Category: Reviews

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Bruce Lindsay reviews Sean Nowell “Stockholm Swingin’ “…

www.allaboutjazz.com

Sean Nowell has lent his talents to a diverse array of bands including Travis Sullivan’s Bjorkestra and his own Kung-Fu Masters, working across numerous musical styles. OnStockholm Swingin’, the tenor saxophonist’s third Posi-Tone release, he stays in recognizably straight-ahead territory, bringing his impressively wide-ranging and imaginative tenor sound to a live quintet recording from the Swedish capital’s Glenn Miller Café in November, 2010.

Nowell and drummer Joe Abba, a longtime musical collaborator, are joined by a trio of Swedish performers: guitarist Frederik Olsson; bassist Lars Ekman; and the exciting teenage pianist, Leo Lindberg. The quintet sounds cool, confident and swinging on a mix of standards and originals.

The set opens with the relaxed shuffle of McCoy Tyner’s “Blues On The Corner,” an easygoing number characterized by warm and melodic solos from Nowell and Lindberg. Duke Ellington’s “Amad” starts with a slinky groove from Ekman and Abba, with Lindberg adding to the feel with some well-placed chords as Nowell and Olsson contribute a deftly-played melody line. The third classic tune is a smoky, early hours version of Billy Strayhorn’s balladic “Chelsea Bridge,” showcasing Nowell’s evocative tenor sound. “Ack Värmeland, Du Sköna” has an immediate familiarity to it—but then it’s better known as “Dear Old Stockholm,” recorded by a host of jazz stars from Stan Getz and Miles Davis to Paul Chambers. Nowell is again in fine form, building a dynamic solo.

The originals sit neatly alongside the more established tunes. Nowell’s “NY Vibe” has, as its title suggests, a more up-tempo, urgent, feel than most of the album, although Olsson’s fluid solo does bring a touch of calm after Nowell’s more frenetic tenor. Lindberg and Olsson’s “Sweet Night” is another up-tempo number, gaining its drive from Abba’s sparky percussion and featuring Ollsson with another bright, melodic guitar solo. Abba’s “Walking The Path” is an impressive tune, filled with melodic and rhythmic ideas that give the number a more spiritual vibe than the rest of the collection.

This is a beautifully-crafted album, with fine contributions from each of the quintet’s members. The quality of the live recording is also superb—congratulations to producer Marc Free and engineer Nick O’Toole for achieving such a great sound, capturing the mood of a live gig with the acoustic clarity of a studio recording.

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jazzreview.com on Dave Juarez “Round Red Light”…

www.jazzreview.com

Barcelona, Spain., native Dave Juarez is well-educated in the jazz vernacular amid studies with guitar great John Abercrombie and tenure at SUNY Purchase upon his relocation to New York. Here, the artist shows agility, focus and a multidimensional line of attack with his estimable supporting lineup. He alternates moods, tonalities and shadings while shifting the stride and launching animated solos alongside pianist John Escreet and saxophonist Seamus Blake.

Juarez’ compositions are linear and sometimes ride atop a broad horizontal plane, although there’s more bounce and pop then a staid musical climate. The piece “Lonely Brooklyn,” highlights the artist’s compositional attributes. Here, the band embarks upon a sprightly bop framework designed with brisk unison phrasings and a frothy pulse. Juarez shows grace and a sense of ownership via his penchant for building tension, but nicely contrasted by harmonious thematic constructions. With a joyous storyline, the band branches out into the improvisational strata, augmented by Escreet’s zinging harmonics and melodic intervals.

The musicians work within a hearty modus operandi that is keenly complemented by the vibrant soloing jaunts and focused group-centric methodology. Indeed, Juarez has done his homework. Perhaps the best is yet to come from this talented artist whose shining star may be a near-term certainty.

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Step Tempest review for Fowser/Gillece “DuoTone”…

steptempest.blogspot.com

Like Nowell, this is the third release on Posi-Tone for the duo of Ken Fowser (tenor saxophone) and Behn Gillece(vibraphone).  Aptly titled “Duotone“, this is also their third release that features a different rhythm section. For this collection of 10 originals (all but 2 by Gillece), bassistDavid Wong, drummer Willie Jones III and pianist Donald Vega get to lay down the grooves.  In many ways, this music reminds of the Harold Land-Bobby Hutcherson group from the late 1960s into the 70s.  Nothing is forced, nothing phony, just smart melodies and chord patterns for the various soloists to play with.  Peruvian-born pianist Vega is solid throughout offering up excellent background and several fine solos, especially on “Attachment” when he starts way down on the left side and rambles up the keys. His rubato opening to “Spontaneity” with harp-like glissandos, sets the tone for the handsome piece.  The blend of piano and vibes do not always work but Vega and Gillece complement each other in so many ways.  Fowser’s tenor is quite musical; his solos tend to be built off the melody lines and he never forces the pace. “One for G” is a perfect example of his bluesy style, reminiscent at times of Hank Mobley.   That does not mean the music is tame. The fire created by Wong and Jones III on the hardbop opener “Overcooked” and the hard-edged “Back to Back” is impressive; Gillece and Vega really dig deep and let loose on the latter track.

“Duotone” is pleasantly unpretentious music, truly joyous bop at its best.  Fowser and Gillece, as well as their excellent rhythm section, are always in sync – no one attempts to steal the spotlight.

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Richard Kamins reviews Stockholm Swingin’

steptempest.blogspot.com

For his 3rd Posi-Tone release, tenor saxophonist/composerSean Nowell headed over to Sweden to record “Stockholm Swingin’” live at the Glenn Miller Cafe.  Accompanying him on the journey was his New York City bandmate, drummerJoe Abba; despite the last name, he’s not Swedish, but the rest of the quintet is.  Leo Lindberg (piano), Fredrik Olsson (guitar) and Lars Ekman (bass) join the American duo to create a pleasant program consisting of several standards, 2 originals by the team of Lindberg and Olsson (they co-lead a band), one each by Nowell and Abba plus a bluesy take on a traditional Swedish tune.

The disk opens with the easy loping rhythms of McCoy Tyner’s “Blues On The Corner“, a piece that showcases the smoky tones of Nowell’s tenor, a sound that brings to mind Coleman Hawkins and Ben Webster. That tone is also evident on the lovely take of Billy Strayhorn’s “Chelsea Bridge.”  Nowell lets loose on “Ack Värmeland du Sköna“, the traditional tune that a number of jazz musicians have recorded as “Dear Old Stockholm.”  Abba and Ekman do a fine anchoring the rhythm section throughout the CD but especially on “Harlem Woman” (one of the Lindberg/Olsson tunes) and the drummer’s funky “Walking the Path.” For these ears, the highlight of the program is the fine take on Duke Ellington’s “Amad” (from “The Far East Suite.”)  The rhythm has the feel of a Randy Weston tune over which the tenor and guitar dance around each with abandon.  Gritty sounds but oh-so-fine!

“Stockholm Swingin’” satisfies on a number of level, especially in the way the quintet of musicians work together.  They sound like they’re having great fun and, no matter the language, that translates into a fine listening experience.  For more information, go towww.seannowell.com.

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Bill Mikowski on David Gibson “End of the Tunnel”…

jazztimes.com

Had to check the calendar eight bars into the greasy boogaloo opener, Herbie Hancock’s “Blind Man, Blind Man,” because it sounded like another night at Small’s Paradise circa 1963. The same authentic feel prevails on Jared Gold’s soulful, Horace Silver-inspired “Preachin’” and his jaunty shuffle-blues “Splat.” Bandleader David Gibson has been courting this funky old-school muse for a while now with his working quartet featuring superb B3 maven Gold, alto saxophonist Julius Tolentino and drummer Quincy Davis. Hard-hitting goodfoot numbers like “Wasabi” bear the unmistakable stamp of Fred Wesley and Maceo Parker, while the churchified “Sunday Morning” recalls the Wayne Henderson-Wilton Felder connection of the early Jazz Crusaders. A boisterous romp through the bop-fueled title track directly connects Gibson to trombone elders J.J. Johnson, Slide Hampton and Curtis Fuller.

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Dan Bilawsky reviews Ken Fowser / Behn Gillece: Duotone

www.allaboutjazz.com

“Duotone” is a term that belongs to the world of photography, but it makes perfect sense when applied to this recording. Tenor saxophonist Ken Fowser and vibraphonist Behn Gillece superimpose their tonal colors and personalities against one another, to create an aural portrait that’s both traditional and modern.

While the supporting personnel have changed on each of their three Posi-Tone dates, the basic template by which their music is designed remains, essentially, the same. On each album, the pair employs a quintet to deliver melodically-inviting material with impressive soloing , but they also branch out beyond this general description. “Spontaneity” features a wide developmental arc, which begins with impressionistic piano and loose, searching statements, eventually arriving at propulsive swing, and “Come Around Again” is an intimate, musical-dream sequence.

Both men own equal shares in this music but, as on Little Echo (Posi-Tone, 2010), Gillece serves as the primary composer. Fowser’s contributions—the breezy, Brazilian-tinged “Bongo” and the hip, swinging “One For G”—come at the end of the album, after Gillece has already established himself as the compositional kingpin of the group. His music can be hypnotic (“Offset”), relaxed and carefree (“Low Ball”), or caffeinated and swinging (“Back To Back”), depending on the moment, but all of it remains highly accessible.

While the solid architecture of each piece speaks to the writing skills of Gillece, and Fowser on a smaller scale, jazz remains an improviser’s art, and this album features plenty of soloing to attest to their strengths in this area. While they take the large majority of the solo spots, pianistDonald Vega is an almost-equal partner in this department. He steals the show on the up-tempo “Back To Back,” and his bluesy piano work on “Offset” takes the song in a different direction.

The team of bassist David Wong, of drummer Roy Haynes’ Fountain of Youth band fame, and überdrummer Willie Jones III are as good a rhythm duo as can be hoped for, and they provide superb support throughout the program. When the music requires intensity, they push and prod to perfection, but they also underline the cool characteristics of the slower, swinging material on the album.

Duotone isn’t a radical departure from Full View (Posi-Tone, 2009) and Little Echo, but that’s just fine. It’s a winning program of original tunes that continues to show off the chemistry which exists between two exciting instrumental voices bound for the big time.

Track Listing: Overcooked; Spontaneity; Attachment; Back To Back; Come Around Again; In The Twilight; Low Ball; Bongo; Offset; One for G.

Personnel: Ken Fowser: tenor saxophone; Behn Gillece: vibraphone; Donald Vega: piano; David Wong: bass; Willie Jones III: drums.

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Burning Ambulance reviews Sean Nowell “Stockholm Swingin’ “….

burningambulance.com

This album features Alabama-born, New York-based tenor saxophonist Sean Nowell and his regular drummer, Joe Abba (whose last name is humorous in this context), joined by three Swedish musicians—guitarist Fredrik Olsson, pianistLeo Lindberg, and bassist Lars Ekman—for a date at the Glenn Miller Café in Stockholm. I’ve heard lots of other live recordings from the Miller, on Ayler Records, but they’ve been of a much freer nature than this album, which offers eight exercises in blues and groove, including compositions by Billy Strayhorn, McCoy Tyner andDuke Ellington, as well as one each by Nowell and Abba and two by the team of Lindberg and Olsson, plus a Swedish standard, “Ack Värmeland, Du Sköna,” the title of which translates to “Warm Land, You’re Comfortable” or something like that (Google was not as helpful as I’d hoped) but is probably better known as “Dear Old Stockholm.”

The album kicks off with a slow, intense version of Tyner’s “Blues on the Corner,” which originally appeared on the pianist’s The Real McCoy. This version sounds little like that one, because Nowell has none of the restrained introspection of Joe Henderson, the saxophonist on that album. Indeed, while here and on every other track, the feel of a mid-’60s Blue Note session is definitely present and strong, it’sHank Mobley who’s most likely to come to mind when listening to Nowell—and guitarist Olsson is very much pulling his tricks from Grant Green‘s old bag. Neither of those are bad things, by the way. I’ve long believed Mobley doesn’t get nearly the attention he deserves, and I could listen to Green all day long.

When the band dips into its own bag of compositions, things get a little more modern, but not much. The nine-minute “Amad,” the longest track on the album by almost 90 seconds, lets Nowell stretch out into some trancelike zones, but never gets weirder than, say, David S. Ware got on Surrendered, his most mainstream-friendly album by far. His playing on Strayhorn’s “Chelsea Bridge” is thick and buzzy, recalling Coleman Hawkins, and the band’s backing is sparse, yet powerful, holding strength in reserve to allow the leader to blow lengthy variations on the blues.

Pianist Lindberg is an able accompanist, but his playing seems to be more about re-creation than creation. Many European jazz players have twisted the idiom to suit their own temperament; ECM’s roster is full of such artists. Lindberg doesn’t seem to want to inject too much of himself into the music—he plays as though he’s got a mix tape of Blue Note sidemen going in headphones. Ekman and Abba are well attuned to him, and each other, but neither man makes much of an effort to draw attention to himself. Even when swinging hard, as on the opening two cuts and “Sweet Night,” the next-to-last number, they don’t do anything to create individual identities on their instruments. They’re timekeepers, and very good ones, but little more. Also, it’s worth noting that the record has a slight problem with its sequencing—four mid- to uptempo blues grooves in a row to start, a ballad, then the set’s one true burner. That’s all good, but then we get another ballad (“Walking the Path”) to close things out. And it’s a nice ballad, with some very thoughtful, almost Wayne Shorter-esque (the Wayne Shorter of 1964) playing from Nowell, but it ends the album on a somewhat down note, rather than taking the listener out with a bang.

Ultimately, Stockholm Swingin’ is a good, solid live document of a band that knows how to work together and has good taste in material. It doesn’t bring much to the table that’s new, but if that’s not a problem for you (and it certainly isn’t always a problem for me), you’ll probably like it a lot. It definitely makes me want to hear more by Sean Nowell, if for no other reason than to find out whether he stretches his imagination more in the studio.

UPDATE: Sean Nowell responded to this review via email, and gave me permission to reprint his comments.

Hey Phil,

Thanks for the insightfulness. In the last line you mentioned that you were interested if I stretched my imagination more in the studio. I’d love for you to check out my 2nd Posi-Tone release, The Seeker.  There’s some really nice original writing and arranging there. Also my 1st installment FireWerks is mainly originals and is still cool after all these years.

Anyhow, thanks so much for taking the time to listen…

Nowell’s quintet will be performing at Smalls on August 17.

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Lucid Culture on Brent Canter “Urgency of Now”…

lucidculture.wordpress.com

Brent Canter’s Urgency of Now Drives Its Point Home

Don’t let the endorsement fool you: Kenny Burrell is a fan of jazz guitarist Brent Canter, whose latest album Urgency of Now is out onPosi-Tone.  And the elder statesman is on to something. As with virtually every jazz guitarist, it’s no secret that Canter has listened to Burrell –  but he doesn’t ape him. Burrell is right in saying that this is a good album, frequently a great one, but most impressively, it’s an original one. No bass here; instead, a B3 organ, but there’s not a single funky shuffle in sight. Instead, a midtempo, frequently pensive groove.

You wouldn’t think that the generically circling Afrobeat-tinged riff that opens the first track would be the springboard for as catchy a tune as the one that morphs out of it…and the tasty Seamus Blake tenor sax solo that follows…and the big High Romantic chord-punching that Canter segues into, either. But it happens. They go brooding and Brazilian-tinged with the ballad Meet Me Halfway, with a blippy, slightly Burrellesque solo that follows a predictable but rewarding trajectory. A slightly phantasmagorical Pat Bianchi organ solo picks up the pace.

Settle Down, an expansive yet pensive early 60s style organ-and-guitar mood piece a la Grant Green is followed by A Long Way from Home. Weather Report might have sounded like this if they’d had a Hammond instead of Jaco: Canter takes it up with a long, acerbic, fat-toned solo and then passes to Blake for the basket, organist Adam Klipple warping from 4 AM to high noon in a split second. Transitions, another ballad, very subtly mines a lazy indie rock riff, Klipple moving in majestically and then carnivalesque, for psychedelic ambience. With Eyes Closed is as funky as they get here, Klipple going more for a straightforward, incisive feel, drummer Jordan Perlson prowling playfully in the underbrush.

If Marina Del Rey is meant to evoke a casual, breezy Cali milieu, it’s accurate, with spiraling organ and a surprisingly upbeat solo from Canter. They close the album with the title track, Canter taking on bit of a sun-blistered tone, organ flailing a little, and then down and out they go with an insistent, triumphant series of guitar riffs. This album is more than solid – it’s one of the better ones to come over the transom here this year.

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Bruce Lindsay reviews Nick Hempton “The Business”…

www.allaboutjazz.com

Saxophonist Nick Hempton’s decision to call his second album The Business might be a comment on the commercial nature of jazz, or it might be a rather hubristic statement about the nature of his own music. Big, fat grooves, a real sense of swing, strong melodies and even stronger rhythms suggest that Hempton is right to name this album The Business on both counts: because this is a high-quality collection of straight-ahead jazz with an immediate accessibility.

Hempton, originally from Australia and now resident in New York, formed his band in 2005. The quartet appeared on his debut recording, the self-produced Nick Hempton Band (2009). Now signed to Posi-Tone, the original lineup is back for this second album’s collection of Hempton originals plus two fascinating covers.

Hempton is equally adept on alto and tenor saxophones. On alto, his tone is dry and crisp, lending itself well to up-tempo, swinging numbers like “Flapjacks In Belo” or the slinky “Press One For Bupkis.” His tone is somewhat warmer and more rounded on tenor, giving a smoky, late-night sound to the band’s bluesy take on Don Redman’s “Gee Baby, Ain’t I Good To You.”

Six years working together ensures that the band is tight and cohesive. Bassist Marco Panasciaand drummer Dan Aran form a solid rhythmic foundation, and both display invention in their soloing. Guest guitarist Yotam Silberstein is used sparingly but to good effect, bringing a lightness of touch to his solo on “Cold Spring Fever” and joining Hempton in some fluid unison playing on “Carry On Up The Blues.” Pianist Art Hirahara is also an effective rhythm player, adding some understated lines to underpin Hempton’s lead playing. When Hirahara gets the chance to solo he shows himself to have a similar lightness and fluidity of his own, his solo on “Not Here For A Haircut” precise but swinging.

While the band’s style is generally straight-ahead, blues is at the core of much of the music, lending it an emotional connection that’s not always present in the contemporary mainstream.The Business is commercial, but not at the expense of the music’s heart.

Track Listing: Flapjacks In Belo; Art Is In The Groove; Gee Baby, Ain’t I Good To You; Press One For Bupkis; From Bechet, Byas And Fats; Encounter At E; Cold Spring Fever; Not Here For A Haircut; The Wading Game; Carry On Up The Blues.

Personnel: Nick Hempton: alto saxophone, tenor saxophone; Art Hirahara: piano; Marco Panascia: bass; Dan Aran: drums; Yotam Silberstein: guitar (2, 7, 10).

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SomethingElse! reviews Brent Canter “Urgency of Now”…

somethingelsereviews.com

With a tone resembling Kurt Rosenwinkel‘s but with the soft touch of Jim Hall, Brent Canter’s soulful maneuverings display the lessons he learnedfirst hand from Kenny Burrell. And by the way, who won this year’s ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Award? That’s right, Brent Canter.

 

The L.A. native who attended UCLA on a music scholarship (where he got to study under Burrell) wasted little time in striking out to NYC and making a name for himself there. He formed a trio with organist Adam Klipple and drummer Jordan Perlson, called BC3 (not to be confused with the fusion-oriented but also good BT3 Trio). In 2008, there came the self-released debut record, Soundscape, and three years later, Brent Canter and his rhythm section returned for the encore, Urgency Of Now.

Urgency Of Now is one of those organ jazz records that soothes the soul on casual listens and tingles the mind on closer listens. Still only 25, Canter spent his younger days soaking up Pat Metheny, Wayne Shorter and John Scofield, distilling their personalities with the indie rock of his own generation to come up with compositions that avoid jazz cliches in favor of easier to embrace modern chord changes, but keeps the swinging nature and challenging precepts of jazz intact. It becomes apparent right from start, with the shifty and uplifting “Dialogue” that Canter is playing organ jazz music that lives—thrives—in the present. That vibe carries over into the percolating groover, “Meet Me Halfway” and all the way to the delightfully unfolding title cut at the end.

In between, there’s other treats, some by way of personnel. To mix things up a bit, Canter brought in the esteemed Seamus Blake on saxophone on a handful of tunes, a great choice, as Blake works well with guitarists of all stripes. He brings his liquid, no-frills sax voice to songs like “Dialogues,” “With Eyes Closed” (video of live performance below) and “A Long Way From Home” and fits right in without disrupting the flow. Pat Bianchi replaces Klipple on three tracks, his expressive B-3 lifting up the ballad “Settle Down” and keeps it engaging. For his part, Klipple’s rhythmically aware approach lights up tunes like the highly syncopated “With Eyes Closed.”

When scanning the jazz landscape for new talent who has a deep respect for the accomplishments of the older generations while keeping the music fresh, exciting and compelling, I occasionally come across guys like Brent Canter, who make the search for those next jazz stars the all the more worthwhile. I get the feeling we haven’t yet seen the best from Canter, but as the title implies, Urgency Of Now isn’t about a record by an artist waiting to get good. This is compelling music that is fully developed, right now.