super dense drumming opens (Vraa-Tender) with Kantonen's cathedral-like, deep, synthesizer organ moan; announcing a sea-change in the emotional character and mood of the music; etching the power of suggestion deep in the band's collective 'off-the-floor' improvisational capabilities. Then, showing a penchant for pleasant surprises, the ensemble rises to its full musical height and Swedish tenor saxophonist Fredrik Ljungkvist leans heavily into a swinging 'Monkish' groove, the title track, (Clustrophy) laying down cool, bopish lyricism with authority, demonstrating why he is "considered one of Sweden's most talented and interesting saxophone players." These two pieces were assigned by multi-instrumentalist Yusuf Latif and demonstrate the adaptability and rigor in the band's approach to complicated charts.

Saxophonist Fredrik Ljungkvist

The outrageously good fortune of having three multi-instrumentalists in the front line, plus a rhythm section equally adept at producing its own uniquely variegated rhythmic expressions, allow the ensemble to sound much larger and deeper than its actual numbers; but more acutely, it transforms the unit into a veritable "on demand" sound-machine that embarks on an eclectic sonic mix, beginning with the futuristic harmonic opus (A Panoramic View from from the Top Floor), that glows with the slow beauty of a late moon rising out of Riipa's "outside the vicinity of earth" percussion, Kantonen's eerie synthesizer, the utilization of various toy instruments, and the blending of the front line reeds like a chorus of free sound emanating from the wordless reverie of a daydream. In stark contrast, Mikko Innanen uncorks his prodigious 'chops' on baritone saxophone and unleashes a solo of dazzling melodic pyrotechnics (Underground). On cue, the band then drives itself hard through (The Grey Adler Returns Again) infusing the set with explosive high-strung vigor and energy, at the end of which the mood pivots beautifully towards Innanen's East Indian-flavored wooden clarinet playing (Ardennes at Dawn), as the horns of Fredrik Ljungkvist and Daniel Erdmann improvise freely around the melody, enhancing the ensemble's artistic appeal and widening repertoire.



Saxophonist Daniel Erdman



Drummer Joonas Riippa

Key elements of the ensemble's retro-futuristic signature criss-cross (Jantaraboon II) from the swinging post-bop sound of the three horns to the progressive currents of the band's percussive instrumentation like multiple dialogues in a crowded room, each coherent, thematic, but all together a cacophony distinct in order, emotional purpose and rhythm, forcing the ear to listen closely. But the most noticeable indication of the band's use of it's musical retro rockets comes with the contemporary, super funky, insanely danceable groove (757), giving credence to the incredible 'versatility, imagination, creativity and freshness' of the players; proving that there is tremendous modernity in Innkvisitio's retro-futuristic exterior musical demeanor, and establishing by rhythmic corollary the acuity in the opinions of Ellington and Mingus: Their music is the "good kind" and creatively, they do make "the complicated simple".

Track Listing: Earth's Second Moon; Vraa-Tender; Clustrophy; A Panoramic View from the Top Floor; Underground; The Grey Adler returns Again; Ardennes at Dawn; Jantaraboon II; Detto the Magician; 757; Jam Arfane.

Recorded by Kimmo Antikainen at Finnvox B Studio, Helsinki, Finland

Mixed by Kimmo Antikainen at FM Studio, Helsinki, Finland

Mastered by Henrik Otto Donner and Esa Santonen at DER, Tammisaari, Finland

Produced by Mikko Innanen

Executive Producer: Petri Haussila

E-mail: info@tumrecords.com

http://www.tumrecords.com/